During the reign of HB (Hamengkubuw

During the reign of HB (Hamengkubuwono, 1822), Prince Diponegoro did not agree to the
government system held by Patih Danurejo and Dutch officer. This rebellion culminated in 1825,
after the Dutch made the road connecting Yogyakarta and Magelang passing through his house (now
railway). The dutch colony that did not ask Prince Diponegoro permission was fought by Prince and
his troop. The Dutch had a reason to seize the Prince as a rebel; the Dutch surrounded his house on
20 July 1825. Being shoved, Diponegoro and his family saved their lives to the west until Dekso
village in Kulonprogo Regency and continued to the south reaching Selarong cave located five
kilometers west of Bantul town. The Dutch troops t did not succeed in capturing him fired Prince
Diponegoro’s house. Selarong cave that is situated where he set guerrilla strategy against Dutch
colony. The Prince lived in the west part of the cave, named Goa Kangkung, functioning as his place
for meditating. Raden Ayu Retnaningsih (his concubine who faithfully accompanied him after the
demise of his earlier that lasted until 1830 was called Java Oorlog (Java War) in history books
written by the Dutch writers.
The troops of Prince Diponegoro were very successful in the beginning, controlling the
middle of Java and besieging Jogjakarta. Furthermore the Javanese population was supportive
Diponegoro’s cause, whereas the Dutch authorities were initially very indecisive. However, as the
Java War prolonged, Prince Diponegoro had difficulties in maintaining the numbers of his troops.
The Dutch colonial Army however was able to fill its ranks troops from Sulawesi and later on troops
from the Netherlands. The Dutch Commander, General De Kock, was able to end the siege of
Jogjakarta on September 25, 1825. Prince Diponegoro started a fierce guerilla war and it was not until 1827 that the duch Army gained the upper hand. In 1830, after Prince Diponegoro was tricked into entering Dutch custody near Magelang believing he was there for negotiations for a possible cease-fire, and exiled to Manado on the island of sulawesi. In this war, The Dutch colony lost not less than 15,000 soldiers and spent more than 20 millions Gulden, while Diponegoro lost 200,000 soldiers