Dewa Cawu
Encyclopedia
Dewa Cawu was a prince on the Island of Bali
, who possibly reigned as king for a short while in the 1650s. He belonged to a dynasty that claimed descent from the Hindu
-Javanese Majapahit Empire
, and kept its palace
(puri
) in Gelgel
near Bali's south coast.
According to Balinese
historiography
, written much later, he was one of the fourteen sons of the king Dalem Seganing
, and born from a co-wife (penawing). He seems to have held a high position during the reign of his brother Dalem Di Made
(1623?-1642?). Dutch
sources from the 1630s mention a brother of the current ruler called 'T'jouw' or 'Tchau' who negotiated with the Dutch East Indies Company on the ruler's behalf.
According to an annual entry in the Balinese text Pawawatekan the Gelgel kingdom
fell apart in 1651, at the same time as Dewa Cawu was enthroned as king. The outbreak of internal fighting on Bali in 1651 is likewise mentioned in Dutch sources. Dewa Cawu is not mentioned as ruler in his own right in later Balinese historiography
. Also, his time as ruler or pretender
-ruler was apparently short and hampered by the ongoing internal warfare. By 1665 the old chief minister
of the kingdom, Anglurah Agung
, had usurped power, which he retained until his death in 1686. An annal entry states that Dewa Cawu died in Guliang in the present Bangli regency, in 1673. The 18th-century chronicle
Babad Dalem
likewise speaks of a ruler who died in exile in Guliang, although this ruler is identified with his elder brother Dalem Di Made. The dynastic conditions on Bali at this time are therefore partly obscure, with largely contradictive sources.
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, who possibly reigned as king for a short while in the 1650s. He belonged to a dynasty that claimed descent from the Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
-Javanese Majapahit Empire
Empire
The term empire derives from the Latin imperium . Politically, an empire is a geographically extensive group of states and peoples united and ruled either by a monarch or an oligarchy....
, and kept its palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
(puri
Puri
Puri is district headquarter, a city situated about south of state capital Bhubaneswar, on the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Indian state of Orissa. It is also known as Jagannath Puri after the Jagannath Temple . It is a holy city of the Hindus as a part of the Char Dham pilgrimages...
) in Gelgel
Gelgel, Indonesia
Gelgel is a village that is situated in the regency of Klungkung, on the Island of Bali, Indonesia. The village, which lies four kilometers south of the regency capital Semarapura, not far from the coast, contains a number of culturally interesting structures. It is known for its pottery and...
near Bali's south coast.
According to Balinese
Balinese people
The Balinese population of 3.0 million live mostly on the island of Bali, making up 89% of the island's population. There are also significant populations on the island of Lombok, and in the eastern-most regions of Java The Balinese population of 3.0 million (1.5% of Indonesia's population) live...
historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
, written much later, he was one of the fourteen sons of the king Dalem Seganing
Dalem Seganing
Dalem Seganing was a king of Bali who reigned in the first half of the 17th century, his exact dating being still uncertain. He belonged to a dynasty which originated from Majapahit on Java, and ruled from the palace of Gelgel.-Accession to the throne:...
, and born from a co-wife (penawing). He seems to have held a high position during the reign of his brother Dalem Di Made
Dalem Di Made
Dalem Di Made was a king of Bali who may have reigned in the period 1623-1642. He belonged to a dynasty that clamed descent from the Majapahit Empire of Java, and kept residence in Gelgel, close to Bali's south coast.-Reign:...
(1623?-1642?). Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
sources from the 1630s mention a brother of the current ruler called 'T'jouw' or 'Tchau' who negotiated with the Dutch East Indies Company on the ruler's behalf.
According to an annual entry in the Balinese text Pawawatekan the Gelgel kingdom
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
fell apart in 1651, at the same time as Dewa Cawu was enthroned as king. The outbreak of internal fighting on Bali in 1651 is likewise mentioned in Dutch sources. Dewa Cawu is not mentioned as ruler in his own right in later Balinese historiography
Historiography
Historiography refers either to the study of the history and methodology of history as a discipline, or to a body of historical work on a specialized topic...
. Also, his time as ruler or pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
-ruler was apparently short and hampered by the ongoing internal warfare. By 1665 the old chief minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of the kingdom, Anglurah Agung
Anglurah Agung
Anglurah Agung was a king of Gelgel, the paramount kingdom on Bali, who ruled at a time when the political unity of the island began to break down...
, had usurped power, which he retained until his death in 1686. An annal entry states that Dewa Cawu died in Guliang in the present Bangli regency, in 1673. The 18th-century chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
Babad Dalem
Babad Dalem
Babad Dalem is a historical account from Bali, Indonesia, which exists in a large number of versions of varying length. The title may be translated as "Chronicle of Kings", although the Balinese babad genre does not quite accord to Western-style chronicles...
likewise speaks of a ruler who died in exile in Guliang, although this ruler is identified with his elder brother Dalem Di Made. The dynastic conditions on Bali at this time are therefore partly obscure, with largely contradictive sources.