Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 2.djvu/366

 322 HISTORY OF JAVA CONTINUED. is calculated to have happened in the year 1578 of Christ. The stories of Cheribon, Bantam, and Jakatra, which continued hereditarily for a much longer period in the families of the first missionaries, will be briefly told in another place. Towards the latter end of the fifteenth centu- ry of our time, the richest and most extensive part of the island, the central and eastern provinces, whatever might have been its condition earlier, was broken down into a great number of indepen- dent states. In Madura, alone, there were three independent principalities, and in Java at least eight. The fortunate family of Mataram now commenced a successful career of conquest, and during the reigns of four princes, but chiefly of the first three, and in less than a century, subjugated the whole island except Bantam, assuming in com- plete sovereignty the whole of the eastern and cen- tral part, reducing Cheribon to the condition of a vassal kingdom, and exacting homage from Jaka- tra. The detail of this conquest is preserved with tolerable fidelity, and as it illustrates the character of the people, and presents a curious picture of manners and society, I shall be tempted to offer it to the reader at more length than its importance would otherwise seem to merit. KyayiAgang Famanahan, the first of the family of Mataram that rose to consequence, was chief of the dependent province of Mataram, under the