Kediri Kingdom: Map & History
Kediri Kingdom or Kadiri, also known as Panjalu, was a Hindu-Buddhist Javanese kingdom based in East Java from 1042 until 1222.
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Kediri Kingdom or Kadiri, also known as Panjalu, was a Hindu-Buddhist Javanese kingdom based in East Java from 1042 until 1222. This kingdom is centered in the ancient city Dahanapura, despite the lack of archaeological remains, the age of Kediri saw much development in classical literature. Mpu Sedah's Kakawin Bharatayuddha, Mpu Panuluh's Gatotkacasraya, and Mpu Dharmaja's Smaradhana blossomed in this era. The kingdom's capital is believed to have been established in the western part of the Brantas River valley, somewhere near modern Kediri city and surrounding Kediri Regency.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kediri Kingdom
At its mapped extent, Kediri Kingdom covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kediri Kingdom's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kediri Kingdom in Depth
Economy
According to Chinese sources, the main occupations of the Kediri people revolved around agriculture (rice cultivation), animal farming (cattle, boar, poultry), and the spice trade. Daha, the capital city of Kediri, (suggested to be at the same site as modern Kediri) is located inland, near the fertile Brantas river valley. From the predecessor kingdom of Airlangga's Kahuripan, Kediri inherited irrigation systems, including the Wringin Sapta dam. Kediri economy was partly monetised, with silver coins issued by the royal court.
In later periods, Kediri economy grew to rely more heavily on trade, especially the spice trade. This resulted from Kediri's development of a navy, allowing them to control the spice trade routes to eastern islands.
Culture
Celebrated as an era of blossoming literature, Kediri produced significant contributions in the field of Javanese classic literature. Next to the literary works already mentioned, Śiwarātrikalpa and Wrtasancaya by Mpu Tanakung, Krisnayana written by Mpu Triguna, and Sumanasantaka by Mpu Monaguṇa are also notable.
The book of Ling-wai-tai-ta composed by Chinese author Chou K'u-fei in 1178, gave a glimpse of everyday life in Kediri that cannot be found in any other source material, about the government and people of Kediri. According to Chou K'u-fei, people wore clothes that covered them down to their legs, with a loose hairstyle. Their houses were clean and well arranged with floors made from green or yellow cut stones.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kediri kingdom (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kediri Kingdom: Key Facts
| Capital | Kediri |
|---|---|
| Religions | Kejawen, Hinduism |
| Founded | 1045 |
| Dissolved | 1221 |
Facts from Wikidata Q756895 (CC0).
Kediri Kingdom Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kediri Kingdom appears, with the other states of the time.
Kediri Kingdom Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 73,225 km² in 1223 CE.
Kediri Kingdom: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kediri Kingdom exist?
The Kediri Kingdom is dated to 1046 CE – 1226 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kediri Kingdom?
The capital of the Kediri Kingdom was Dahanapūra (modern Kediri).
How large was the Kediri Kingdom at its peak?
At its peak in 1223 AD the Kediri Kingdom covered about 73,225 km².
How did the map of the Kediri Kingdom change over time?
The Kediri Kingdom appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1100 CE to 1200 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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