<![CDATA[Abstrak Artikel ini membahas hubungan strategis dan penyatuan kekuatan antara Kesultanan Cirebon dan Demak pada abad ke-15-16 M dalam berbagai aspek, termasuk relasi kuasa melalui pernikahan, keilmuan, dakwah Islam, militer, dan suksesi. Permasalahannya adalah bagaimana terbentuk hubungan antara Kesultanan Demak dan Cirebon hingga menjadi kekuatan yang bersatu, dan bagaimana keduanya dapat mengembangkan hubungan tesebut sehingga memengaruhi arah perkembangan Islam selanjutnya di Jawa. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode sejarah dengan langkah-langkah heuristik, kritik, interpretasi, dan historiografi. Hasil pembahasan menunjukkan bahwa hubungan keduanya tidak hanya berlandaskan aspek politik, tetapi juga nilai-nilai keagamaan dan militer yang memengaruhi perkembangan Islam di Nusantara. Hubungan Cirebon dan Demak ditandai dengan upaya integrasi melalui perkawinan, pengaruh ulama dalam sistem pemerintahan, serta kerja sama dalam menghadapi ancaman eksternal seperti Majapahit, Pajajaran, dan Portugis. Konflik internal dalam Kesultanan Demak juga turut mempengaruhi keseimbangan politik, di mana Cirebon berperan dalam menentukan stabilitas kerajaan Islam di Jawa. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan sejarah dan analisis teori hubungan kekuasaan, penelitian ini memberikan wawasan mengenai dinamika kekuasaan dan interaksi politik antara kedua kerajaan yang berkontribusi terhadap perkembangan Islam di Nusantara. Abstract This article examines the strategic relationship and unification of power between the Sultanates of Cirebon and Demak in the 15th-16th centuries across various aspects, including political alliances through marriages, scholarly transmission (sanad), Islamic da'wah, military, and succession. The problem is how the relationship between the Sultanates of Cirebon and Demak was formed to become a united power, and how the two could develop this relationship so as to influence the direction of the further development of Islam in Java. The study employs historical methods, incorporating heuristic analysis, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The findings indicate that the relationship between the two sultanates was not solely based on political considerations but also encompassed religious and military dimensions that influenced the spread of Islam in the archipelago. Their alliance was marked by integration efforts through inter-dynastic marriages, the influence of ulama in governance, and joint strategies against external threats such as Majapahit, Pajajaran, and the Portuguese. Additionally, internal conflicts within the Demak Sultanate impacted the region’s political equilibrium, with Cirebon playing a crucial role in maintaining the stability of Islamic rule in Java. By employing a historical approach and analyzing power relations, this study provides valuable insights into the political dynamics and interactions between these two kingdoms, highlighting their contributions to the development of Islam in the archipelago.]]>
