Gajah Mada Gajah Mada ( translated as " Elephant General " ) ( circa 1290 – circa 1364 ) was , according to Javanese old manuscripts , poems and mythology , a powerful military leader and " mahapatih " or prime minister of the Majapahit Empire , credited with bringing the empire to its peak of glory . He delivered an oath called " Sumpah Palapa " , in which he vowed not to eat any food containing spices until he had conquered all of the Southeast Asia n archipelago of Nusantara for Majapahit . In modern Indonesia , he serves as an important national hero and a symbol of patriotism . Rise to " Power " . Not much is known about Gajah Mada ' s early life . Some of the first accounts mention his career as commander of the " Bhayangkara " , an elite guard for Majapahit kings and their family . When Rakrian Kuti , one of the officials in Majapahit , rebelled against the Majapahit king Jayanegara ( ruled 1309 – 1328 ) in 1321 , Gajah Mada and the then - mahapatih Arya Tadah helped the king and his family to escape the capital city of Trowulan . Later Gajah Mada aided the king to return to the capital and crush the rebellion . Seven years later , Jayanegara was murdered by Rakrian Tanca , the court physician , one of Rakrian Kuti ' s aides . In another version , according to the Nagarakretagama ( a Javanese language epic poem dating from the 14th century ) , and supported by inscriptions dating from the late 13th and early 14th century , Jayanagara was assassinated by Gajah Mada in 1328 . It is said that Jayanagara was overprotective towards his two half sisters , born from Kertarajasa ' s youngest queen , " Dyah Dewi Gayatri " . Complaints by the two young princesses led to the intervention of Gajah Mada . His drastic solution was to arrange for a surgeon to murder the king while pretending to perform an . Jayanegara was immediately succeeded by his sister Tribhuwana Wijayatunggadewi ( ruled 1328 – 1350 ) . It was under her leadership that Gajah Mada was appointed mahapatih in 1329 , after the retirement of " Arya Tadah " . As mahapatih under Thribuwana Tunggadewi Gajah Mada went on to crush another rebellion by " Sadeng " and " Keta " in 1331 . It was during Gajah Mada ' s reign as mahapatih , around the year 1345 , that the famous Muslim traveller , Ibn Battuta visited Sumatera . " The Palapa Oath " and " Invasion " . It is said that it was during his appointment as " mahapatih " under queen " Tribhuwanatunggadewi " that Gajah Mada took his famous oath , " Palapa Oath " or " Sumpah Palapa " . The telling of the oath is described in the " Pararaton " ( Book of Kings ) , an account on Javanese history that dates from the 15th or 16th century : " “ Sira Gajah Mada pepatih amungkubumi tan ayun amukita palapa , sira Gajah Mada : Lamun huwus kalah nusantara Ingsun amukti palapa , lamun kalah ring Gurun , ring Seram , Tanjungpura , ring Haru , ring Pahang , Dompo , ring Bali , Sunda , Palembang , Tumasik , samana ingsun amukti palapa “ " " " Gajah Mada , the prime minister , said he will not taste any spice . Said Gajah Mada : If Nusantara ( Nusantara = Nusa antara = external territories ) are lost , I will not taste " palapa " ( " fruits and or spices " ) . I will not if the domain of Gurun , domain of Seram , domain of Tanjungpura , domain of Haru , Pahang , Dompo , domain of Bali , Sunda , Palembang , Tumasik , in which case I will never taste any spice . " " While often interpreted literally to mean that Gajah Mada would not allow his food to be spiced ( palapa is the prose combination of pala apa = any fruits / spices ) the oath is sometimes interpreted to mean that Gajah Mada would abstain from all earthly pleasures until he conquered the entire known archipelago for Majapahit . Even his closest friends were at first doubtful of his oath , but Gajah Mada kept pursuing his dream to unify Nusantara under the glory of Majapahit . Soon he conquered the surrounding territory of Bedahulu ( Bali ) and Lombok ( 1343 ) . He then sent the navy westward to attack the remnants of the thallassocrathic kingdom of Sriwijaya in Palembang . There he installed Adityawarman , a Majapahit prince as vassal ruler of the Minangkabau in West Sumatra . He then conquered the first Islamic sultanate in Southeast