Paramita:Paramita: Historical Historical Studies Studies Journal, Journal, 27 27(1), (1), 2017: 2017 28-33 ISSN: 0854-0039, E-ISSN: 2407-5825 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15294/paramita.v27i1.9187 THE POLITICS OF THE SUNDANESE KINGDOM ADMINISTRATION IN KAWALI-GALUH Widyonugrahanto, Nina Herlina Lubis, Mumuh Muhsin Z., Dade Mahzuni, Kunto Sofianto, R.M. Mulyadi, Undang A. Darsa. Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Padjadjaran ABSTRACT ABSTRAK The focus of the study is the politics of the Penelitian ini adalah tentang politik Sundanese Kingdom administration during a pemerintahan Kerajaan Sunda ketika period when the power was centered in Kawa- kekuasaan berpusat di Kawali-Galuh. Astana li-Galuh. Astana Gede Kawali is a historical Gede Kawali adalah salah satu situs peningga- site that used to be the center of the Sundanese lan bersejarah yang merupakan bekas pusat kingdom as solidly proven by the existence of pemerintahan Kerajaan Sunda Kawali-Galuh. a number of remaining historical plaques Beberapa prasasti tentang Kerajaan Sunda found in the site. The study employed a four- yang ditemukan disana adalah bukti keras step historical method that involved heuristics, tentang itu. Metode yang digunakan dalam criticism, interpretation, and historiography. penelitian ini adalah Metode Sejarah yang The main concept underlying the study is didalamnya terdapat empat tahapan yaitu Montesquieu’s Division of Power, also known Heuristik, Kritik, Interpretasi dan Historio- as the Trias Politica. In general, the politics of grafi. Konsep yang digunakan dalam the Sundanese kingdom administration re- penelitian ini adalah Konsep Pembagian mained unchanged despite the shifts of the Kekuasaan Montesquieu yang terkenal dengan administrative center to Galuh, Kawali, and nama Trias Politica . Politik pemerintahan da- Pakuan. The Sundanese kingdoms actually lam kerajaan Sunda pada umumnya adalah adopted a unique concept called Tri Tangtu di sama walaupun pusat pemerintahannya ber- Buana , according to which administrative pindah pindah dari Galuh, Kawali dan power was distributed triadically among Prebu, Pakuan. Pemerintahan Kerajaan Sunda mem- Rama, and Resi. The concept of Tri Tangtu Bu- iliki kekhasannya tersendiri dengan konsepnya ana is similar to that of Montesquieu’s Trias Tri Tangtu di Buana yang didalamnya mem- Politica , which is commonly adopted by to- bagi kekuasaan pemerintahan dalam Prebu- day’s modern states. Rama-Resi .Tri Tangtu di Buana ini memiliki kemiripan dengan pembagian kekuasaan yang Keywords: Tri Tangtu di Buana , Kawali- terkenal dengan sebutan Trias Politica dari Galuh. Montesquieu yang sekarang banyak digunakan dalam negara modern. Kata Kunci: Tri Tangtu di Buana , Kawali- Galuh Author correspondence Email: [email protected] 28 Available online at http://journal.unnes.ac.id/nju/index.php/paramita Paramita: Historical Studies Journal, 27(1), 2017 INTRODUCTION Three other manuscripts, Pararaton, A modern state generally adopts Montes- Kidung Sundayana , and Kidung Sunda , also quieu’s concept of Trias Politica, a strict have references to the Sundanese kingdom separation between three independent (Nastiti , 2012:248). As further proofs of power in every nation: for legislation, ad- the existence of the Sundanese kingdom, a ministration, and jurisdiction. Based on number of old manuscripts, for example this model, the legislature is the law- Amanat Galunggung, Kawih Paningkes, Jat- making body, the executive is the law- iniskala, Ratu Pakuan, Sewaka Darma, Bu- implementing body, and the judiciary is jangga Manik, and Sri Ajnyana left by the the law-controlling body responsible for Sundanese kingdom elaborate on the phil- adjudicating the implementation of the osophical concepts adopted in the Sun- law (Montesquieu, 2004). danese kingdom (Noorduyn & Teeuw, A political system similar to Mon- 2009). The Sundanese kingdom is also tesquieu’s Trias Politica also once existed mentioned by Tomé Pires, a Portuguese the Sundanese traditional kingdom. The explorer, who wrote about his expeditions Sundanese kingdom was one of the oldest in a famous book entitled Suma Oriental kingdoms in Java. Historians believe that (Pires, 2015) . the Sundanese kingdom was the continua- The center of the Sundanese king- tion of Tarumanagara kingdom, which dom underwent several shifts. From the was established in the 5 th century in the above plaques and manuscripts, we can present-day West Java. The center of the trace the shift from Galuh to Pakuan, Sundanese kingdom underwent several Saunggalah, back to Pakuan again, then shifts from around Galuh-Kawali in the Kawali, and finally Pakuan (Nastiti, present-day Ciamis Regency to, for exam- 2012:250). ple, Pakuan Pajajaran in the present-day Bogor Regency. RESEARCH METHOD The existence of the Sundanese As a study in history, the research used a kingdom in West Java is proven among four-step historical method involving heu- others by the Kebon Kopi plaque in Ciam- ristics, criticism, interpretation, and histo- pea, Bogor. On the plaque is