After Sultan Agung, the Sultanate of Mataram declined due to internal power struggles. The VOC (Dutch East India Company) exploited this internal discord to increase its control. At the peak of the conflict, the Mataram Sultanate was split in two based on the Treaty of Giyanti of February 13, 1755, creating the Yogyakarta Sultanate and Surakarta Sunanate.

The Giyanti Treaty named Pangeran Mangkubumi as Sultan of Yogyakarta with the title of Sampeyan Dalem Ingkang Sinuwun Kanjeng Sultan Hamengkubuwono Senopati Ingalaga Abdul Rakhman Sayidin Khalifatullah Panatagama (His Majesty, The Sultan-Carrier for Chief Warrior, Servant and the Most Gracious, Cleric and Caliph that Safeguards the Religion).