Seat of the Divine Preserver: Prabudewa Iconographies of the Hamengku Buwana Dynasty

Abstract

For more than two-and-a-half centuries, the Sultanate of Yogyakarta has been under the rule of one dynasty of sultans called the Hamengku Buwana. The key to such an everlasting rulership by one dynasty is the use of narratives as well as symbolisms that support said narratives. In the case of the sultanate, the narratives relate to the concept of the sultan as a god-king, or in the Javanese term, prabudewa. In this research article, we will see how the dynasty found means of identification with the Hindu deity, Lord Vishnu, that strengthens the claim that the sultan is indeed a divine sovereign. The framework upon which this research is based is the symbolic framework, where cultural elements can be read as texts that narrate the innerworkings of a society. At the end of the day, the author found that the Hamengku Buwana dynasty has been using artistic iconographies within the royal court as a means to strengthen their identification as Lord Vishnu, the divine preserver of the universe according to the Hindu pantheon. The iconographies are spread throughout the royal court and can be found in various forms as well that one can still see even to this day, such as the royal coach, the sultan's throne room, and in Yogyakartan batik motifs.