PART III: PRECONDITIONS FOR THE COUP AND THE CHANGE OF DYNASTIES
Preconditions for the Coup and the Change of Dynasties
Apparently there were preliminary stages and social preconditions which made the
radical change in Mimba possible. Mimba was only a small, territorially limited
principality. There were no attractive resources; however, the rice fields were exten-
sive and fertile. There was practically never a shortage of water!” Furthermore,
Mimba played a certain role — which cannot be clearly defined — as a trading center,
perhaps only as a landing place for merchant ships. After all, it was not the only
coastal settlement of South Bali.
With the loss of power of Pinatih, the first ruling dynasty of Mimba also lost im-
portant support. Other kinship groups with a claim to the succession of Arya Pinatih
immigrated, like the Tangkas (cf. p.99); today they are the owners of the P. Dalem
Jumenang. A settlement of a lineage of Pinatih had, after all, been in the territory of
present-day Intaran; today's Pura Agung was the most important temple of Arya
Pinatih (or its palace?), named for the former P. Dalem Jumenang on the coast (cf.
pp.98-100). This last settlement must have been given up by the members of Pinatih
of the process which led to the downfall of the dynasty of Gusti Kepandean. In addi-
tion, tensions arose within the community of Mimba and apparently also within the
ruling dynasty. They were probably quarrels regarding the succession to the office of
ruler. This led to the separation. A fission group moved to Singgi, a settlement al-
ready in existence. Demographic data show that its descendants today call
themselves descendants of the Arya Pinatih.
Outside of Mimba lived members of a satrya clan, Arya Kenceng (according to a
different version, Arya Brandinggan).'” The disloyal members of Arya Sentong are
said to have allied with them. At the time, the Arya Kenceng were living in the ter-
ritory of present-day Banjar Buruan in Sanur Kaja — i.e, directly north of Singgi. It
looks as if conspiratory relations arose between the two groups, but other kin groups
seem to have been involved in this conspiracy, among them some without a noble
title. They were the dadya of the Pasek and the Ponyarikan, two kin groups playing
a prominent part in the temples of Abian Timbul in Intaran today: Ponyarikan, the
owner of the P. Lemur, to this day is thought to be the loyal retinue of the local
princely family.
In this period of social unrest and preparation for a coup, the P. Suke Swook
played a role. According to one version of the oral histories, the group from Singgi
contributed significantly to the downfall of the rule of Sentong. The downfall is,
^ [n the course of the fight between Mengwi and Badung, Mengwi redirected the water Badung
needed for the irrigation of the sawah (see p.278).
1? Friederich (1 877:52) notes that Arya Sentong is the 'younger brother! of Arya Kenceng. How this
suggests common ancestry or affiliation cannot be determined.
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