In the early 16th century, Sunda Kelapa Harbor was under the control of the Pajajaran Kingdom, led by King Sri Baduga Maharaja (Prabu Siliwangi). However, the expansion of the Demak Sultanate into Java raised concerns for Pajajaran. To counteract Demak's power, in 1522, Pajajaran entered into an alliance with the Portuguese in Malacca. Under this agreement, the Portuguese were permitted to build a fort in Sunda Kelapa and were granted a monopoly on the pepper trade, in exchange for protection from the Pajajaran Kingdom.
Illustration of Jayakarta circa 1605-1608 and the port of Sunda Kelapa by indonesia-dutchcolonialheritage.nl
Unfortunately, the Portuguese failed to fulfill their promise to return to Sunda Kelapa the following year to build a fort, preoccupied with dealing with conflicts in their colonies in India. For Demak, this alliance between Pajajaran and the Portuguese posed a real threat of foreign invasion of Java. In response, in 1526, the Demak Sultanate sent troops under the leadership of the warlord Fatahillah to capture Sunda Kelapa. The attack was successful, and Sunda Kelapa fell into Demak hands.
Illustration of the Fatahillah war by Maritim News
A year later, on June 22, 1527, a Portuguese expedition returned to Sunda Kelapa with the intention of building a fort. However, they were unaware that the area had already been occupied by Demak. The Portuguese were eventually repelled by Demak forces.
Following this resounding victory, Fatahillah changed the name of Sunda Kelapa to Jayakarta, meaning “glorious victory.” The name Jayakarta remained in use until 1619, before finally being renamed Batavia under Dutch rule.
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Reference:
Hapsari, R., & Adil, M. (2021). Social Studies History . Jakarta: Erlangga.
