Demak

Demak was a port on the north coast of Java and the centre of one of the island's earliest Muslim kingdoms. Its Great Mosque, traditionally associated with the Wali Songo, or Nine Saints, stands as a monument to the spread of Islam in Java. From this coastal town, rulers once held sway over other ports and sent fleets across the Java Sea.

Tradition credits Raden Patah, connected by descent to the royal house of Majapahit, with founding the sultanate in the late fifteenth century. Muslim merchants and teachers had already established communities on the north coast, and Demak grew as Majapahit's authority weakened. Its ruler Pati Unus led expeditions against Portuguese Malacca in 1513 and 1521, but failed to take the port. Under Trenggana, Demak's influence extended along Java; forces associated with his reign took Sunda Kelapa in 1527. His death during a campaign in eastern Java in 1546 was followed by a struggle over succession. Power eventually passed to Hadiwijaya of Pajang, who moved the royal regalia inland, leaving Demak subordinate to his new court.