Sejarah Banyuwangi ( history banyuwangi )

Merujuk data sejarah yang ada, sepanjang sejarah Blambangan kiranya tanggal 18 Desember 1771 merupakan peristiwa sejarah yang paling tua yang patut diangkat sebagai hari jadi Banyuwangi. Sebelum peristiwa puncak perang Puputan Bayu tersebut sebenarnya ada peristiwa lain yang mendahuluinya, yang juga heroik-patriotik, yaitu peristiwa penyerangan para pejuang Blambangan di bawah pimpinan Pangeran Puger ( putra Wong Agung Wilis ) ke benteng VOC di Banyualit pada tahun 1768.

Referring to existing historical data, throughout the history of Blambangan would be on December 18, 1771 is the oldest historical event that should be appointed as the anniversary of Banyuwangi. Before the peak of the Puputan Bayu war there were actually other events that preceded it, also the patriotic heroics, the attacking events of the Blambangan fighters under Prince Puger (son of Wong Agung Wilis) to the VOC fort at Banyualit in 1768.

Namun sayang peristiwa tersebut tidak tercatat secara lengkap pertanggalannya, dan selain itu terkesan bahwa dalam penyerangan tersebut kita kalah total, sedang pihak musuh hampir tidak menderita kerugian apapun. Pada peristiwa ini Pangeran Puger gugur, sedang Wong Agung Wilis, setelah Lateng dihancurkan, terluka, tertangkap dan kemudian dibuang ke Pulau Banda ( Lekkerkerker, 1923 ).

But unfortunately the incident is not fully recorded its pertanggalannya, and other than that impressed that in the attack we lost total, while the enemy hardly suffered any loss. On this occasion Prince Puger died, while Wong Agung Wilis, after Lateng was destroyed, wounded, caught and then exiled to Banda Island (Lekkerkerker, 1923).

Based on historical data, the name of Banyuwangi can not be separated from Blambangan's wisdom. From the time of Prince Tawang Alun (1655-1691) and Prince Danuningrat (1736-1763), even to the point where Blambangan was under the protection of Bali (1763-1767), the VOC had never been interested in entering and managing Blambangan (Ibid.1923: 1045 ).

In 1743 East Java (including Blambangan) was handed over by Pakubuwono II to the VOC, the VOC felt that Blambangan was already his. But for a while still left as a savings item, the new will be managed at any time, if it is needed. Even when Danuningrat was advocating VOC assistance to escape from Bali, the VOC was still not interested in looking at Blambangan (Ibid 1923: 1046)