Government
In the current Indonesian context, Surakarta is a city within the province of Central Java. Previous to the Indonesian nation being formed, it was an autonomous kingdom ruled by the Sunan and a principality ruled by the Mangkunegaran.
During Dutch occupation Yogyakarta and Surakarta were known as the Vorstenland or principalities. Rivalry between the two has been endemic since their founding in the 18th century and was a deliberate ploy by the Dutch to distract attention from the presence of the Dutch colonial power.
The hereditary ruler of the kraton or main court within the city bears the title of Pakubuwono, the present king being Pakubuwono XIII. Like Yogyakarta, Solo also has a junior court, born of another civil war: the Mangkunegaran, a small principality inside Kasunanan, of which Mangkunegara IX is the present monarch. Neither holds any political power and according to Indonesian law, both only have civilian status.
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