Bojonegoro Regency - History

History

The area near the Solo River is fertile and has been settled since early history by the Javanese. However, these settlements never developed into a major urban center, except for several coastal cities. Rather, villages are dependent on a weekly market which rotates among them and bakul (traveling peddlers) who collect and distribute agricultural and manufactured products among the villages.

The Bengawan Solo river played a major role in the development of these settlements. It acted as source of water and fertile soil, and a means of transportation. A set of copper plates of the Ferry Charter (1358 C.E.) lists over twenty ferry crossing on the lower stretch of the Bengawan Solo river, downstream from Bojonegoro. Inland settlements would trade agricultural products via trading centres in the coastal cities, like neighbouring Tuban, for spices from Spice Islands, ceramics from China and other commodities.

The authority over these settlements, including the territory of modern-day Bojonegoro, was held by the dominant power in central Java, and later east Java, the kingdoms of Mataram, Kediri, Singhasari and Majapahit.

As a territory in northern Java, the area of modern-day Bojonegoro was one of the first to accept Islam. The Bengawan Solo river area and most of Java would became part of the Sultanate of Demak and its successor the Sultanate of Mataram.

The modern regency (kabupaten) was founded on October 20, 1677 with Mas Toemapel as the first Regent (Bupati), with capital in Jipang village (currently around Padangan subdistrict in the westernmost part of Bojonegoro). It was founded as a response to the loss of Mataram's coastal area to the Dutch East India Company. Bojonegoro than became important border town. In 1725 the capital was moved to its current location.

After the Dutch took over Java in the 18th and 19th centuries, Bojonegoro and the neighbouring regencies of Tuban and Lamongan were administered under Bojonegoro Residency, with a Dutch Resident in Bojonegoro town. The resident acted as an advisor and supervisor to the regents, positions which were held by native Javanese nobility (priyayi).

During Dutch rule, tobacco and maize was introduced from the Americas, which would later became major commodities in Bojonegoro.

In 1894, the trans-Java railroad, which linked Batavia and Surabaya and passed through Bojonegoro, was finished, increasing transportation and improving the teak industry. Urbanisation also progressed under Dutch rule.

Since the Indonesian National Revolution, Bojonegoro regency has been administered as part of East Java province, with RMT Suryo, the grandson of the former Bojonegoro regent as its first governor. in 1968 the first non-nobility Regent was elected. The current regent is Santoso, a former army officer. In 2008, Bojonegoro people elected its first directly-elected Regent, following an amendment in the constitution. Suyoto of National Mandate Party was elected as regent.