Pakubuwono VII

Pakubuwono VII (also transliterated Pakubuwana VII) (28 July 1796 – 10 May 1858) was the sixth Susuhunan (ruler of Surakarta) from 1830 to 1858. He was a younger son of Pakubuwono IV.

He was born in Surakarta on July 28, 1796, son of the reigning Sunan Pakubuwana IV by his queen consort, Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Kencana. Although he was the son of the reigning queen consort, his father favored his elder stepbrother, as the heir-apparent; he was the future Pakubuwana V, a son born to the late crown princess consort who was later posthumously elevated to the queen consort.

As a senior prince, he was later designated the princely title of Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Harya Purbaya, and was deeply loved by his step-older brother. Since the lack of producing a male heir from his queen consorts, before his death, Pakubuwana V sent his will to the Resident of Surakarta, aiming to name Prince Purbaya as his successor, as he was also born from the queen consort. However, hearing the news, the Patih Dalem, Kanjeng Raden Adipati Sasradiningrat II, came to remind him that descendants' inheritance took precedence over siblings, unless he denied the filial status of those princes, which the Sunan answered by explaining that his oldest son (concubine born) was only seventeen years old and so still not capable of ruling. Then, Patih Sasradiningrat II promised that he would always assist the young heir-apparent and told the Resident of Surakarta about the turn. Prince Purbaya wasn't angry; he was touched and supported his brother's decision. His time came when his nephew, Pakubuwana VI, was arrested by the Dutch and exiled to Ambon. Afterwards, Patih Sasradiningrat II proposed that he ascend the throne because the sons of Pakubuwana VI were very, very young.

He had two official wives. The first one was his close relative, Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Hemas, daughter of Kanjeng Gusti Pangeran Adipati Mangkubumi, son of Pakubuwana III. His second queen consort was Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Pakubuwana, daughter of Panembahan Cakradiningrat VIII of Madura by his primary wife, Kanjeng Ratu Ayunan. One of his most senior concubines was Raden Ayu Ratnadiluwih, daughter of Raden Mas Sumadirja, son of Kanjeng Raden Adipati Jayaningrat, who served as Patih Dalem during the reign of Pakubuwana III & Pakubuwana IV.

Royal Consorts

1. Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Pakubuwana
2. Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Kencana

Concubine

1. Raden Ayu Ratnadiluwih

Children

1. Bendara Raden Ajeng Maknawiyah
   daughter of RAy. Ratnadiluwih. Married to her first cousin, Bendara Kanjeng Pangeran Harya Suryaningrat, son of Pakubuwana V.
2. Gusti Raden Mas Budiman
   son of GKR. Kencana, died young.
3. Bendara Raden Mas Sarjana
   son of RAy. Ratnadiluwih, died young.
4. Gusti Raden Ajeng Andawiyah
   daughter of GKR. Kencana, styled as Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Pembayun.
5. Gusti Raden Ajeng Isbandiyah
   daughter of GKR. Kencana, died young.

• Miksic, John N. (general ed.), et al. (2006) Karaton Surakarta. A look into the court of Surakarta Hadiningrat, central Java (First published: 'By the will of His Serene Highness Paku Buwono XII'. Surakarta: Yayasan Pawiyatan Kabudayan Karaton Surakarta, 2004) Marshall Cavendish Editions Singapore ISBN 981-261-226-2