Empress consort Adina of Hyldemark (b. Gusti Kanjeng Putri Dewi Adina)
Dewi Ajeng Adina Sastrowardaya (1872-1937) was Empress consort of Hyldemark as the wife of Emperor Beathan IV, one of King Philippe of Sommerheim's descendants through his eldest daughter Queen Camila. Born a Javanese princess from the Sultanate of Howa as the fourth daughter from Sultan Maniku V and Ratu Agong Madea's 13 children, she became the first known non-European consort in Europe.
Not much concrete information is known of Adina's childhood aside from hearsay, except that she was a gifted dancer and painter from an early age, as well as being able to play the gamelan, a Javanese set of instruments very well. From birth, she was styled as Yang Terhormat Gusti Kanjeng Putri Dewi Adina as the daughter of the Sultan, or the equivalent of Her Royal Highness Princess Dewi Adina. She was the fourth daughter of Maniku V, and overall, his sixth child. Adina's childhood was different that most Howa princesses before her, as unlike his predecessors, his father did not take a concubine, hence all of her siblings are legitimate.
Adina first met her the then-Grand Prince Beathan of Hyldemark, future Beathan IV, during his groundbreaking visit to Asia. Beathan was the first Hyldenese royal to set foot in Asia, as part of his father's efforts to revolutionize the monarchy. His first stop in Asia was in Java, the nearest port was located in Howa. His arrival was warmly accepted by the Sultanate. As part of his welcome ceremony, Maniku V had his daughters perform a traditional dance accompanied by the gamelan. It was the first time Beathan set eyes on the young Adina, then still 17 years old, and he was said to be infatuated immediately. He was quick to pursue her, although they both soon found that they had difficulties in conversing, as Adina did not speak a word of English. They later discovered they both spoke Dutch, as a part of Howa was under control of the colonial government of The Netherlands, which made the Sultan and his family learn the language.
Beathan eventually asked for Adina's hand in marriage sometime in late 1889, around six months after their initial meeting. After receiving her acceptance and both their parents' blessings, it was declared that Adina would marry after she turned 18. In 1890, as agreed, a week after her birthday, they were married. She converted to Hyldenese Orthodoxy two weeks before the wedding, though she was given special dispensation to not completely repudiate her former Muslim beliefs. Unlike his father and predecessors, Beathan did not take a mistress, sparing Adina from the pain of infidelity. They were fortunately, happily married. She bore him 12 children, 10 whom survived to adulthood; one died in infancy, the other died in childhood.
Adina was a popular and beloved Empress consort; though she had difficulties adapting in Europe initially, suffering severe homesickness, her natural charms made her well-liked, despite her somewhat unique heritage. A popular story goes that during her early days in court, many mistook her birthplace as Bavaria, which led to some thinking she was a German princess, when in reality Howa was located near the port of Batavia, present-day Jakarta. She was revered and loved for her sincerity and generosity, and was somewhat a fashion icon. She introduced many Javanese customs and culture to Hyldemark; until today, Javanese and Indonesian are one of the most learned languages in the country, thanks to Adina. Though she was a quick learner in foreign languages, being a fluent and excellent speaker, Adina was said to have trouble overcoming her heavy accent, but instead of it being an issue, many came to adore her way of talking.
She died in 1937 from natural causes, after outliving her husband for three years. Adina became more widely known as The Javanese Empress posthumously, a moniker that seemed to stay with her throughout her life. She remained fondly remembered and beloved by the people even years after her passing, with her children treating her memory with utmost care, affection, and respect.
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