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Gajah Mada's Palapa Oath of Majapahit
In 1336, Majapahit chancellor Gajah Mada swore the famous Palapa Oath, vowing not to eat spiced food until all of Nusantara was unified.
Timeline
- 1336Majapahit royal palace · JavaAfter Queen Tribhuwana's regency suppressed the Jayakatwang rebellion, Gajah Mada was promoted to Mahapatih (grand chancellor) of Majapahit, concentrating military and political power in his hands as the kingdom's de facto supreme administrative and military commander.
- 1336Majapahit royal palace · JavaGajah Mada publicly swore the Palapa Oath: before conquering all of Nusantara and making Majapahit the archipelago's overlord, he would eat no spiced delicacies. The oath was preserved in Javanese texts such as the Nagarakretagama and became an important symbol of Indonesian nationalism and the consciousness of unity.
Sources
- Nagarakretagama (Desawarnana) — Mpu Prapanca (1365)
- A History of Modern Indonesia Since c. 1200 — M. C. Ricklefs (2008)