Nyai Ageng Serang | |
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| Born | Raden Ajeng Kustiyah Wulaningsih Retno Edi (1752-10-01)October 1, 1752 |
| Died | July 1828 Sultanate of Yogyakarta, Dutch East Indies |
| Other names | Bendara Raden Ayu Kustiyah Wulaningsih Retno Edi |
| Known for | National Hero of Indonesia |
Raden AjengKustiyah Wulaningsih Retno Edhi (1752–1838), better known asNyai Ageng Serang, is aNational Hero of Indonesia.
Nyai Ageng Serang was born under the name Raden Ajeng Kustiyah Wulaningsih Retno Edhi in Serang (40 kilometres (25 mi) north ofSolo), in 1752.[1][2] Her father was Pangeran Natapraja (also known as Panembahan Serang), a ruler of Serang andPangeran Mangkubumi's war commander.[3] She was also a descendant ofSunan Kalijaga.[1] The name Nyai Ageng Serang was given to her after her father lived of disease and she took over his position.[3]
She helped her father to fight againstthe Dutch colonial government, which attacked them because her father still maintained troops, in violation of theTreaty of Giyanti.[4] After the battle, she was arrested and taken toYogyakarta. Then, she was sent back to Serang.[5]
At the beginning ofDiponegoro War in 1825, 73-year-old Nyai Ageng Serang commanded the force on a stretcher to helpPangeran Diponegoro fighting the Dutch. During the war, she was accompanied by her son-in-law, Raden Mas Pak-pak.[6] She also became a war advisor.[7] She fought in several areas, includingPurwodadi,Demak,Semarang, Juwana,Kudus, andRembang. She was also assigned to defend the area of Prambanan from the Dutch.[5] One of her best-known strategies was the use oflumbu (greentaro leaves) for disguise. Her forces attached thelumbu to poles to look like a taro orchard.[8] She stopped fighting after 3 years, although her son-in-law continued fighting. Despite fighting the Dutch, beginning in 1833 they gave her an annuity of 100gulden per month.[6]
She died in Yogyakarta in 1838. Her remains were buried in Beku,Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta.[9]
Nyai Ageng Serang was awarded the titleNational Heroine of Indonesia through Presidential Decree number 084/TK/1974 on 13 December 1974.[6][10] One of her grandsons, Raden MasSoewardi Soerjaningrat, is also a national hero.[6] Her name is used for the building of the Culture and Museum Office (Dinas Kebudayaan dan Permuseuman) inSouth Jakarta.[11]