CARUBAN NAGARI and CIREBON

[ganjawulung]

Identity and activities of Sunan Gunungjati, according to Australian historian MC Ricklefs, many parts of them known from semi-tales and many of uncertainties. (A History of Modern Indonesia Since c. 1200, Palgrave 1981, Third Edition 2001)

According to Ricklefs, Tagaril or Faletehan (Portuguese version) or probably known too as Fadhillah Khan or Fatahillah, often confused with Gunungjati in some stories. One text called "Purwaka Caruban Nagari" (as quoted by Ricklefs) had differed between Gunungjati and Fadhillah. This text, according to Ricklefs, was made in the year of 1720 -- although the originality is still in question.

Prof Dr Slamet Muljana -- another historian, drew his conclusion that Sunan Gunungjati was also Fatahillah or Faletehan. Prof Muljana even wrote that Sunan Gunungjati or Fatahillah was once an army commander of Demak kingdom, an Islam chinese commander named Toh A Bo... (Runtuhnya Kerajaan Hindu-Jawa dan Timbulnya Negara-negara Islam di Nusantara -- The Fall of Javanese Hindu Kingdom and the Rise of Islam States in Nusantara, 1969 reprinted LKiS 2005).

Yes, Prof Muljana did mention in this book that the ageing first Sultan of Cirebon married to a daughter of Haji Tan Eng Hoat as if she was coming from Tiongkok (Chinese) emperor from Ming Dynasty...

Still in question. Who was really Sunan Gunungjati?

GANJAWULUNG