Diponegoro, Pangeran (1785-1855), was a Javanese prince who fought against the Dutch in the Java War (1825-1830). The Indonesian government has acclaimed Diponegoro as a national hero.
Diponegoro was born on Nov. 11, 1785, in Yogyakarta, Java. He was the son of Hamengku Buwono III, the sultan of Yogyakarta. In May 1825, Diponegoro’s followers clashed with Javanese enemies. In July, the Dutch sent troops to arrest Diponegoro. He resisted and escaped. He and his followers rebelled against the Dutch. They were supported by other Javanese aristocrats. The rebellion lasted five years. The war cost the lives of at least 200,000 Javanese, as well as 8,000 Europeans and 7,000 Indonesians fighting on the Dutch side. In 1830, Diponegoro met the Dutch to negotiate. When no agreement was reached, the Dutch arrested Diponegoro and sent him to exile in Makassar, Indonesia, where he died on Jan. 8, 1855.
