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| A 17th Century Italian Map of "Malacca" |
Several interesting legends surround the
foundation and naming of Malacca. According to the 16th century Malay Annals,
the city was founded in the 14th century by Parameswara, a Hindu prince from nearby Sumatra. Parameswara was
out hunting in the region and had stopped to refresh himself near what is now
the Malacca River. Standing near a Malacca tree (Indian gooseberry) he
witnessed one
of his hunting dogs so startled by a mouse deer it was chasing that it fell
into the river. Parameswara took
this as a propitious sign of the weak overcoming the powerful. He decided to
build the capital of his new kingdom where he stood, naming it after the tree
under which he had been resting.
Although
Malacca’s
origin
is as much romance as it is history, Parameswara's new
city was strategically located at a point of enormous importance. Central along
the straits that linked China to India and the Near East, Malacca
(or Melaka
in
Malay) was
perfectly positioned as a centre for maritime trade. Rapid growth followed and
soon Malacca became a wealthy and influential hub of international commerce,
the seat of the one of the most powerful sultanates in Southeast Asia.
Islam was
introduced during this period to the Malay world, arriving along with Gujarati
traders from western India. Malacca, by the beginning of the 16th century was a
bustling, cosmopolitan port, attracting hundreds of ships each year. The city
was becoming famous as a centre for trading of silk and porcelain from China,
textiles from Gujarat and the Coromandel Coast of India, nutmeg, mace, and
cloves from the Moluccas, gold and pepper from Sumatra, camphor from Borneo,
sandalwood from Timor, and tin from western Malaya. The attention
of the European powers would soon be drawn to Malacca's strategic importance
and in 1511 it was invaded by the Portuguese under the leadership of Alfonso d'Albequerque, the
Portuguese Viceroy of India. This started a 450-year colonial presence in
Malacca that included the Dutch and the British. The massive A’Formosa
fortification of the city ensured Portuguese control for the next one hundred
and fifty years
.
In
1641, after an eight-month siege, the Dutch conquered a city in ruins. They
rebuilt the city and many of their buildings still stand, including the oldest
Dutch structure in Asia, the town hall or Stadthuys, which housed the Dutch East India
Company. At the
turn of the 19th century, the British took over control and Malacca became part
of the Straits Settlements. Independence
for Malacca and the rest of the nation, Malaya, was finally proclaimed on
August 31, 1957.
It is
commonly believed that Malacca provided the impetus for the development of what
would eventually become Malaysia. It's rich history, roots and soul are
reflected in the unique architecture. Chinese, Indian, Siamese, Sumatran,
Arabian, Portuguese, Dutch and British have all left their imprint, making it
Malaysia's most historically interesting city.
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| ChristChurch and the Stadthuys in the Dutch Square |
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| A painting of the Malacca River, circa 11830 |
The following are the Coffee Table Book pages on this topic:
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