The Origin of Prince Mangkunagara I's Appellation as the Catcher of Souls

Merle Ricklefs

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

    Abstract

    Prince Mangkunagara I of Surakarta (1726-1795), also known as Mas Said, was one of the most flamboyant figures of eighteenth-century Java. After his death he acquired the appellation Sam?r Nyawa, meaning 'catcher of souls' or 'snatcher of souls', but the origin of this name has not previously been clear. A reference in his autobiographical account of the war years of 1742-1757, the S?rat Babad Pakun?garan (British Library Add. MS 12318), however, makes clear that this appellation does not derive - as one might imagine - from some spiritually interpreted episode in his life, but rather was of more mundane origin.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)543-548pp
    JournalBijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde (Journal of the Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia and Oceania)
    Volume171
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The Origin of Prince Mangkunagara I's Appellation as the Catcher of Souls'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this