Vorstenlanden

Four native states on Java, Dutch East Indies

The Vorstenlanden (Dutch for 'princely lands' or 'princely states', Japanese: 公地, Hepburn: kōchi, Nihon shiki/Kunrei shiki: kooti, , , praja kejawen) were four native, princely states on the island of Java in the colonial Dutch East Indies. They were nominally self governing vassals under suzerainty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Their political autonomy however became increasingly constrained by severe treaties and settlements. Two of these continue to exist as a princely territory within the current independent republic of Indonesia. The four Javanese princely states were:
Surakarta, a sunanate to the north
Yogyakarta, the sultanate to the south
Mangkunegaran, a duchy to the east
Pakualaman, a small duchy largely enclosed within the area of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta
These princely territories were successor states to the Mataram Sultanate and originated in civil wars and wars of succession within the Javanese nobility. The susuhunan of Surakarta represented the direct line of succession; the other three rulers represented cadet branches.

When Mataram was not yet divided, the Dutch colonial administration named the area under its control Bovenlanden. Then, the Treaty of Giyanti, signed in 1755, divided Mataram into two, namely Surakarta and Yogyakarta with their respective territories and the Great State (Negara Agung) which was governed jointly. At that time, its area stretched from present day Cilacap to around Mount Kelud in East Java. After the Third Javanese War of Succession and the treaty was ratified, the Sultanate of Mataram split into the Surakarta Sunanate and the Yogyakarta Sultanate (contemporaneous Dutch spelling: Djokjakarta); the Duchy of Mangkunegaran split from Surakarta in 1757. Lastly, the Duchy of Pakualaman split off from Yogyakarta in 1812 after the Invasion of Java (1811).

The Sultanate of Yogyakarta is the only princely land which retains a special status within the current Republic of Indonesia, namely as a daerah istimewa (special region).

Although the Sultanate of Surakarta and Duchy of Mangkunegaran were merged into the province of Central Java after independence, the traditional monarchies were not abolished, and still exist to this day. However, they do not have any political and governmental powers and are cultural and ceremonial figureheads that have considerable influence in Javanese culture conservation and development. Meanwhile, the political powers are held by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Surakarta.