Blambangan's resistance against the VOC wasn't a single event that erupted out of nowhere in December 1771. It was a long chain of struggle spanning nearly three decades, involving several different leaders, and rooted in a one-sided treaty signed years before the great war finally broke out.
This article lays out the complete chronology of Blambangan's resistance against the VOC, year by year, so readers can understand the full sequence of events — not just its climax.
1743: The Root of Conflict Begins with a Treaty
This long chain of events began well before the fighting broke out, specifically in 1743, when Sunan Pakubuwono II of Mataram unilaterally handed over Java's Oosthoek — the region stretching from Pasuruan to Blambangan — to the VOC through the Ponorogo Treaty. The people of Blambangan themselves were never consulted in this decision.
However, the VOC didn't immediately occupy the territory, as it remained preoccupied with internal conflict in Mataram until 1757. It wasn't until February 1767 that the VOC launched a formal military invasion into Blambangan.
March 25, 1767: The Fall of Blambangan's Capital
The VOC's invasion produced quick results. On March 25, 1767, the capital of the Blambangan Kingdom fell under VOC control. But the capital's fall didn't put an end to Blambangan's resistance — it instead sparked a new, more organized chapter of struggle.
October 1767: Wong Agung Wilis's Resistance Begins
The people of Blambangan, holding back their fury over the VOC's arbitrary treatment, finally rose up in resistance, led by Wong Agung Wilis, son of Blambangan's King Danureja. In October 1767, Wilis prepared a counter-offensive. At Ulu Pampang, he divided the battle territory into two sections: one led by Pangeran Jagapati (Mas Rempeg, a descendant of Blambangan's King Prabu Susuhunan Tawangalun), and the other led directly by Wilis himself.
The VOC attempted to divide the resistance by splitting Blambangan's territory in two and appointing two puppet leaders, Mas Anom and Mas Weka. But this scheme failed — both men eventually joined the ranks of Wong Agung Wilis and Pangeran Jagapati instead.
1768: Wong Agung Wilis's Capture and Pangeran Puger's Resistance
In 1768, Wong Agung Wilis was finally captured by the VOC. Historical sources differ slightly on his place of exile — some cite Selong, near Pasuruan, while others say he was taken to the Banda Islands, Maluku.
The struggle didn't end even after Wilis's capture. Still in the same year, Blambangan fighters led by Pangeran Puger, Wong Agung Wilis's son, launched an attack on the VOC fortress at Banyualit.
Mounting Pressure After 1768
Following Wong Agung Wilis's capture, the VOC grew even more arbitrary toward the people of Blambangan. Food supplies were seized by force, and the people were subjected to forced cultivation and forced labor building VOC fortresses and plantations. This growing pressure drove the population to flee en masse to the Bayu area, now part of Songgon District, Banyuwangi Regency.
Beyond economic factors, historians also note a religious dimension to this conflict: the VOC established a policy requiring anyone appointed as regent to be Muslim, while the majority of Blambangan's population at the time still practiced Hinduism.
December 18, 1771: The Peak of Resistance — Puputan Bayu I
At Bayu, leadership of the resistance was carried forward by Mas Rempeg, also known as Pangeran Jagapati. As more people kept arriving to join his forces, the resistance finally reached its peak on December 18, 1771, when Pangeran Jagapati led a massive assault against VOC forces. This event became known as Puputan Bayu, or Bayu War I.
VOC forces in this battle were supported by indigenous militias from Madura and other parts of East Java, led by officers such as Blambangan Resident Cornelis van Biesheuvel, Sergeant Major Van Schaar, and Captain Reygers.
1772: Bayu War II and the Death of Pangeran Jagapati
The resistance continued into a second phase known as Bayu War II, this time also involving another resistance leader named Bapa Endha. The VOC, by then under new leadership from Resident Hendrik van Schopoff, employed a brutal tactic: burning down the rice granaries belonging to Jagapati's forces, triggering famine followed by disease outbreaks among Blambangan's fighters.
