Game of Thrones: The contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in Yogyakarta, 1808–1825
The dhampar kencana (golden throne) is an ornately carved throne stool, also known as a singgasana in Javanese, used at the enthronement of every Javanese ruler. It is considered a sacred and mystical object in the Javanese courts. But, in the troubled transition from the Dutch East India Company (V...
Uloženo v:
| Vydáno v: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/archipel, |
|---|---|
| Hlavní autoři: | , |
| Médium: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Jazyk: | Anglais |
| Vydáno: |
Archipel
2026
|
| Témata: | |
| On-line přístup: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| id |
openedition-oai:revues.org:archipel_9929 |
|---|---|
| record_format |
openedition |
| collection |
OpenEdition Journal |
| language |
Anglais |
| format |
Article ou chapitre numérique |
| building |
0/Bibliothèque numérique/ 1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/ |
| topic |
XVIIIe siècle XIXe siècle Java Yogyakarta mobilier palatin Néerlandais Britanniques pouvoir colonial 18th century 19th century Java Yogyakarta palace furniture Dutch British colonial power |
| spellingShingle |
XVIIIe siècle XIXe siècle Java Yogyakarta mobilier palatin Néerlandais Britanniques pouvoir colonial 18th century 19th century Java Yogyakarta palace furniture Dutch British colonial power Carey, Peter Supriyatna-Mz, Eddy Game of Thrones: The contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in Yogyakarta, 1808–1825 |
| description |
The dhampar kencana (golden throne) is an ornately carved throne stool, also known as a singgasana in Javanese, used at the enthronement of every Javanese ruler. It is considered a sacred and mystical object in the Javanese courts. But, in the troubled transition from the Dutch East India Company (VOC, 1602–1799) to the high colonial period of the Netherlands East Indies (1816–1942), the throne stool became a highly contested object, demarcating as it did political status viz-a-viz the Dutch colonial power. Nowhere was this more salient than in Yogyakarta during the first two regnal periods of Sultan Hamengku Buwono II (1792–1810/1811–1812/1826–1828). Here the placement of a low wooden bench (dhingklik) under the dhampar kencana enabled the second sultan to sit higher in royal receptions than visiting Dutch dignitaries including (until May 1808) the governor of Java’s Northeast Coast (Semarang). During the Franco-Dutch (1808–1811) and British (1811–1816) administrations of Marshal Herman Willem Daendels (in office, 1808–1811) and Thomas Stamford Raffles (1811–1816), the throne stool with its elevating wooden stool became the lightning rod for political tensions, nearly occasioning a bloody affray between Raffles and the second sultan in the Residency “throne room” in December 1811. Even after the overthrow and exile of the latter and the dawn of the high colonial era when the European government ruled supreme, issues around the dhampar kencana continued. They became particularly acute in the years immediately leading up to the outbreak of the Java War (1825–1830) when the Dutch Resident, Smissaert (in office, 1823–1825), insisted on occupying the throne at key ceremonies like the Garebeg Mulud (Prophet’s birthday) and Garebeg Puasa (celebration at the end of the fasting month). The present article traces these historical developments at the same time as engaging with the semiotic and design elements used in the creation of the dhampar kencana whose details were modified from reign to reign. |
| author |
Carey, Peter Supriyatna-Mz, Eddy |
| author_facet |
Carey, Peter Supriyatna-Mz, Eddy |
| author_sort |
Carey, Peter |
| title |
Game of Thrones: The contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in Yogyakarta, 1808–1825 |
| title_short |
Game of Thrones: The contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in Yogyakarta, 1808–1825 |
| title_full |
Game of Thrones: The contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in Yogyakarta, 1808–1825 |
| title_fullStr |
Game of Thrones: The contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in Yogyakarta, 1808–1825 |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Game of Thrones: The contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in Yogyakarta, 1808–1825 |
| title_sort |
game of thrones: the contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in yogyakarta, 1808–1825 |
| publisher |
Archipel |
| publishDate |
2026 |
| container_title |
URI:https://journals.openedition.org/archipel |
| url |
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/16fx0 https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/archipel/9929 |
| _version_ |
1877291662483390464 |
| spelling |
