Establishment and early records According to the story of
Kidung Pamacangah and
Babad Arya Tabanan it was said that a figure from
Kediri named
Arya Damar who was a "regent of Palembang" joined
Gajah Mada, ruler of
Majapahit in conquering
Bali in 1343. Historian C.C. Berg thought that Arya Damar was identical to
Adityawarman. The name Palembang was also mentioned in
Nagarakretagama as one of the conquered lands of
Majapahit. Gajah Mada also mentioned the name Palembang in
Pararaton as one of the regions that he conquered. A Chinese chronicle
Chu-fan-chi written in 1178 by
Chou-Ju-Kua recorded the name
Pa-lin-fong, a reference to Palembang. Around 1513,
Tomé Pires an adventurer from Portugal mentioned
Palembang, a kingdom which is led by a patron who was appointed from Java and was then referred to as the
Sultanate of Demak and participated in the invasion of
Portuguese Controlled Melaka. In 1596, Palembang was attacked and razed by the
Dutch East India Company. In 1659, the name Sri Susuhunan Abdurrahman was recorded as sovereign of the Palembang Sultanate. Records of connection with the VOC have been mentioned since the year 1601.
Kraton Kuto Gawang At the beginning of the 17th century, Palembang became one of the centers of Islam in Indonesia. The precursor of the sultanate in Palembang was founded by
Ki Gede ing Suro, a nobleman from
the Demak Sultanate, who took refuge in friendly Palembang during the troubles following the death of
Trenggana of Demak. On the north bank of the
Musi River, he and the nobilities established a
kraton, the
Kuto Gawang. It was located quite strategically on the riverfront of the
Musi, in the present 2-Ilir District, within what is now the complex of PT. Pupuk Sriwidjaja, a state-run fertilizer manufacturer. The Kraton of Kuto Gawang was surrounded by a square-shaped fortification made of thick
ironwood and
ulin wood. It is described to be about 290
Rijnlandsche roede (1093 meters) in length and width. The height of the wooden ramparts is more than . The Kraton stretches between what is now Plaju and Pulau Kemaro, a small island located in the middle of the Musi River. The Kraton of Kuto Gawang was sketched by Joan van der Laen in 1659. The sketch shows a fortified city facing the Musi River with the Rengas River running through the middle part of the city from north to south. The Taligawe River is located to the east of Kuto Gawang, while to the west is the Buah River. In the middle of Kuto Gawang is a structure, possibly a mosque, located to the west of the Rengas River. The Kraton was described to also have three stone
bastions. Foreigners (e.g. the Chinese and Portuguese) were known to settle on the banks of the Musi River opposite of the Kraton, to the west of the mouth of the Komering River. a new building was constructed and was established as the residence of the
Regeering Commissaris. The building is now
Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum.
Conflicts Involved The Sultanate of Palembang was involved in skirmishes with the
Dutch Colonial Empire and the private
joint-stock companies such as the
Dutch East India Company. After losing control of Palembang following a series of skirmishes and ambushes with Sultanate forces, the Dutch gave way briefly to the
British installed government of Indonesia. Specific Conflicts include the
1811 attack on a Dutch Fort garrison off the cost of the Musi River led by Sultanate forces. There was an investigation carried out by Dutch officials to determine whether British official Thomas Stamford Raffles coordinated with Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II to conduct the operation. Results found copies letters between Raffles and Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II but without unquestionable evidence.
Policy changes resulting in the end of the Palembang War Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II would be removed from his position by Dutch authority and replaced by his son, Sultan Ahmad Najamuddin III, who would maintain slight political power for 4 years until his status as Sultan was revoked by Dutch officials after he had attempted to escape to the
Bengkulu region. In 1821 the Dutch implemented a Bureaucracy with an appointed governor and regional heads of authority to manage assigned districts of the area. They were considered a higher power than of that of the Sultan. Islamic religious courts were not altered. When the Sultanate was abolished, so was the allowance given to Palembang nobles by the Dutch government. Regional control and influence of the Sultanate and its officials would decrease over time and be directly influenced by Dutch decisions and policy. Ports were to be opened and improved to promote trade to other countries as the
Sumatra region hosted a center for peppers. There would be an increase to the immigration as a result, primarily Chinese and Arab merchants. The elderly Mahmud Badaruddin III later died on 8 September 2017, and was succeeded by his youngest son and heir apparent
Raden Muhammad Fauwaz Diradja, who reigned as Mahmud Badaruddin IV. In 2006,
Haji Raden Mahmud Badaruddin, chairman of Palembang Sultanate Lineage Association (), was crowned
Sultan Iskandar Mahmud Badaruddin following an
adat deliberation. He is a direct male-line descendant of Prince Purboyo, son of Sultan Muhammad Mansyur, and the daughter of Mahmud Badaruddin I. The Palembang Sultanate was formally abolished in 1825, the sultans hold no authority beyond cultural and customary duties. ==Lists of Sultans of Palembang ==