LEGIUN MANGKUNEGARAN, LEGIUN THAT ARE SCARED BY OTHER FORCES

Indonesia in the kingdom era had elite forces like the current TNI. Call it the Majapahit kingdom known as an army named Bhayangkara Warrior. A few hundred years later, in the era of the Mangkunegaran Praja a modern and professional army emerged called the Mangkunegaran Legion. The glory of the Mangkunegaran Legion is seen from the cavalry-artillery building of the Mangkunegaran Legion headquarters located east of Puro Mangkunegaran.

The formation of the Mangkunegaran Legion cannot be separated from the military tradition laid down by Prince Sambernayawa or KGPAA Mangkunegara I. The embryo of the Mangkunegaran Legion is a guerrilla force that fought for a dozen years with Prince Sambernyawa. After Prince Sambernyowo came to power in 1757, the army became the military unit of the Mangkunegaran Praja. A total of 12 experienced guerrilla units were retained and added with 22 infantry, cavalry and artillery units consisting of 44 people each.

infantry legion officer Mangkunegara Soerakarta 1867 

After Mangkunegara I died, the military unit continued to be developed. Mangkunegara II is a visionary king. In 1808 he formed the Mangkunegaran Legion. Mangkunegara II was inspired by the modern forces of Grande Armee, the strongest army in the world at that time led by Napoleon Bonaparte. The name of the legion also adopted from the French military organization namely Legionnaire or Legion which means army troops. Not only the name, the Mangkunegara Legion also adopted the French military in physical, weapons, tactics and organizations.

Mangkunegara II had strong reasons for disliking the Netherlands but for the sake of a strong military development for the time being prioritized the interests of the kingdom by inviting professional Dutch, French and British military officers to train the Mangkunegaran Legion. Mangkunegara II formed the Mangkunegaran Legion as a tool for the legitimacy of Mangkunegara who reigned and secured the diplomacy of the Mangkunegaran Praja.

The Mangkunegaran Legion gets a variety of military training in Soldat Sekul. This elite force was trained to be proficient in using various sharp weapons in the form of kris and swords. The Mangkunegaran Legion was also trained to use spears, chopsticks and arrows as well as firearms and artillery (cannons). These troops were trained to have high mobility using horses so that elements of the infantry, cavalry and artillery were incorporated in it. The Mangkunegaran Legion was also trained to be able to face long-term warfare and guerrilla warfare.

The story of the Legion's existence ended after Japan took control of the island of Java. The Japanese who had fought with these forces in some places eventually dissolved this legion and returned this legion to its function as servants in the Mangkunegaran temple.

Legion mangkunegaran helmet stored in the History of java Museum Yogyakarta pavilion.

One of the legacies of the famous legion's heyday is now a collection of the History of Java Museum in Yogyakarta. In the museum located at Jl. Parangtritis km 5.5 Sewon Bantul, 2 steel helmets are used by the Mangkunegaran legion infantry and cavalry.

History of Java museum focuses on the history of Java's civilization comprehensively, including the palace pavilion which holds a collection of four remaining palaces in Central Java and DIY.

So, if you want to know the history of the island of Java began to form the island of Java itself until the colonial period, then it would not be wrong for us to visit the museum which also displays Augmented Reality in the display collection. Moreover, this museum indeed complements itself with sufficiently qualified facilities such as theater rooms, 4-dimensional films and dioramas.

So, don't delay, prepare yourself to explore the history of Java Island at the History of Java Museum.

History Of Java Museum

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