Semarang History, Indonesia

This city of Semarang is toady the principal city of Java, Indonesia. This is a city of Indonesia that boasts, not only of the attractive tourist attractions it has to offer, but also for its rich and interesting history. This is a city that has a rich history that goes all the way back to the ninth century.

Semarang was not the name for this city in those days. The city was then referred to by the name of Bergota. It was in the 15th century that an Arab had set about the founding of an Islamic Boarding school here. This school was first named Kyai Pandan Arang. Then on 2nd May, 1547, the Sultan Hadiwijaya of Pajang had declared this school to be the first bupati of Semarang.

It is said that this was when the city was formally and legally called its name of today, Semarang. After some time, the Sunan Amangkurat II had concluded to transfer the power and rights of the city to the Dutch East India Company. This move was as a form of payment for an old debt.

The rule of the Dutch

It was the Dutch Colonial power that had re-established the Semarang state in the year 1682. However, after many years of occupation of the Dutch, the state of Semarang was named the VOC city on October 5th, 1705. This move was done by Susuhunan Pakubuwono I, who had concluded to hand over power  of the city to the VOC, as a form of re-payment of the Mataram’s debt.

This lead to Semarang growing into a valuable trading hub, with its many tobacco plantations, roads and railroads. It was at the start of the 1920s that Semarang grew into an important center of both leftist and nationalist groups.

When Indonesia gained independence

As Semarang was part of the Communist Party of Indonesia, it was also named Red City. During the Pacific War of World War II, the Japanese also had captured the city. This was when Shiko, the military government started ruling the city with two governors. One of them was a localite, and the other Japanese.

However, it was in 1945 that the Indonesians gained their independence and named Semarang as the capital city of Java.  With such an illustrious past, people throughout the world visit the city to look at its memorable structures and other attractions.