Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/364

 320 HISTORY OF JAVA CONTINUED. to the throne of Mataram.-^Is an abominahle Tyrant.'^His 'whole reign characterized by a series of Rebellions, — He is finally driven from his throne^ and dies in his flight to Ta- gal — Principal incidents of his reign. — Story of the Re' hellion of the P anger an Alit, — The Priests of Mataram, with their families, amounting to six thousand persons, mas' sacred by the Sidtan in cold blood. 1 HE portion of the history of Java contained in this chapter, extends from the establishment of the Mahomedan religion, to that of the influence of Europeans in the destinies of the native inhabi- tants, and is the most curious and instructive branch of Javanese story. For a hundred years, or from the establishment of the Mahomedan religion, to the rise of the dy- nasty of Mataram, the island of Java was divided into a number of petty states, governed by the suc- cessors of the first missionaries, and disturbed by their ambition and intrigues. We possess no au- thentic and detailed record of their transactions, and if we did, they would be unworthy of rela- tion. A rapid sketch is all that can interest the European reader, and this I shall proceed to give. The principal of these states were, Damak, Cheribon, Bantam, Jakatra, and Pajang. Ma- dura, and the eastern end of Java, were inde- pendent, and split into still more inconsiderable principalities.