Who Ruled Singapore Before 1819?
The quasi-mythological Sejarah Melayu (Malay Annals) contains a tale of a prince of Srivijaya, Sri Tri Buana (also known as Sang Nila Utama), who landed on the island during the 13th century. When he saw a lion, the prince took it as an auspicious sign and founded a settlement called Singapura, which means "Lion City" in Malay.
In the 1390s, a Palembang prince, Parameswara, fled to Temasek after being deposed by the Majapahit kingdom. During the 14th century, Singapore was caught in the struggle between Siam (now Thailand) and the Java-based Majapahit Empire for control over the Malay Peninsula. According to Sejarah Melayu, Singapore was defeated in one Majapahit attack. He ruled the island for several years, before being forced to Melaka where he founded the Sultanate of Malacca. Singapore became an important trading port of the Malacca Sultanate and later the Sultanate of Johor. In the early 15th century, Singapore was a Thai vassal state, but the Malacca Sultanate which Iskandar had founded quickly extended its authority over the island. After the Portuguese seizure of Malacca in 1511, the Malay admiral fled to Singapura and established a new capital at Johor Lama, keeping a port officer in Singapura. The Portuguese destroyed Johor Lama in 1587. In 1613, Portuguese raiders burnt down the settlement at the mouth of Singapore River and the island sank into obscurity. http://integratedhumanities1p4allmultiplesoffivetillthirty.wikispaces.com/Early+History+Of+Singapore+(+Before+1819+)
Were They Good Rulers?
(Sang Nila Utama)
Sang Nila Utama, (a.k.a. Prince Nilatanam or Sri Tri Buana), legendary founder of Singapura, one-time ruler of the Srivijaya Empire based in Palembang, Sumatra. According to the Sejarah Melayu or the "Malay Annals", Sang Nila Utama, was one of three princes, descendants of Raja Iskandar Dzu'l-Karnain (Alexander the Great of Macedonia).
LegendsThere are variations and interpretations of the Sang Nila Utama story (John Miksic examines six versions in his book, "Archaeological research on the 'Forbidden Hill' of Singapore"), but the common fact among all the versions is that he was one of three princes who descended from heaven. He was also accorded the title of Sri Tri Buana, in Sanskrit meaning "Lord of the Three Worlds" and became the ruler of the Indianised Srivijaya Empire based in Palembang, Sumatra.
According to the popular story of Sang Nila Utama, based on the Malay Annals (Sejarah Melayu), two widowed women, Wan Empok and Wan Malini, had grown padi on Bukit Si-Guntang, in Palembang, Sumatra. Then one day three princes, Bichitram, Paladutani and Nilatanam, descended from heaven and the spot where they alighted on, padi-grains turned to gold, leaves to silver, stems became gold alloy, and the hilltop turned into gold. Demang Lebar Daun (equivalent to "Chief Minister"), then the Raja of Palembang (a.k.a. Trimurti Tribuana), heard the story of the princes, went to visit them, and took them back with him to the city. When word spread that these descendants of Raja Iskandar Dzu'l-Karnain (Alexander the Great of Macedonia) were in Palembang, rulers and people from every part of the country came to pay homage. The eldest prince was made the Raja of Menangkabau with the title of Sang Sapurba, the second prince became Raja of Tanjong Pura with the title of Sang Maniaka, and the youngest of the three princes with the title Sang Utama, remained at Palembang, and was made the Raja and the ruler of the indianised Srivijaya Empire based in Palembang, Sumatra.
One day Sri Tri Buana went on an expedition with the aim of discovering a site for another city. He went to Bentan, ruled by wealthy Queen Sakidar Syah who adopted him as her son and successor. Soon he became restless and went on a hunt at Tanjung Bemian. Here he came to a very large, high rock, climbed on to the top, and looking across the water he saw that the land on the other side had sand so white, it looked like a sheet of cloth. He asked the Queen's Chief Minister, Indra Bopal, "What is that stretch of sand that we see yonder? What land is that?" And Bopal answered, "That your Highness, is the land called Temasik". Sri Tri Buana immediately proceeded to this beautiful sandy shore called Temasik, but halfway across the sea, a storm struck and his ship began to sink. Everything was thrown overboard to lighten the boat, and they continued to drift helplessly toward Teluk Belanga. It was suggested that if Sri Tri Buana would throw his crown overboard, they might yet save themselves. He did so, and immediately the weather became calm once more. When they landed on the island, they went hunting on an open ground at Kuala Temasik (the Esplanade stands here today), and saw a strange animal. It disappeared before they could identify it. Demang Lebar Daun suggested that from its appearance, it could be a lion. He decided to name the island settlement Singapura, meaning "Lion City" where singa, in Sanskrit means "lion", and pura means "city". Sri Tri Buana then sent word back to Bentan that he would not return, but would establish a city at Temasik, and call it Singapura.
Sri Tri Buana ruled for forty-eight years before he died, and it is said that he was buried on the hill of Singapura (http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_93_2005-01-26.html)
(Parameswara)
Parameswara (1344 - 1414), also called Iskandar Shah, was a Hindu prince of the Srivijayan ruling house who founded the Melaka Sultanate around 1400. His name, Paramesvara, is derived from Sanskrit (Parama, meaning "supreme", and Iswara, meaning Lord, one of Lord Shiva's several names).
We do not, however, know for certain whether Iskandar Shah refers to Parameswara after he embraced Islam, or whether Iskandar Shah was the son of Parameswara, as some accounts tell us.[2].
