Kediri (city)

Traditionally, the city of Kediri is said to have been founded on 27 July 879,[7] and today the city's anniversary is celebrated on that date.[8] The Brantas River valley was known as the site of classical Javanese culture, particularly between the 10th and 15th centuries. The town of Kediri was established by King Airlangga on the banks of the upper Brantas river in 1042. It was originally called Dahanapura or Daha. After the death of Airlangga his kingdom was divided into two parts: the kingdom of Panjalu in the west, and the kingdom of Janggala in the east. Daha became the capital of Panjalu, and later the capital of the Kediri kingdom.[9]^{:146–147,158} Over the centuries, control of the city passed to the Singhasari, Majapahit, Demak and Mataram kingdoms.

The name "Kediri", or "Kadiri", is derived from the Sanskrit word Khadri, meaning Indian Mulberry, indicative of the mulberry trees (locally known as pacé or mengkudu) which grew in the area.

VOC troops storming Kediri – then the capital of Trunajaya – in 1678 during the Trunajaya War. Depicted in an 1890 Dutch children's novel.

After the era of the Javanese kingdoms, Kediri went into decline, becoming a small rural settlement, which was later annexed by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as part of the Dutch conquest of Java. East Java in the 1740s was controlled by Cakraningrat IV, a Madurese regent who was favorably disposed toward the VOC, as he believed the Dutch would help him in securing the independence of Madura from the Kasunanan Kartasura kingdom. However, when his plans were rejected by the VOC, Cakraningrat rise against the Europeans. The rebellion was ultimately suppressed by the VOC, assisted by two generals sent by Pakubuwana II, Sunan Kartasura. Kediri then became part of the VOC and remained under Dutch control until the independence of Indonesia in 1945.[10]

Kediri began to flourish when the Dutch East Indies founded the autonomous Gemeente Kediri in 1906. Zelfstanding Gemeenteschap (self-government with full autonomy) was granted in 1928.

During the Indonesian National Revolution in 1945–1949, Kediri became a target of General Sudirman's guerrilla campaign. In 1965, after the failed 30 September Movement coup, Kediri suffered terrible bloodshed in which thousands of people were killed.

The Gudang Garam kretek tobacco industry was established in 1958 by Chinese Indonesian Tjoa Ing Hwie. He purchased vast lands in Kediri and established a kretek cigar factory. Today, Gudang Garam is the major employer of the city, with more than 40,000 workers.

The city of Kediri is divided into three districts (kecamatan), tabulated below with their areas and population totals from the 2010 Census[11] and the official estimates for mid 2019.[12] The table also includes the number of administrative villages (urban kelurahan) in each district, and its postal codes.

Being the site of an ancient capital of Javanese kingdoms, the city is one of the major cultural center for Javanese people, the city also contains some ancient ruins and candis that dates back to the era of Kediri and Majapahit kingdom.

Since 1906 Kediri was given status of gemeente, along with its gemeenteraad. The head was an assistent-resident. Since 1929 its status was changed to stadsgemeente with a burgemeester as its head. With the Act no. 16 Year 1950, Kediri is given the status of Kota Besar with a walikota (mayor) within Indonesian administrative structure[16]

Kediri has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) with moderate to little rainfall from June to October and heavy rainfall from November to May.

• Susilo Wonowidjojo, an Indonesian billionaire businessman and owner of Gudang Garam
• Pramono Anung, Indonesian Secretary of the Cabinet (2015–...)
• Nurbayan, singer and songwriter
• Anthony Fokker, Dutch aviation pioneer and aircraft manufacturer

• Kediri Regency

• City of Kediri official website