Melayu Kingdom

[[Image:MelayuKingdom001.jpg|thumb|200px|Map of ancient Melayu Kingdom.]] '''Melayu Kingdom''' (also known as '''Ma-La-Yu''' in Chinese text 末羅瑜國, ''Malay'' in English) was a classical Southeast Asian kingdom that existed between the 7th and the 13th century of the common era. It was established around present-day [[Dharmasraya]] on [[Sumatera]], [[Indonesia]], approximately 300 km north of [[Palembang]]. It was founded by society in [[Batanghari]] river and the gold trader from [[Minangkabau people|Minangkabau]] hinterland. Around 688 CE, emperor [[Jayanasa]] integrated ''Malayu'' into the [[Srivijaya]]n empire. == Origin == According to [[I Ching (monk)|Yijing]], the early Melayu was an independent kingdom. In the late 7th century, the monk [[I Ching (monk)|Yijing]] recorded that the second time he returned back to ''Ma-La-Yu'', it was captured by [[Srivijaya]]. Further, Melayu had accessed to gold producing areas in the hinterland of Sumatra. This slowly increased the prestige of Melayu which traded various local goods, including gold, with foreign traders. The word Melayu was inscribed (year 1286) on the [[Padang Roco inscription]] statue at the headwaters of Batang Hari river. After that on 1347, King [[Adityawarman]] sculpt statue of Amoghapasa again, when he declared a new state established under the name of ''Malayapura''. According to the Encyclopedia of Malaysia, ancient Indian texts in [[Ramayana]] and [[Vayu Purana]] (3rd century BCE), the Sanskrit word 'Malayadvipa' (literally 'Malay Island') was mentioned, referring to [[Sumatra]]. The [[Khmer people|Khmer]] recorded the nation of Melayu, however, its progeny of [[Srivijaya]] was also called Melayu. ===Chinese sources=== {{ChineseText}} In the later [[Mongol]] [[Yuan Dynasty]] and [[Ming Dynasty]], the word ''Ma-La-Yu'' was mentioned often (in the history of China) to refer to a nation from southern sea with different spelling due to the change of dynasty. * (Chinese: 木剌由) - Bok-la-yu, Mok-la-yu * (Chinese: 麻里予兒) - Ma-li-yu-er( southern indian tamil language translates as land of hills - malay ( hill) : ur(land) * (Chinese: 巫来由) - Oo-lai-yu (traced from the written source of monk [[Xuan Zang]]) * (Chinese: 無来由) - Wu-lai-yu Partly extract from the original Chronicle of Mongol Yuan (in Chinese): [http://www.guoxue.com/shibu/24shi/yuanshi/yuas_210.htm Chronicle of Mongol Yuan] {{quote|"以暹人与'''麻里予兒'''旧相仇杀，至是皆归顺，有旨谕暹人“勿伤麻里予兒，以践尔言"。}} (in English: Animosity occurred between [[Siam]] and Ma-la-yu with both killing each other...) ===Marco Polo=== From the book [[Travels of Marco Polo]], the word "Malauir" was mentioned to refer to an area somewhere in the southern part of the [[Malay peninsula]]. [http://www.fullbooks.com/The-Travels-of-Marco-Polo-Volume-222.html] ===Sejarah Melayu=== The word Melayu is also mentioned in the [[Sejarah Melayu]]. {{quote|"Here now is the story of a city called [[Palembang]] in the land of Andelas ([[Sumatra]]). It was ruled by Demang Lebar Daun, a descendant of Raja Shulan, and its river was the Muara Tatang. In the upper reaches of the Muara Tatang was a river called Melayu, and on that river was a hill called Si-Guntang Mahameru'...."[http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/malays4.htm]}} ==Center of Srivijaya== [[Image:Candi Gumpung Muarojambi.jpg|right|thumb| Candi Gumpung, a Buddhist temple at [[Muaro Jambi]] of Melayu Kingdom, later integrated as one of [[Srivijaya]]'s important urban center.]]Between 1079 and 1088, Chinese record shows that Srivijaya sent ambassadors from Jambi and Palembang. In 1079 in particular, an ambassador from Jambi and Palembang each visited China. Jambi sent two more ambassadors to China in 1082 and 1088. This suggests that the center of Srivijaya frequently shifted between the two major cities during that period. The Chola expedition and as well as changing trade route weakened Palembang, allowing Jambi to take the leadership of Srivijaya from the 11th century on. ==Demise== Almost a century after taking over Palembang's role as the center of an empire, Jambi and Srivijaya experienced decline in influence. This was caused by a change of policy by the Song dynasty to no longer accept ambassadors from Srivijaya and Jambi's inability to cope with changing scenario. Instead of the Jambi controlling the trade through tributary system, traders were allowed to trade directly instead. == Melayu's last prince Parameswara == Mahesa/Kebo/Lembu Anabrang was a General of [[Singhasari]], he conquered Srivijaya and Melayu in 1288. In the year 1347, [[Gajah Mada]] the military leader of Majapahit installed [[Adityawarman]] as the king of Melayu to prevent the revival of Srivijaya. Adityawarman later conquered [[Tanah Datar]] to take control of the gold trade and founded a kingdom in [[Pagar Ruyung]]. In the year 1377, the Majapahit defeated Palembang and ended effort to revive Srivijaya. The last prince of Srivijayan origin, [[Parameswara]], fled to [[Temasik]] to seek refuge before moving farther north, where he founded what would become the [[Malacca Sultanate]]. ==External links== * [http://www.pbase.com/image/41424428 Photos of ancient Melayu Kingdom] * [http://www.jambiexplorer.com/content/History.htm The History of Jambi - The Early history] * [http://www.gimonca.com/sejarah/sejarah01.shtml Timeline of Indonesia history] * [http://www.indo.net.id/mbs/Indonesia_of_Old.htm Indonesia…from ancient times to middle ages] * [http://www.sabrizain.demon.co.uk/malaya/malays4.htm The origins of the word 'Melayu'] {{coord missing|Indonesia}}