openedition-oai:revues.org:archipel_9929 https://doi.org/10.4000/16fx0 urn:doi:10.4000/16fx0 en https://journals.openedition.org/archipel/9929 2026-06-22T02:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/16fx0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/ Game of Thrones: The contestation over the dhampar (throne stool) in Yogyakarta, 1808–1825 Archipel Association Archipel info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2104-3655 info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/0044-8613 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/archipel Carey, Peter Supriyatna-Mz, Eddy XVIIIe siècle XIXe siècle Java Yogyakarta mobilier palatin Néerlandais Britanniques pouvoir colonial 18th century 19th century Java Yogyakarta palace furniture Dutch British colonial power The dhampar kencana (golden throne) is an ornately carved throne stool, also known as a singgasana in Javanese, used at the enthronement of every Javanese ruler. It is considered a sacred and mystical object in the Javanese courts. But, in the troubled transition from the Dutch East India Company (VOC, 1602–1799) to the high colonial period of the Netherlands East Indies (1816–1942), the throne stool became a highly contested object, demarcating as it did political status viz-a-viz the Dutch colonial power. Nowhere was this more salient than in Yogyakarta during the first two regnal periods of Sultan Hamengku Buwono II (1792–1810/1811–1812/1826–1828). Here the placement of a low wooden bench (dhingklik) under the dhampar kencana enabled the second sultan to sit higher in royal receptions than visiting Dutch dignitaries including (until May 1808) the governor of Java’s Northeast Coast (Semarang). During the Franco-Dutch (1808–1811) and British (1811–1816) administrations of Marshal Herman Willem Daendels (in office, 1808–1811) and Thomas Stamford Raffles (1811–1816), the throne stool with its elevating wooden stool became the lightning rod for political tensions, nearly occasioning a bloody affray between Raffles and the second sultan in the Residency “throne room” in December 1811. Even after the overthrow and exile of the latter and the dawn of the high colonial era when the European government ruled supreme, issues around the dhampar kencana continued. They became particularly acute in the years immediately leading up to the outbreak of the Java War (1825–1830) when the Dutch Resident, Smissaert (in office, 1823–1825), insisted on occupying the throne at key ceremonies like the Garebeg Mulud (Prophet’s birthday) and Garebeg Puasa (celebration at the end of the fasting month). The present article traces these historical developments at the same time as engaging with the semiotic and design elements used in the creation of the dhampar kencana whose details were modified from reign to reign. Le dhampar kencana (trône d’or) est un tabouret de trône richement sculpté, également appelé singgasana en javanais, utilisé lors de l’intronisation de chaque souverain javanais. Il est considéré comme un objet sacré et mystique dans les cours javanaises. Cependant, lors de la transition tumultueuse entre la Compagnie néerlandaise des Indes orientales (VOC, 1602-1799) et la période coloniale des Indes orientales néerlandaises (1816-1942), le tabouret de trône devint un objet de vives controverses, marquant le statut politique du souverain face au pouvoir colonial néerlandais. Ce phénomène fut particulièrement marqué à Yogyakarta durant les deux premiers règnes du sultan Hamengku Buwono II (1792-1810/1811-1812/1826-1828). Ici, le placement d’un banc en bois bas (dhingklik) sous le dhampar kencana a permis au deuxième sultan de s’asseoir plus haut dans les réceptions royales que les dignitaires néerlandais en visite, y compris (jusqu’en mai 1808) le gouverneur de la côte nord-est de Java (Semarang). Sous les administrations franco-néerlandaise (1808-1811) et britannique (1811-1816) du maréchal Hermann Willem Daendels (en fonction de 1808 à 1811) et de Thomas Stamford Raffles (1811-1816), le trône, avec son estrade en bois, devint un sujet de vives tensions politiques, manquant de peu de provoquer une rixe sanglante entre Raffles et le second sultan dans la salle du trône de la Résidence en décembre 1811. Même après la destitution et l’exil de ce dernier, et l’avènement de la grande ère coloniale durant laquelle le gouvernement européen exerçait une souveraineté absolue, les questions relatives au dhampar kencana persistèrent. Elles s’exacerbèrent tout particulièrement durant les années précédant immédiatement le déclenchement de la guerre de Java (1825-1830), lorsque le Résident néerlandais, Smissaert (en fonction de 1823 à 1825), insista pour occuper le trône lors de cérémonies importantes comme le Garebeg Mulud (Anniversaire du Prophète) et Garebeg Puasa (célébration de la fin du mois de jeûne). Le présent article retrace ces évolutions historiques tout en analysant les éléments sémiotiques et graphiques utilisés dans la création du dhampar kencana, dont les détails ont évolué au fil des règnes. |