The young man in the local legend was Danang Sutawijaya, better known as Panembahan Senopati, the founder of early-modern Mataram in the sixteenth century.

Mataram’s rich history can be traced back to the eighth century, which was when Javanese art, architecture, and culture bloomed and which still exists today; its largest monument (literally), the Borobudur temple, was a gift from the Sailendra dynasty to the people of the Southern Sea.

Panembahan Senopati’s father, Ki Ageng Pemanahan, a descendant of the last Majapahit King Brawijaya V, was a Javanese chief and retainer of Hadiwijaya, Sultan of Pajang. Ki Ageng Pemanahan was awarded the Kingdom of Mataram when his advice to the Sultan defeated Arya Panangsang, regent of the neighbouring Demak Kingdom.

The members of the House of Mataram today are their descendants.

He crowns himself as king with the title of Pakubuwana I.

Three years later, Prince Puger abdicated the throne in favour of his older brother Amangkurat II with the assistance of the Dutch, who saw stability in the region as beneficial to all. In 1703, Amangkurat II died and was succeeded by his son, Amangkurat III. During his reign, the centre of the government moved to Kartasura.

When Amangkurat III died, the throne was passed back to P. Puger with the title of Pakubuwana I. When Pakubuwana I died, his son, Amangkurat IV, took the throne but fell into illness. His son took the title Pakubuwana II and was the last ruler of Kartasura and the first Susuhunan of Surakarta. He moved the centre of government to Solo, the village of Sala, which later became the Karaton Surakarta Hadiningrat.

In 1749, after two years of war and then peace with the Chinese and the Dutch, Pakubuwana II’s son, Pakubuwana III, succeeded his father, and peace reigned.