Kertawijaya
Kertawijaya or Dyah Kertawijaya was the seventh monarch of Majapahit reigning from 1447 to 1451 by the regnal name Sri Maharaja Wijayaparakramawardhana.
Reign
Prince Kertawijaya succeeded his older sister Suhita in 1447 due to royal prerogative.Natural disasters frequently occurred during his reign, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. One famous incident was Tidung Gelanting's killing, led by his nephew Prince of Paguhan, son of the Prince of Tumapel.
When the Majapahit Kingdom was in chaos due to civil war, moral decline, and rampant gambling, robbery, and rape, Dyah Kertawijaya invited the Sufi saint Sunan Ampel to help improve the behavior of the people. He then introduced the Moh Limo teachings.
Identification between Kertawijaya and Brawijaya
Brawijaya is the name or title of a well-known Majapahit king for modern Javanese people under some manuscripts written in the next era.A tomb of a princess of Champa found in Mojokerto with the year of 1448 led the Javanese to believe that she was one of King Brawijaya's principal wives. In addition, the name of Kertawijaya as the ancestor of Raden Patah was found in Queen Kalinyamat's tomb located in Jepara.
Another story told that King Brawijaya's wife was a Muslim's queen Dwarawati of the Champa Kingdom.
In contrast, Pararaton mentioned that Dyah Kertawijaya's wife was the Princess of Daha, referred to Jayawardhani in the Waringin Pitu charter, a daughter of his aunt Rajasawardhani, by whom he had married when he was still the Prince of Tumapel. This was proven by the Pararaton passage mentions the children of King Wikramawardhana, followed by the children of the Prince of Pandan Salas.
In accordance with Sam Poo Kong's chronicle, the Chinese lady buried in Mojokerto was a daughter of Haji Bok Tak Keng as well the wife of Chinese ambassador for Java, Ma Hong Fu. It was impossible for her to be considered the king's wife.
The other person who was considered as King Brawijaya was Dyah Ranawijaya, referred to as King Girindrawardhana, a son of Dyah Suraprabhawa. His name had been mentioned in the closing part of Pararaton. Thus, "Brawijaya I" referred to Dyah Kertawijaya while "Brawijaya VI" referred to Dyah Ranawijaya.
Death
King Wijayaparakramawardhana Dyah Kertawijaya died in 1451. The king was enshrined at Kertawijayapura. Later, he was succeeded by Rajasawardhana, Prince of Kahuripan.There wasn't explicit mention of the family relationship between the late king and the new king in Pararaton, raising the speculation that Rajasawardhana ascended the throne by killing Dyah Kertawijaya. Another opinion assured that King Rajasawardhana was a biological son of King Wijayaparakramawardhana, whose personal name, as mentioned in the Waringin Pitu charter, was Dyah Wijayakumara. Moreover, he was the former Prince of Kahuripan, just as Queen Suhita was. The title Bhre Kahuripan was a prestigious rank in the Majapahit court, typically conferred upon the second most powerful person after the monarch, often to the heir apparent, queen dowager, or royal consort. The next ascension must be the late king's younger offspring, Dyah Suryawikrama, Prince of Wengker, the future King Girishawardhana or Bhra Hyang Purwawisesa by designation, and Dyah Suraprabhawa, Prince of Tumapel.