Bendahara Paduka Raja Tun Perak (died 1498) was the fifth and most famous 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...

, a Malay

Malay people

Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...

 rank similar to a 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...

, of the Sultanate of Malacca. He served under four sultan

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...

s (Sultan Muzzafar Shah

Muzaffar Shah of Malacca

Sultan Muzaffar Shah was the fifth Sultan of Malacca. He ruled from 1445 to 1459. He is the son of Sultan Muhammad Shah....

, Sultan Mansur Shah

Mansur Shah of Malacca

Sultan Mansur Shah was the sixth Sultan of Malacca. He ruled Malacca from 1459 to 1477. He ascended the throne after the death of his father, Muzaffar Shah.-Expansions of Malaccan Empire:Mansur Shah implemented a policy of expansionism during his rule...

, Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah

Alauddin Riayat Shah of Malacca

Alauddin Riayat Shah was a sultan of the Malacca Sultanate from 1477 to 1488.He was famous for going undercover at night to personally check on the well-being of his people, as well as on the condition of his sultanate itself. On one of these nights he was even reported to have run after a thief...

 and Sultan Mahmud Shah http://sejarahmalaysia.pnm.my/portalBI/list.php?ttl_id=59§ion=sm01) from 1456 to 1498. Early in his life, Perak was a soldier-statesman for Malaccan rulers. In 1445, he led the Malaccan army to victory by defeating Siamese invaders. As a result, he was made bendahara in 1456.

Tun Perak was the son of Malacca's first bendahara, Sri Wak Raja Tun Perpatih Besar. In 1445, he was appointed as Malacca's representative in Klang

Klang

Klang , formerly known as Kelang, is the royal city and former capital of the state of Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the Klang District in Klang Valley. It is located about 32 km to the west of Kuala Lumpur and 6 km east of Port Klang...

. Tun Perak was then appointed as bendahara in 1456 after he upset the Siamese attack against Malacca. He stopped another Siamese invasion

Invasion

An invasion is a military offensive consisting of all, or large parts of the armed forces of one geopolitical entity aggressively entering territory controlled by another such entity, generally with the objective of either conquering, liberating or re-establishing control or authority over a...

 in 1456 as well. Tun Perak was also instrumental in colonising Pahang

Pahang

Pahang is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.Its state...

, Terengganu

Terengganu

Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...

, 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...

, Riau, Lingga, Bengkalis

Bengkalis

Bengkalis Regency is a regency of Indonesia in the Riau province. The regency, which comprises the whole Bengkalis island in the Strait of Malacca, has been established since 1956...

, Karimon, Rokan, Siak

Siak Regency

Siak is a regency of Riau, Indonesia. It has an area of 8,556.09 km² and population of 312,536 .The regency is divided into 13 subdistricts . The seat of the regency is located at Siak Sri Indrapura.Bordered with:...

, 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:...

, Jambi, Inderagiri and Aru

Aru

Aru and ARU may refer to:Aru* Name of Lady in India* Aru Islands, a group of islands in the Moluccas* Sultanate of Deli , an early Islamic polity in northeast Sumatra* Aru, Democratic Republic of Congo, a town in Ituri province...

. The rulers

Leader

A leader is one who influences or leads others.Leader may also refer to:- Newspapers :* Leading article, a piece of writing intended to promote an opinion, also called an editorial* The Leader , published 1909–1967...

 of these governments converted to Islam

Islam

Islam . The most common are and .   : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...

 due to Malaccan influence. Tun Perak was very loyal

Loyal

Loyal may refer to:* The concept of loyalty* Ben Loyal, a mountain in Sutherland* Loyal , an album from New Zealand musician Dave Dobbyn* Investec LOYAL, a racing yacht* Some places named Loyal in the United States:** Loyal, Oklahoma...

 towards the Malaccan Sultanate. When his son, Tun Besar was killed by Sultan Mahmud Shah's son Raja Muhammad due to a misunderstanding, he did not seek revenge

Revenge

Revenge is a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. It is also called payback, retribution, retaliation or vengeance; it may be characterized, justly or unjustly, as a form of justice.-Function in society:Some societies believe that the...

 against the sultan. Instead, he requested Raja Muhammad to be crowned elsewhere. The sultan honored Tun Perak's request, therefore Raja Muhammad was made a sultan in Pahang.

He died in 1498 and was replaced by his younger brother Tun Perpatih Putih

Tun Perpatih Putih

Tun Perpatih Putih was the 6th bendahara of the Sultanate of Malacca. He succeeded his brother, Tun Perak, in 1498. He has been described as an ineffective bendahara or prime minister, claimed to be due to his old age. Under his administration, political corruption was high in Malacca and...

. His death is widely held to be the start of the Malaccan Empire's decline.