2. Early life: While his ancestry is not in doubt, Parameswara's actual place of birth is disputed, with the Suma Oriental (by Tome Pires) claiming that he was born in Palembang, while the Malay Annals claims that he was born in Temasek [3] (present-day Singapore):
- Suma Oriental version: After Parameswara married a Majapahit princess from east Java and 'when he realized how nobly he was married, and how great was his power in the neighbouring islands',[4] he announced his independence from Majapahit. This proved disastrous and Batara Tamavill sent a Javanese expedition to attack and lay waste the island of Bangka and the region of Palembang. Parameswara escaped by sea and landed on the island of Temasek in circa 1390. Welcomed by Tamagi, the reigning chief of the island who was related by marriage both to the King of Siam and to the ruler of Patani, a vassal state of Siam, Parameswara murdered him within 8 days and claimed the island and the neighboring sea passages as his own. His success, however, was comparatively short-lived and within 5 years, he decided to move north when he received news of the approach of a Patani war fleet.
- Malay Annals version: The Srivijayan ruling house moved its court from Palembang to Malayu (in present-day Jambi province) on the bank of the Batang Hari River before taking refuge in the island of Bintan, after the kingdom of Singhasari (1222 - 1292) in east Java (a predecessor to the Majapahit Empire) sacked Palembang on the bank of the Musi River in southern Sumatra. In 1324, Sang Nila Utama removed himself from Bintan to Temasek where he defeated and killed the local ruler, later founding the Old Singapura. Maintaining control over the island for 48 years, he was officially styled Sri Maharaja Sang Utama Parameswara Batara Sri Tri Buana. "Sri Tri Buana" is a title meaning the 'Lord of Three Worlds', signifying his rulership over Palembang, Bintan and Singapura. Sang Nila Utama was succeeded by his son, Paduka Sri Pekerma Wira Diraja (1372 – 1386), and grandson, Paduka Seri Rana Wira Kerma (1386 – 1399), the latter being the father of Parameswara. The Majapahit Empire sent its navy towards Palembang and Malayu, some time in the later half of the 14th century and conquered the city, thus ending the 1,000-year old Srivijayan empire. In 1399, then aged 55, Parameswara succeeded his father as Paduka Sri Maharaja Parameswara, Raja of Temasek. He lost Temasek to Majapahit after sentencing his bed-mate by taking off her jewellery garment, in public. Her father, Sang Rajuna Tapa, who was one of Temasek's ministers, turn sides and opened the way for a successful Majapahit invasion in 1401 [5] which ousted Parameswara who fled north, then aged 57, with 1,000 followers.
3. Founding of the Melaka Sultanate: At Muar, Parameswara established a river settlement first at Biawak Busuk and then at Kota Buruk. After 6 years, he took the advice of a group of his fishermen and sailed northwards,[6] reaching a fishing village which the group had made contact at the mouth of the Bertam River (now called the Melaka River). According to the Malay Annals, it was here that he witnessed a mouse deer outwitting a dog while resting under a Melaka tree. Viewing it as a good omen, he decided to name his kingdom "Melaka". More credible accounts, however, say that the name "Melaka" was derived from the Arabic word, 'mulaqa', meaning 'meeting place' and obviously referring to the port (and for all we know, the name of the place was already called Melaka before the arrival of Parameswara). The Melaka Sultanate ultimately succeeded the Srivijaya Empire as a Malay political entity of the archipelago.[7] Parameswara's arrival here in circa 1400 marked the beginning of a change from a small settlement of fishermen-pirates to a busy and wealthy entrepot and the capital of a Malay empire. All this did not happen overnight and it may not be wrong to say that Melaka's foundations were laid during Parameswara's lifetime.
4. Final years: Parameswara's first wisest measure was perhaps to grasp the hand of friendship offered to him by Ming China. Relations with China started in 1405 [8] when Parameswara made his first of several voyages, escorted by Zheng He : Yung(Wade-Giles: Cheng Ho) and other envoys, to visit Emperor Yongle (Wade-Giles-Lo). Melaka officially submitted itself as a protectorate of Ming China, thereby receiving protection against attacks from Siam (present-day Thailand) and the Majapahit Empire. These diplomatic exchanges had other consequences to the growth of the infant kingdom, as Chinese trading junks, laden with valuable cargoes, began to arrive at Melaka each year, borne by the north-east monsoon. This Chinese trade in turn acted as a magnet for other merchants and shipping from near and far, encouraging the development of Melaka into a major entrepot on the trade route between China and India, Middle East, Africa and Europe. By a shrewd judgment, Parameswara, then aged 65, married a Pasai princess in 1409 [9] in order to ally himself in politics and in trade with the northern Sumatran Muslim state that had a lively trade from many parts of India (especially Gujerat) and from Java. On taking a Muslim wife, Parameswara embraced Islam and adopted the Persian title, Iskandar Shah.[10] As such, the port not only provided a varied and expanding trade but also the opportunity of practising and spreading the tenets of Islam under the favorable influence of a Muslim court. Parameswara died in 1414 [11] at the age of 70 and is generally believed to be buried on top of a hill at Tanjung Tuan (also known as Cape Rachado), near Port Dickson. A symbolic grave exists near Fort Canning in Singapore. He was succeeded by his son, Megat Iskandar Shah, who in turn ruled Melaka until 1424.
(http://malaysiafactbook.com/Parameswara)
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