inscribed a riography (Kuntowijoyo, 2005:90 and statement in Old Malay that once there Herlina 2011:15-16). Heuristics is a step in was a Rakyan Juru Pangamat who attempt- which data are sought and collected ed to restore the power of the haji (Herlina, 2011: 15-17). The second step, (Sundanese king) in the Saka year of 854 criticism or verification, involves two (Nastiti , 2012:248).The name of the Sun- types of criticism, namely internal and danese kingdom is also inscribed in the external criticism. Internal criticism is Sang Hyang Tapak plaque found around used to test the credibility of a source, Pangcalikan and Bantarmuncang villages while external criticism is a tool to test a on the Cicatih river bank, Cibadak, Suka- source’s authenticity based on its physical bumi Regency. Written in Old Javanese aspects (Herlina 2011:24-25 and Kuntowi- language and abugida alphabet, the plaque joyo 2005: 100). The next step is interpre- relates a narrative about a ruler of Sunda tation, in which the data or sources are (haji ri Sunda or parhajyan Sunda ) named sequenced. In interpretation the data are Maharaja Sri Jayabhupati Jayamanehen elaborated and synthesized before conclu- Wisnumurtti Samarawijaya Sakalabhu- sions can be drawn. The final step is histo- wana Mandales Waranindita Haro Gow- riography, which is the step where the re- ardhana Wikramottunggadewa (Nastiti , sults of a historical study is written. An 2012:248). In addition to these plaques, important part of this final step is select- there are also two old manuscripts, name- ing, in which solid relevance and imagina- ly the Sang Hyang Siksakanda Ng Karesian tion are developed through a logically and and Carita Parahyangan manuscripts, in chronologically narrative (Herlina, 2011: which the Sunda region is mentioned. 55-60). 29 Paramita: Historical Studies Journal, 27(1), 2017 The study is based on Montes- above excerpt means approximately as quieu’s concept of separation of power, follows. also known as the Trias Politica , according to which the power of a state is distributed This is a reminder Kawali; it is he who among the Legislature, Executive, and earns happiness through meditation; Judiciary. The legislature is the law- Prabu Raja Wastu, who reigns the city making body, the executive is the law- of Kawali, who adorns the Surawisesa palace, who fortifies the circumference implementing body, and the judiciary is of the entire capital with a defensive the law-controlling body responsible for ditch, who brings prosperity to the en- adjudicating the implementation of the tire region; may this ruler follow the law (Montesquieu, 2004). path of righteousness so that hemay rule long in this world (Lubis et al ., RESULT AND DISCUSSION 2013: 238). The Sundanese Kingdom in Kawali- Galuh Historians believe that the name Prebu The Sundanese kingdom in Kawali-Galuh Raja Wastu mentioned in the plaque actu- was the predecessor of the Pakuan Pajaja- ally refers to Niskala Wastu Kencana, one ran kingdom, of which center resided in of kings of the Sundanese kingdom in Ga- the Dayo area around the present Bogor luh that is mentioned in Carita Parahi- City. Galuh Kingdom’s administrative yangan (Lubis et al . 2013: 239; Lubis et al . center was in the Karangmulyan site in 2003). Not all Galuh kings resided in the present-day Ciamis Regency. There is, Astana Gede Kawali. Only one king, though, another site in Ciamis Regency Niskala Wastu Kancana, did. Most of the that used to be a part of the Galung King- kings resided in Karang Kamulyan, anoth- dom. This site, Astana Gede, is located in er site in the present-day Ciamis Regency. Kawali Sub-district, Ciamis Regency. The plaque thus proves that Astana Gede Astana Gede had a significant im- Kawali was, during Niskala Wastu portance in the history of the Sundanese Kencana’s reign, the center of Galuh kingdom. Both Kawali and Astana Gede Kingdom. sites used to be the center of the kingdom. This can be proven by a number of Sundanese Kingdom Administration in plaques found there. Only one king, Kawali-Galuh Niskala Wastu Kencana, is mentioned to The administration of Galuh was not dif- have reigned the kingdom. ferent from that of any Sundanese king- The strongest evidence confirming dom in general. The administration was that Astana Gede Kawali was the site of shared by three powers, Prebu-Rama-Resi . Niskala Wastu Kencana’s kingdom is a The three separate powers were the em- plaque that firmly mentions the reign of a bodiment of the concept of Tri Tangtu di king named Wastu as follows. Buana . This division of power is interest- ing because it is similar to the triadic legis- nihan tapa ka- lative-executive-judiciary system of mo- li nu siya mulia tapa bha- dern states, which is known as the Trias gya parebu raja wa- Politica . tu mangadeg di kuta kawa- The old manuscript of Sanghyang li nu mahayu na kadatuan Siksakandang Ng Karesian mentions as fol- Surawisesa nu marigi sa- lows. kuliling dayeuh nu najur sagala desa aya ma nu pandeuri pakena Ini ujar sang sadu basana mahayu gawe rahayu pakeun heubeul jaya drebyana.