36 Facts About Hamengkubuwono IX

Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, often abbreviated as HB IX, was an Indonesian politician and Javanese royal who was the second vice president of Indonesia, the ninth sultan of Yogyakarta, and the first governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta.

Hamengkubuwono IX was the chairman of the first National Scout Movement Quarter and was known as the Father of the Indonesian Scouts.

Hamengkubuwono IX spent his school years in Yogyakarta, starting from Frobel School, and continuing to the Eerste Europe Lagere School which then moved to Neutrale Europeesche Lagere School.

Hamengkubuwono IX was often called Sultan Henk when studying at the school.

One of the events attended by the royal family with Hamengkubuwono IX in Batavia was an invitation to dinner at the Palace of the Governor General of the Dutch East Indies.

Therefore, this indicated that Hamengkubuwono IX would become the heir to the throne of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta.

Hamengkubuwono IX was crowned as Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX on 18 March 1940, the effective date of the political contract with the Dutch East Indies Government.

Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was given autonomy to run the government in his area under the Japanese Colonial Government.

Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX was re-elected as Ruler of Yogyakarta on 1 August 1942 by the Commander in Chief of the Japanese Occupation Army in Jakarta and Yogyakarta became a Kochi.

Hamengkubuwono IX's support was immediately recognized by the Central Government with an appointment to the Life-Governorship of Yogyakarta with Paku Alam VIII as vice governor.

When Indonesia first sought a diplomatic solution with the Dutch Government, Hamengkubuwono IX was part of the Indonesian delegation.

Hamengkubuwono IX did not leave Yogyakarta and continued to serve as governor.

The Dutch intended to make Yogyakarta the capital of the new Indonesian federal state of Central Java and to appoint the sultan as head of state, but Hamengkubuwono IX refused to cooperate.

The Dutch viewed him with suspicion and at one stage began to entertain the idea that Hamengkubuwono IX was either planning to make Yogyakarta a completely autonomous region or setting his eyes on the leadership of the Republic.

In early 1949, Hamengkubuwono IX conceived the idea of a major offensive to be launched against Yogyakarta and the Dutch troops occupying it.

In February 1949, Hamengkubuwono IX had a meeting with then Lieutenant Colonel Suharto, the man chosen by Sudirman to be the field commander for the offensive.

Hamengkubuwono IX served as Minister of Defense and Homeland Security Coordinator, vice premier, chairman of the State Apparatus Supervision, chairman of the State Audit Board, and Coordinating Minister for Development while concurrently holding the position of Minister of Tourism.

That morning, with President Sukarno's location still uncertain, Hamengkubuwono IX was contacted by Suharto, who was now a major general and the commander of Kostrad for advice.

Hamengkubuwono IX rejected the offer and contacted one of Sukarno's many wives who confirmed Sukarno's whereabouts.

Hamengkubuwono IX was appointed Minister of Economics, Finance, and Industry and charged with rectifying Indonesia's Economic problems.

Finally, in March 1973, Hamengkubuwono IX was elected as vice president alongside Suharto who had been re-elected to a second term as president.

Hamengkubuwono IX retained his post as Yogyakarta Governor during his vice-presidential tenure.

Hamengkubuwono IX's election was not a surprise as he was a popular figure in Indonesia.

Hamengkubuwono IX was a civilian and his election to the vice presidency was hoped to complement Suharto's military background.

However, Hamengkubuwono IX had become disillusioned with Suharto's increasing authoritarianism and the increasing corruption.

In March 1978, Hamengkubuwono IX rejected his nomination as vice president by the People's Consultative Assembly.

Hamengkubuwono IX had been active with Scouts from the days of the Dutch colonial government and continued to look after the movement once Indonesia became independent.

In 1968, Hamengkubuwono IX was elected Head of the national Scout movement.

Hamengkubuwono IX was awarded the Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting, in 1973.

Hamengkubuwono IX was brought to the George Washington University Medical Center, where he died on the evening of 2 October 1988, or the following morning, 3 October in Indonesia.

Hamengkubuwono IX's body was flown back to Yogyakarta and buried in the royal mausoleum of the Mataram monarchs in Imogiri.

Hamengkubuwono IX was given the title National Hero of Indonesia, a distinction for Indonesian patriots.

One of the two symbolically important banyan trees, the Kiai Dewandaru planted during the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono I, coincidentally fell in the Alun-Alun Lor concurrently with the funerary rites of Hamengkubuwono IX; this was attributed by the Kejawen Javanese as a sign of the immense grief of even the lands of the kingdom themselves.

Hamengkubuwono IX never had a queen consort during his reign; preferring instead to take four concubines by whom he had 21 children.

Hamengkubuwono IX was a fan of Chinese Silat movies and novels.

Hamengkubuwono IX enjoyed cooking and headed an unofficial Chinese Silat club which included Cabinet Ministers as its members.