The name of Jepara origin comes from the words of Ujung Para, Ujung para and Jumpara which means the trader place. His characteristic is doing business in a trading in many regions. Now the name became Jepara. According to the book "New History of the Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD)" noted that in the year 674 AD a traveler Tionghoa named I-Tsing Holing never visited the country or forth or Kalinga is also known as Java or Japa and believed to be located in the Keling, Jepara eastern today, and led by a king named her Queen Shima is known to be very strict.

According to a named Portuguese writer Tomé Pires in his book "Suma Oriental", a new Jepara known in the XV century (1470 AD) as a small trading port and habited by people around 100 peoples and led by Aryo Timur under the rule of Demak Kingdom. Aryo Timur then succeeded by his son named Pati Unus (1507-1521). Pati Unus trying to build a trading city of Jepara.

Pati Unus known to be very tough against the Portuguese occupation of Malacca which link the archipelago trade. After Pati Unus dies-in-law is replaced by Faletehan / Fatahillah (1521-1536). Later in the year 1536 by the ruler of the Sultan Trenggono Demak, Jepara handed over to his child Retno Queen and Prince Attending Kencono. But after the death of Sultan Trenggono in the Military Expedition of Panarukan East Java in 1546, the emergence of rippled Demak kingdom struggle for the throne ended with the death of Princes Attend by Aryo Penangsang in 1549.

In the reign of Queen Kalinyamat (1549-1579), Jepara flourished into major Airports Niaga in Java, which serve the import export. One also becomes naval base that has been initiated since the time of the Demak Kingdom.

As a ruler of Jepara, which Gemah Ripah loh Jepara jinawi because the existence at that time as a busy Commercial Airport, Queen Kalinyamat known to have anti-colonial patriotism. This is evidenced by the delivery fleet to Malacca to the Portuguese assault in 1551 and the year 1574. Is not excessive if the Portuguese at that time called the Queen as "RAINHA DE JEPARA" Senora DE Rica ", which means King of Jepara is a woman who is very powerful and wealthy.

The Queen withnearly 40 ships which contain approximately 5000 soldiers attack the Portuguese colonialists. However, this attack failed, when the soldiers are doing Kalinyamat ground attack in an effort to stronghold surrounded the Portuguese in Malacca, the Portuguese army armor managed to break the siege Kalinyamat army.

Twenty-four years later in exactly in October 1574, the Queen sent a fleet of military Kalinyamat in Malacca greater. This second military expedition involving 300 ships including 80 large junks ships and 15,000 soldiers. This expedition led by "QUILIMO".

Although the end of this second war is failed but it was successful make Portuguese army fear to confront. It was proved by Java freely from Portuguese colonization in the 16th century.

As a Great War historical relic between Jepara and Portuguese, there are a cemetery called Grave Army Java. In addition Queen Kalinyamat character is also very instrumental in civilizing sculpture ARTS which currently a major mainstay of the economy Jepara. This sculpture arts is a combination between Majapahit art and Patih Badarduwung from the Chinese.

According to historical records Kalinyamat Queen died in 1579 and was buried in the village Mantingan Jepara.