Central Java
Central Java was ruled by the Çivaite Sanjaya dynasty that had its base on the North of the Island. In the 8th C Central Java likely came under the supremacy of the Mahayana kingdom of Çriwijaya, located near Palembang on Sumatra. The King of Çriwijaya, like the Buddhist kings of Java, belonged to the Çailendra dynasty, and Çailendra kings ruled Java from around 750 - 855 AD. This gave rise to architectural development combining Hindu and Buddhist elements. An inscription dated AD 778 (the Kelurak inscription) commemorates the dedication of a temple at Kalasan formally establishing a Mahayana Buddhist settlement, making Kalasan the earliest known Buddhist temple on Java.
The increasing Buddhist power is believed to be the impetus for migration of a group of Hindus to East Java. Evidence of this would be found in the construction of Candi Badut (760) near Malang. Candi Badut was likely dedicated to Agastya - 742-755.
After the second half of the ninth century Sanjaya and the Çailendra dynasties were united by the marriage of Rakai Pikatan of Sanjaya to Pramodawardhani of the Çailendra dynasty. This gave rise to architectural development combining Hindu and Buddhist elements. The marriage alone was not the driving force of this however, as Java had links with the Pala kingdom in Bengal. Paharpur, a buddhist sanctuary that can be found in Bengal, shows strong links with Candi Loro Jonggrang, and the Kelurak inscription even mentions the consacration of a manjusri statue by a guru from Gaudidvipa. Gaudidvipa is likely to refer to Gaudivisaya in Bengal, another part of the Pala kingdom. Excavations at Paharpur show a fusion of Hinduism and Buddhism that resulted in the development of Tantric Buddhism.The Prambanan area became the centre of power from 863 through the early 10th C when Central Java all but vanishes from history. Central Javanese traditions were to be continued in East Java, making it likely that some natural disaster forced the society to relocate. The Çailendra remained powerful in the Western part of the Archipelago, with control now extending to the Pasundan. However, Central and East Java were once again in Javanese hands.