Kingdom based in eastern Java that
emerged in the first half of the 13th century after the decline of the kingdom of Kadiri.
Singhasari's first king, Ken Angrok (or Ken Arok), defeated the king of Kadiri,
Kertajaya, in 1222. The last king of Singhasari, Kertanagara
(1268-92), was able to unite eastern Java temporarily. Toward the end of Kertanagara's
reign, Kublai Khan, the great khan of the Mongols and the emperor of China, sent an envoy
to Singhasari demanding homage, but Kertanagara refused and even insulted Kublai's
ambassador. Soon thereafter the ruler of Kadiri, Jayakatwang, rebelled against
Singhasari and killed Kertanagara, thus ending the period of Singhasari
dominion. The temples built during Singhasari's rule are considered great examples
of Hindu-Javanese arts; they mark the gradual transformation of Hindu architecture into
Javanese forms and also reflect the increasing syncretism of Hinduism and Buddhism, which
culminated in Kertanagara's Siva-Buddha cult. |
