The Marriage Controversy and the Legitimacy of the Empress Pakubuwono XIII: A Historical Perspective of Islamic Law, Paugeran Keraton, and State Law in Surakarta Sunanate

Abstract

Marriage within the Surakarta Sunanate encompasses religious, legal, customary, and dynastic dimensions that have evolved alongside changes in Indonesia's legal system. This complexity is evident in the controversies surrounding the status of Asih Winarni as the consort of SISKS Pakubuwono XIII and the appointment of KGPH Purbaya as crown prince. Previous studies on marriages within the Surakarta Palace family have tended to focus on customary marriage practices and processions from the perspective of Islamic law; however, the historical evolution and the interrelationships between marriage, palace statutes (paugeran), the legitimacy of the consort, and royal succession have not been comprehensively examined. This article analyzes the controversies regarding marriage and the consort's legitimacy during the reign of SISKS Pakubuwono XIII, examining them through the lenses of Islamic legal history, palace statutes, and state law. The study employs a historical method comprising heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. Primary sources include marriage legislation, the Compilation of Islamic Law, documents and literature concerning Surakarta Palace traditions and statutes, and contemporary reports regarding the consort and the crown prince. The findings indicate that the validity of a marriage under Islamic and state law does not automatically confer legitimacy upon the consort or the crown prince within the palace hierarchy. This article contributes to the study of Islamic family law by analyzing the interplay between religious law, state law, custom, and dynastic legitimacy within the context of the Surakarta Sunanate.

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