Jagapati's forces continued to dwindle due to hunger and illness. In October 1772, Jagapati's forces were finally completely broken by the VOC. Pangeran Jagapati himself died in this battle. The bodies and heads of fallen Blambangan soldiers were even hung from trees surrounding the fortress as a form of terror — a detail that led historian Sri Margana to call Puputan Bayu one of the most brutal wars in Indonesian history.
1773: Blambangan's Last Fortress Fully Falls
Following Pangeran Jagapati's death, Blambangan's last defensive fortress officially fell to the VOC in 1773, marking the end of Blambangan's armed resistance and the beginning of full VOC administration over the region under a new name: Banyuwangi.
A Staggering Death Toll
The impact of this chain of resistance was immense. According to Benedict R. Anderson's records, around 60,000 of Blambangan's total population of 65,000 died, disappeared, or were forced to flee into the forest to escape the VOC — a casualty proportion that nearly wiped out the region's entire population.
An Academic Perspective: Resistance as a Movement Against Hegemony
Interestingly, the resistance led by Wong Agung Wilis and the people of Blambangan has also become a subject of academic study. Research published in Jurnal Sangkala (Universitas 17 Agustus 1945 Banyuwangi) analyzes this movement through Antonio Gramsci's theory of hegemony, concluding that this resistance was a form of counter-hegemony — a transformative process by which the people of Blambangan sought to dismantle VOC domination imposed through forced labor building fortresses and plantations.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Blambangan's resistance against the VOC begin?
The conflict can be traced back to the 1743 Ponorogo Treaty. However, the VOC's military invasion of Blambangan began in February 1767, followed by armed resistance led by Wong Agung Wilis in October of the same year.
What was the Ponorogo Treaty?
The Ponorogo Treaty was a 1743 agreement in which Sunan Pakubuwono II transferred Java's Oosthoek region, including Blambangan, to the VOC without consulting the people of Blambangan.
When did the capital of the Blambangan Kingdom fall to the VOC?
The capital of the Blambangan Kingdom fell to the VOC on March 25, 1767.
Who was Wong Agung Wilis?
Wong Agung Wilis was the son of King Danureja who led the Blambangan resistance against the VOC beginning in October 1767.
What happened to Wong Agung Wilis after his capture?
Wong Agung Wilis was captured by the VOC in 1768. Historical sources differ, with some stating he was exiled to Selong near Pasuruan, while others mention the Banda Islands in Maluku.
Who was Pangeran Puger?
Pangeran Puger was Wong Agung Wilis's son who continued the resistance by attacking the VOC fortress at Banyualit after his father's capture.
What was Puputan Bayu I?
Puputan Bayu I was the largest battle of the resistance, fought on December 18, 1771, when Pangeran Jagapati led a massive attack against VOC forces in the Bayu area.
Who led Bayu War II?
Bayu War II was led by Bapa Endha and the remaining Blambangan fighters until the resistance was finally defeated by the VOC in October 1772.
How did the VOC weaken Jagapati's forces?
The VOC burned the rice granaries supplying Jagapati's army, causing famine and disease that severely weakened the resistance.
When did Pangeran Jagapati die?
Pangeran Jagapati was killed in October 1772 after his forces suffered their final defeat against the VOC.
How many casualties resulted from this resistance?
According to Benedict R. Anderson, around 60,000 out of Blambangan's population of approximately 65,000 either died, disappeared, or fled into the forests during the conflict.
When did Blambangan come fully under VOC control?
Blambangan's last defensive fortress fell in 1773, marking the end of organized resistance and the beginning of full VOC administration over the region.
Blambangan's resistance against the VOC wasn't just a single heroic battle in December 1771 — it was a nearly three-decade-long struggle, from the 1743 Ponorogo Treaty to the fall of its last fortress in 1773, involving several generations of leaders who fell one after another yet never truly surrendered. This chronology serves as a reminder that Banyuwangi's founding day isn't just a ceremonial date, but the culmination of a long struggle that claimed an almost unimaginable number of lives. Want to read the full narrative of this resistance's climax? Read Puputan Bayu: The Battle That Gave Banyuwangi Its Name, or explore the history of the kingdom its people fought for in The Blambangan Kingdom: Glory and Fall at the Eastern Tip of Java.