Queen Kencono Wungu | The Last Female Leader in Majapahit
Throughout the history of the founding of the Majapahit Kingdom, there were two female leaders. One of them was Tribhuwana Tunggadewi (1328-1350), daughter of Raden Wijaya, founder of the Majapahit Kingdom.
Apart from Tribhuwana Tunggadewi, at the end of Majapahit's reign, there was one woman who returned to the position of queen, namely Dyah Suhita or Ratu Kencono Wungu. Queen Kencono Wungu was the last female leader of the Majapahit Kingdom.
** Origins of Dyah Suhita **
According to NJ Krom, Ratu Suhita or Dyah Suhita is the daughter of Bhre Wirabhumi. This is different from the Pararaton Book, which explains that Dyah Suhita is the granddaughter of Bhre Wirabhumi. Another opinion states that Dyah Suhita was the daughter of the fifth ruler of Majapahit, Wikramawardhana (1389-1429), from his concubine.
There are also those who state that Dyah Suhita is the child of Wikramawardhana and Kusumawardhani. Meanwhile, the strongest opinion explains that Dyah Suhita is the daughter of Wikramawardhana, who married the daughter of his brother-in-law and enemy. Despite differences of opinion regarding her origins, Dyah Suhita is the daughter who married Aji Ratnapangkaja.
Aji Ratnapangkaja was one of the military leaders who played a role in the Paregreg War (1404-1406) against Bhre Wirabhumi from Blambangan.
** Become Queen of Majapahit **
After Bhre Wirabhumi lost in the Paregreg War and was killed in 1406, Wikramawardhana led Majapahit until 1429. After Wikramawardhana died, there was confusion about who had the right to lead the Majapahit Kingdom.
In the Book of Pararaton, it is stated that Wikramawardhana had appointed his son from Kusumawardhani, namely Rajakusuma or Hyang Wekasing Putra, as his successor. However, Hyang Wekasing Putra died young. Likewise, Wikramawardhana's son from his concubine, Bhre Tumapel, also died. Wikramawardhana's only remaining descendants were Dyah Suhita and Bhre Kertawijaya, who were both concubines.
Finally, Dyah Suhita was appointed as leader of Majapahit because he was older than Bhre Kertawijaya. Dyah Suhita was appointed Queen of Majapahit in 1429. There is an opinion that Dyah Suhita is the same person as Ratu Kencana Wungu.
Together with her husband, Aji Ratnapangkaja, whose title was Bhatara Parameswara, Dyah Suhita ruled Majapahit from 1429 to 1447. While leading the Majapahit Kingdom, Dyah Suhita revived local wisdom which had been neglected due to political polemics. Apart from that, there is an opinion which states that in the Dyah Suhita era, power over the archipelago gradually returned to Majapahit.
Dyah Suhita also built worship buildings on various mountain slopes as terraced punden, such as on Mount Penanggungan, Mount Lawu, and so on.
** Death of Dyah Suhita **
Dyah Suhita was Queen of Majapahit for 18 years, until she died in 1447. Meanwhile, her husband, Aji Ratnapangkaja, died 10 years earlier, namely in 1437.
After the death of Dyah Suhita, the Majapahit Kingdom was led by his younger brother, Bhre Kertawijaya or known as Brawijaya. This is because Dyah Suhita and Aji Ratnapangkaja did not have children. Dyah Suhita became the second and last woman to lead Majapahit, after previously Tribhuwana Tunggadewi ruled from 1328 to 1350.