Raden Adjeng Kartini was born on 21 April 1879 in Jepara, Central Java. She was the fifth child of Raden Mas Adipati Ario Sosroningrat, a Javanese regent, and his second wife, M.A. Ngasirah. Growing up in a noble household meant that Kartini had access to something most girls in her era did not: a formal education. She attended a Dutch-language primary school, where she quickly proved herself to be a bright and enthusiastic student. She was fluent in Dutch, loved reading, and dreamed of continuing her studies.