Dewa Agung or Deva Agung was the title of the kings of Klungkung, the foremost in rank among the nine kingdoms of Bali, Indonesia. It was also borne by other high-ranking members of the dynasty. The term Dewa means "god" and was also a general title for members of the Ksatria caste. Agung translates as "high" or "great". Literally, the title therefore means Great God.[1]
Description of the Balinese king Dewa Agung pulled by two white buffaloes, in Houtman's 1597 Verhael vande Reyse ... Naer Oost Indien.
The rulers of Gelgel, who claimed authority over entire Bali and surrounding territories up to the late 17th century, were usually known by the royal title Dalem, literally "inside". After 1686, descendants of the old Gelgel line resided in the Klungkung Palace, a few kilometers north of Gelgel, and adopted the new title. Their direct authority encompassed a rather small territory around the palace, and the nearby island Nusa Penida. They were acknowledged by the other Balinese lords as having a ritual precedence position, although their ability to impose their will on the other eight kings were limited.[2] An important cornerstone in the authority of the Dewa Agung line was their possession of pusaka objects (heirlooms) which entailed supposed magical capabilities.
A contract with the Netherlands East Indies was signed in 1843, and supposedly placed Klungkung under Dutch suzerainty. Contracts with other Balinese states were signed at the same time. Controversies surrounding the interpretation of the contracts led to three Dutch expeditions to the island in 1846, 1848 and 1849. The 1849 expedition defeated the kingdoms of Buleleng and Karangasem and then invaded the territory of Klungkung. The Dutch army encountered difficulties when the commanding general A. V. Michiels was killed by Klungkung warriors. A peace treaty followed which left the south Balinese kingdoms autonomous under nominal Dutch suzerainty.[3] After 1900 Dutch colonial policy became more active, and intended to suppress the virtually independent position that the princedoms in large parts of Indonesia had so far enjoyed. As a part of this the hawkish Governor General J. B. van Heutsz began to interfere in the affairs of Bali.
Dewa Agung Jambe II arriving in Gianyar to negotiate with the Dutch during the Dutch intervention in Bali (1906).
The last Dewa Agung lost his life in the so-called puputan of Klungkung Palace on 28 April 1908 during the Dutch intervention in Bali (1908). This was a ritually laden suicidal attack by the dynasty and their retainers against a well-armed detachment of Dutch colonial troops. In the end almost two hundred Balinese were killed by Dutch bullets or by their own hand.[4][5]
After this event Klungkung was placed under direct Dutch rule. In 1929 a nephew of the last ruler, Dewa Agung Oka Geg, was appointed regent by the colonial authorities. In 1938 the status of him and seven other Balinese regents was elevated to zelfbestuurder or raja. After the formation of a unitary Indonesian state in 1949–1950, the raja rule was phased out in Bali and elsewhere. The Dewa Agung title lapsed with the death of Dewa Agung Oka Geg in 1964. Members of his family have since periodically governed Klungkung as bupati (regents).
Ruling members of the Dewa Agung dynasty
Dewa Agung Jambe II in 1908.
Dewa Agung Jambe I 1686-c. 1722 (scion of the Gelgel dynasty)
Dewa Agung Gede or Surawirya c. 1722-1736 (son)
Dewa Agung Made 1736-before 1769 (son)
Dewa Agung Sakti late 18th century (son)
Dewa Agung Putra I end of 18th century-1809 (son)
Dewa Agung Putra II 1814-1850 (son)
Dewa Agung Putra III 1851-1903 (cousin)
Dewa Agung Jambe II 1903-1908 (son)
Dewa Agung Oka Geg 1929-1950 (nephew)
^Wiener, M.J. (1995). Visible and invisible realms; Power, magic, and colonial conquest in Bali. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 22.
^Vickers, A. (1989). Bali: A Paradise Created. Ringwood: Penguin. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-4629-0008-4. OCLC 728479921.
^Vickers 1989, p. 30-31.
^Wiener 1995, p. 3-4.
^H. Schulte Nordholt (1996), The spell of power; A history of Balinese politics 1650-1940. Leiden: KITLV Press, pp. 210-216.
DewaAgung or Deva Agung was the title of the kings of Klungkung, the foremost in rank among the nine kingdoms of Bali, Indonesia. It was also borne by...
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two sons DewaAgung Gede (Jr.) and DewaAgung Made. The former called in help from the Karangasem kingdom but was defeated. The victor DewaAgung Made was...
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abbreviated as Tjok (male), Tjokorda Istri (female), Ida I Dewa, DewaAgung or I Dewa (male), and I Dewa Ayu, and Desak (female). The name Gusti literally means...
Anglurah Agung (died 31 October 1686), also known as Gusti Agung Di Made or Gusti Agung Maruti, was a king of Gelgel, the paramount kingdom on Bali, who...
foundered off the Bukit Peninsula and left a few Portuguese in the service of DewaAgung. In 1597, the Dutch colonizer Cornelis de Houtman arrived at Bali, and...
Kshatriyas now living in Bali are claimed to be the descendants of King DewaAgung, who immigrated to Bali from Java. However, there are also a few other...
its neighbors, is actually the most important one. Its rulers, titled DewaAgung (lit. 'Great God'), are long considered by other lords as high king of...
Agung Mannan (born 6 August 1998) is an Indonesian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Liga 1 club Dewa United. On 2021, Mannan signed...
heroes, most recently Abdul Chalim, Ahmad Hanafiah, Bataha Santiago, Ida DewaAgung Jambe, Mohammad Tabrani, and Ratu Kalinyamat in 2023. These heroes have...
was the mother of DewaAgung Istri Kanya, whose father was her co-regent DewaAgung Putra I. She invented new conditions for DewaAgung Istri Kanya to become...
bombarded the city of Klungkung. In a final confrontation on 18 April 1908, DewaAgung Jambe, the Raja of Klungung, accompanied by 200 followers, made a desperate...
remain of this community now, except those in Bali who claim ancestry from DewaAgung.[better source needed] Balinese Kshatriya Royal Asiatic Society of Great...
Klungkung Palace was built in the 17th century or early 18th century by DewaAgung Jambe I. The name Kertha Gosa derives from sanskrit, where "Kerta" means...
Mataram. The attempt failed however. When Mataram invaded Bali in 1639, DewaAgung requested Dutch help in vain, and finally succeeded in repelling Mataram...
son, DewaAgung Jambe, who later became the first ruler of Klungkung in 1686. Dewa Pambahyun Dewa Pacekan Dewa Ketut Dewa Budi Dewa Bukian Dewa Tampwagan...
of the kingdom, Anglurah Agung, had usurped power, which he retained until his death in 1686. An annal entry states that Dewa Cawu died in Guliang in the...
rulers and warriors. Typical names of this wangsa are "DewaAgung", "Anak Agung" and "I Dewa". The Wesia, most of whom are called Gusti, are considered...
Yunis Nur Ahmed Aman 1907 Incorporation into British Somaliland. Bali DewaAgung Jambe II 1908 Incorporation into Dutch East Indies. Mwali 1909 The country...
for female (Brahmana caste), I Dewa, I Dewa Ayu, I Gusti, I Gusti Ayu, Ida I DewaAgung, Cokorda/Tjokorda, and Anak Agung (Ksatriya caste), and Ngakan,...
married to I Gusti Agung Ayu Mas and has four children: Dewa Gde Joni Asta Brata, Dewa Gde Juli Arta Brata, Desak Nyoman Anggreni, and Dewa Gde Darma Putra...
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