Surapati (?-1706), a Balinese soldier, rose from being a slave to the position of a semi-independent ruler in Java in the 1600’s. At that time, the Dutch East India Company controlled the islands that make up present-day Indonesia. The Dutch regarded Surapati as one of their most troublesome enemies.
Surapati was born in Bali. During a civil war in 1650, he was captured and sold as a slave to the Dutch East India Company in Batavia (now Jakarta). He managed to escape and with some comrades formed a gang of robbers. In 1683, Surapati accepted the Dutch offer of a pardon on condition that he would help them in their war against Banten. He became Lieutenant Surapati in the Dutch forces. In January 1684, he was involved in a quarrel with a Dutch officer. He turned against the Dutch and killed 20 out of 39 troops. He then resumed his life as a robber. He traveled eastward to Kartasura and, in 1684, Surapati and his men entered the service of the sunan (ruler) of Mataram. They were given rice fields and Surapati became a favorite of the sunan. In 1686, Surapati and his hosts attacked a visiting Dutch armed force and destroyed them.
Surapati moved to the eastern part of Java, where he set himself up as head of a semi-independent kingdom at Pasuruhan. In 1706, the Dutch sent an expedition against Surapati. They succeeded in overwhelming his fortifications at Bangil. Surapati was badly wounded. He died of his wounds the following month.