Asia , Samudra Pasai , and another state in Svarnadvipa ( Sumatra ) . Gajah Mada also conquered Bintan , Tumasik ( Singapore ) , Melayu ( now known as Jambi ) , and Kalimantan . At the resignation of the queen , Tribuwanatunggadewi , her son , Hayam Wuruk ( ruled 1350 – 1389 ) became king . Gajah Mada retained his position as mahapatih under the new king and continued his military campaign by expanding eastward into Logajah , Gurun , Seram , Hutankadali , Sasak , Buton , Banggai , Kunir , Galiyan , Salayar , Sumba , Muar ( Saparua ) , Solor , Bima , Wandan ( Banda ) , Ambon , Timor , and Dompo . He thus effectively brought the modern Indonesian archipelago under Majapahits ' s control , which spanned not only the territory of today ' s Indonesia , but also that of Tumasik ( old name of Singapore ) , the states comprising modern - day Malaysia , Brunei and the southern Philippines . The " Battle Of Bubat " . In 1357 , the only remaining state refusing to acknowledge Majapahit ' s hegemony was Sunda , in West Java , bordering the Majapahit Empire . King Hayam Wuruk intended to marry Dyah Pitaloka Citraresmi , a princess of Sunda and the daughter of Sunda ' s king . Gajah Mada was given the task to go to the " Bubat " square on northern part of Trowulan to welcome the princess as she arrived with her father and escort to Majapahit palace . Gajah Mada took this opportunity to demand Sunda submission under Majapahit rule . While the Sunda King thought that the royal marriage was a sign of a new alliance between Sunda and Majapahit , Gajah Mada thought otherwise . He stated that the Princess of Sunda is not to be hailed as the new queen consort of Majapahit , but merely as a concubine , as a sign of submission of Sunda to Majapahit . This misunderstanding led to embarrassment and hostility , which quickly rose into a skirmish and the full scale Battle of Bubat . The Sunda King with all of his guards and royal party were overwhelmed by Majapahit troops and subsequently killed in the field of Bubat . Tradition mentioned that the heartbroken princess , Dyah Pitaloka Citraresmi , committed suicide . Hayam Wuruk was deeply shocked about the tragedy . Majapahit courtiers , ministers and nobles blamed Gajah Mada for his recklesness , and the brutal consequences were not to the taste of the Majapahit royal family . Gajah Mada was promptly demoted and spent the rest of his days at the estate of Madakaripura in Probolinggo in East Java . Gajah Mada died in obscurity in 1364 . King Hayam Wuruk considered that the power Gajah Mada had accumulated during his time as " mahapatih " was too much to handle for a single person . Therefore the king split the responsibilities that had been Gajah Mada ' s , between four separate new " mahamantri " ( equal to ministries ) , thereby probably increasing his own power . King Hayam Wuruk , who is said to have been a wise leader , was able to maintain the hegemony of Majapahit in the region , gained during Gajah Mada ' s service . However Majapahit slowly fell into decline after the death of Hayam Wuruk . Legacy . Gajah Mada ' s legacy is important for Indonesian Nationalism , and invoked by Indonesian Nationalist movement in early 20th century . The Nationalists prior to the Japanese invasion , notably Sukarno , often cited Gajah Mada and his oath as an inspiration and a historical proof of Indonesian past greatness . That Indonesians could unite , despite vast territory and various cultures . Thus , Gajah Mada was a great inspiration during the Indonesian National Revolution for independence from Dutch colonization . In 1942 , only 230 Indonesian natives held a tertiary education . The Republicans sought to mend the Dutch apathy and established the first state university , which freely admitted native " pribumi " Indonesians " Universitas Gadjah Mada " , in Yogyakarta is named in honour of Gajah Mada and completed in 1945 , and had the honour of the first Medicine Faculty freely open to natives . Indonesia ' s first telecommunication satellite was called " Satelit Palapa " signifying its role in uniting the country . Many cities in Indonesia but West Java have streets named after Gajah Mada . There is a brand of badminton shuttlecock named after him as well .