the people of Bagelen is famous for becoming the special arms force for Sutawijaya, hence the beginning of its militaristic character which also said as inheritance of the martial art skills being instilled by the previous Buddhist monks from the ancient Mataram period.
Dutch Colonial Period (16th-19th AD)
During this period, Bagelen area was notorious of its powerful insurgent which support Prince Diponegoro throughout Java War. Upon the defeat of Diponegoro, Bagelen was being asked from Mataram Sultanate in order to undermine the power of Bagelen's insurgent and was being integrated into Kedu Residency by the Dutch Colonial ruler. The new town, called Poerworedjo (new spelling: Purworejo) is being designed by a Dutch architect by adopting traditional Javanese architecture and tradition. The Dutch implemented indirect rule, which is reflected in its town architecture, where the regent is from the local leader (Raden Adipati Cokronegoro Pertama) and the co-ruler (the regent assistant) is always a Dutch. This new town was also served as Dutch military base camp which housed the Dutch Black Colonial Armed Forces from West Africa. Some Dutch residents were born, lived and died in Purworejo, the records can be found in The Civil Registry of the Dutch East-Indies. Some Dutch colonial buildings are still in a good shape until now as of Regency Official House (1840), a church which still become GPIB Church (1879), Kweekschool (1915), Train Station, Bank, Hospital. During this period, there were 2 main religious figures: a moslem preacher (mubaligh) kyai Imam Pura and a Javanese Christian Evangelist, Kyai Sadrach. This is the evidence that in Purworejo, moslem and christians are being accepted harmoniously by its people
