The Kingdom of Majapahit
Before his abdication, Kertanagara had rejected the advances from Kublai Khan who demanded obedience from Kertanagara. To illustrate his point, Kertanagara had defaced the Khan's envoy. In return, Kublai Khan sent a punitive expedition, but it was said to be ill-fated. Of the 1,000 vessels sent, few arrived, and the sailors were starved and low on morale. The vessels had not been allowed to moor in Champa, an ally of Singasari. When the Chinese troops did reach Java, Prince Wijaya, a descendant of Kertanagara sent them on Jayakatwang, the usurper from Kediri. Prince Wijaya had apparently been allowed by Kediri to establish himself near Surabaya having promised them allegiance. However, the faith was to be misplaced.
Prince Wijaya's Kingdom was to become known under the name Majapahit. Wijaya became its first ruler with the name
Kertarajasa.
Of the many kings of Majapahit, none was to become as famous as Hayam Wuruk whose official name was Rajasanagara. He ruled from 1350-1389, and owes much of his fame to his first minister Gajah Mada. This minister had assisted his mother who ruled as Hayam Wuruk's regent when he was still young. Gajah Mada (1331 - 1364) ruled over most of the area we now call Indonesia, less North Sulawesi but with the inclusion of the Malay Peninsula.
On his death, Hayam Wuruk gave the Blambangan (Java's Eastern Salient) to a second son (or son-in-law). This turned out to be a poor decision: a civil war erupted and famine ensued. Thus power of the mighty kingdom of Majapahit faded.
As Majapahit weakened, its power eroded. This erosion was worst in the cities on Java's north coast which prospered from foreign trade. This trade brought Islam - via Persia, India and Sumatra - to Java. The city states that were to gain the supremacy over Majapahit were no longer semi-Hinduised but Muslim.
Capital at Kedaton.