Foundation of the Majapahit Kingdom
📌 The Majapahit Kingdom, the last and largest of the Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms in the archipelago, was founded by Raden Wijaya, the fourth descendant of Ken Arok.
👑 Majapahit's emergence is intrinsically linked to the preceding Singasari Kingdom, centered in Malang Tumapel, founded by Ken Arok in 1222 AD.
⚔️ The initial expansion under Singasari covered areas in East Java and Madura, including Madura, Lamajang, Kediri, Urawan, Mororono, Ring, and Road.

The Fall of Singasari and Raden Wijaya's Escape
🏃‍♂️ Raden Wijaya initially succeeded in repelling the Kediri army under Jayakatwang, only to find the Singasari palace had been ravaged and King Kertanegara overthrown upon his return.
🛡️ After a failed attempt to retake the palace due to superior Kediri forces, Raden Wijaya and his loyal followers, including figures like Lembu Sora and Gajah Pagon, escaped pursuing forces.
📜 Following a period of respite and distributing Gringsing sarongs, Raden Wijaya’s group returned to the ruined Keraton, rescuing the eldest daughter, Tribhuwana Iswari, while the youngest, Gitarja, was captured and taken to Kediri.

Alliance with Arya Wiraraja and the Founding of Majapahit
🤝 Raden Wijaya sought refuge with Arya Wiraraja, the regent of Madura appointed by Kertanegara, who pledged support on the condition that half the kingdom would be granted to him if Jayakatwang was defeated.
🌳 Following Wiraraja’s advice, Raden Wijaya feigned submission to Jayakatwang and was allowed to clear the Tarik forest area, where the bitter maja fruit led to the area being named Majapahit (or Wilwatikta).
🏰 As Majapahit grew, Raden Wijaya skillfully consolidated support from loyalists of Daha and Tumapel, while Wiraraja prepared Maduran troops to assist.

The Mongol (Tartar) Intervention and War Against Kediri
🐉 Arya Wiraraja secured an alliance with the Mongol (Tartar) forces of Kublai Khan, promising two Tumapel princesses in exchange for military aid against Jayakatwang.
🚢 Around March 1, 1293, approximately 20,000 Mongol troops landed in Java near Canggu, organized into infantry, cavalry (estimated 5,000), and support units, led by officials like Shi Bi, Ike Mese, and Kao Hsing.
♟️ Raden Wijaya initially pretended to submit to the Mongols but allied with them against Jayakatwang; Ike Mese led 10,000 troops overland while the navy used rivers. The Mongol forces reportedly used cannons (meriam), which were rare at the time.
💥 After consolidating forces, the combined Majapahit-Mongol army launched a coordinated attack, eventually defeating Kediri's defenses at Daha by March 20, 1293, leading to Jayakatwang's capture and subsequent death in captivity.

Expulsion of the Mongols and Consolidation of Power
❌ After Kediri fell, Raden Wijaya used the difficult terrain (swamps and dense forests) to his advantage, launching a surprise attack on the celebrating Mongol forces.
📉 The Mongols, led by Shi Bi, suffered heavy losses (over 3,000 casualties in the final engagements) due to unfamiliarity with the terrain and effective ambushes by Majapahit forces.
🚢 The remaining Mongol fleet departed Java on April 24, 1293, taking noble captives and valuables, concluding their disastrous expedition where Shi Bi was severely punished upon return.
👑 Raden Wijaya subsequently sent envoys to Beijing in 1297 to establish peace, achieving his goal of overthrowing Daha and establishing the Majapahit Kingdom.

Key Points & Insights
➡️ Strategic Deception: Raden Wijaya successfully utilized feigned loyalty to Jayakatwang and a crucial alliance with the Mongols to eliminate his primary rival.
➡️ Terrain Advantage: The dense terrain and swamps of Java proved decisive, leading to the near-destruction of the highly organized but unfamiliar Tartar cavalry forces.
➡️ Diplomatic Resolution: Following military success, Raden Wijaya handled the delicate situation with the Mongols by offering a deceptive surrender regarding the promised princesses, successfully tricking them into leaving Java.

📸 Video summarized with SummaryTube.com on Nov 08, 2025, 13:01 UTC