Mahmud Shah (Sultan of Malacca)
Encyclopedia
Sultan
Mahmud Shah (died 1528) ruled Malacca from 1488 to 1528. He was the son of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah.
Upon his father's premature death, he was installed at a very young age. The regent at that time was the prime minister
(Bendahara
in Malay
) Tun Perak
. During his initial years as a young adult, the sultan was known to be a ruthless monarch. The administration of the sultanate was in the hands of an able and wise Tun Perak. After the death of Tun Perak in 1498, he was succeeded by a new Prime Minister Tun Mutahir
. The death of Tun Perak changed Sultan Mahmud into a more responsible ruler.
During Portuguese admiral Diogo Lopes de Sequeira's visit to Malacca from 1509–1510, the sultan planned to assassinate him. However, Sequeira learned of this plot and fled Malacca. When the famous Portuguese naval officer Afonso de Albuquerque
received word, he decided to utilize this to embark upon his expeditions of conquest in Asia. Malacca was then subsequently attacked by the Portuguese
in the Capture of Malacca (1511)
, during which the Sultan retreated to Muar, Johor
and later further to Kampar
, Sumatra
and held a government there until his death in 1528.
He had several wives. Among the most famous was Tun Teja. The sultan was also surrounded by able men and warriors such as Hang Tuah, Khoja Hassan and Hang Nadim. He had three sons; Sultan Ahmad Shah, Muzaffar I of Perak and Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor
. Ahmad Shah succeeded Mahmud when Mahmud mistakenly killed the Tamil
Bendahara Tun Mutahir and the Bendahara's family after other jealous Malay ministers accused Mutahir of planning a rebellion. Ahmad Shah was killed by Mahmud Shah himself after the Portuguese
conquered Malacca. Mahmud Shah then took back the throne. Muzaffar went north to establish the Sultanate of Perak
while Alauddin Riayat went on to found Sultanate of Johor.
Sultan Mahmud is associated with the Malay legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang
which is about his failed courtship of a fairy princess. Sultan Mahmud is also said to have killed Tun Mutahir and the Bendahara's family members because Mutahir did not give his daughter, Tun Fatimah's hand in marriage to Sultan Mahmud. Tun Fatimah was married to Tun Ali
.
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Mahmud Shah (died 1528) ruled Malacca from 1488 to 1528. He was the son of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah.
Upon his father's premature death, he was installed at a very young age. The regent at that time was the prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
(Bendahara
Bendahara
Bendahara is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a hereditary post. It was the office that is held by bendahara family...
in Malay
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
) Tun Perak
Tun Perak
Bendahara Paduka Raja Tun Perak was the fifth and most famous bendahara, a Malay rank similar to a prime minister, of the Sultanate of Malacca. He served under four sultans from 1456 to 1498. Early in his life, Perak was a soldier-statesman for Malaccan rulers...
. During his initial years as a young adult, the sultan was known to be a ruthless monarch. The administration of the sultanate was in the hands of an able and wise Tun Perak. After the death of Tun Perak in 1498, he was succeeded by a new Prime Minister Tun Mutahir
Tun Mutahir
Bendahara Sri Maharaja Tun Mutahir was a famous bendahara of the Malaccan Sultanate. He was the seventh bendahara, a post equivalent to a prime minister. Prior to holding the post of bendahara, he also held the post of Temenggung...
. The death of Tun Perak changed Sultan Mahmud into a more responsible ruler.
During Portuguese admiral Diogo Lopes de Sequeira's visit to Malacca from 1509–1510, the sultan planned to assassinate him. However, Sequeira learned of this plot and fled Malacca. When the famous Portuguese naval officer Afonso de Albuquerque
Afonso de Albuquerque
Afonso de Albuquerque[p][n] was a Portuguese fidalgo, or nobleman, an admiral whose military and administrative activities as second governor of Portuguese India conquered and established the Portuguese colonial empire in the Indian Ocean...
received word, he decided to utilize this to embark upon his expeditions of conquest in Asia. Malacca was then subsequently attacked by the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in the Capture of Malacca (1511)
Capture of Malacca (1511)
The Capture of Malacca in 1511 occurred when the Portuguese admiral Afonso de Albuquerque subdued the city of Malacca in 1511.The port city of Malacca controlled the narrow strategic strait of Malacca, through which all sea-going trade between China and India was concentrated...
, during which the Sultan retreated to Muar, Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...
and later further to Kampar
Kampar Regency
Kampar is a regency of Riau, Indonesia. It has an area of 11,707.64 km² and population of about 415,344.The regency is divided into 13 subdistricts . The seat of the regency is located at Bangkinang.Bordered with:...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
and held a government there until his death in 1528.
He had several wives. Among the most famous was Tun Teja. The sultan was also surrounded by able men and warriors such as Hang Tuah, Khoja Hassan and Hang Nadim. He had three sons; Sultan Ahmad Shah, Muzaffar I of Perak and Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor
Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor
Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II was the first Sultan of Johor. He ruled Johor from 1528 to 1564. He founded the Johor Sultanate following the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511. He was the second son of Mahmud Shah of Malacca. Thus, Johor was a successor state of Malacca and Johor's sultans...
. Ahmad Shah succeeded Mahmud when Mahmud mistakenly killed the Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
Bendahara Tun Mutahir and the Bendahara's family after other jealous Malay ministers accused Mutahir of planning a rebellion. Ahmad Shah was killed by Mahmud Shah himself after the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
conquered Malacca. Mahmud Shah then took back the throne. Muzaffar went north to establish the Sultanate of Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
while Alauddin Riayat went on to found Sultanate of Johor.
Sultan Mahmud is associated with the Malay legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang
Legend of Gunung Ledang
Also see : Location Gunung Ledang, theater Puteri Gunung Ledang , 2004's Puteri Gunung Ledang , 1961's Puteri Gunung Ledang...
which is about his failed courtship of a fairy princess. Sultan Mahmud is also said to have killed Tun Mutahir and the Bendahara's family members because Mutahir did not give his daughter, Tun Fatimah's hand in marriage to Sultan Mahmud. Tun Fatimah was married to Tun Ali
Tun Ali
Bendahara Sri Nara Diraja Tun Ali was a Tamil Muslim leader and the fourth bendahara, or prime minister of the Malaccan Sultanate. He was the penghulu bendahari of Malacca before becoming bendahara. He had allegedly conspired to assassinate the Hindu sultan of Malacca, Sri Parameswara Dewa Shah...
.
See also
- Legend of Gunung LedangLegend of Gunung LedangAlso see : Location Gunung Ledang, theater Puteri Gunung Ledang , 2004's Puteri Gunung Ledang , 1961's Puteri Gunung Ledang...
- Johor SultanateJohor SultanateThe Sultanate of Johor was founded by Malaccan Sultan Mahmud Shah's son, Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II in 1528. Johor was part of the Malaccan Sultanate before the Portuguese conquered Malacca's capital in 1511...
- Afonso de AlbuquerqueAfonso de AlbuquerqueAfonso de Albuquerque[p][n] was a Portuguese fidalgo, or nobleman, an admiral whose military and administrative activities as second governor of Portuguese India conquered and established the Portuguese colonial empire in the Indian Ocean...
- MalaccaMalaccaMalacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
- Diogo Lopes de SequeiraDiogo Lopes de SequeiraDiogo Lopes de Sequeira was a Portuguese fidalgo, sent to analyze the trade potential in Madagascar and Malacca, he arrived at Malacca on 11 September, 1509. He left the next year when he discovered that Sultan Mahmud Shah, the local leader, was devising his assassination...
- Kubu Bentayan