Brief History - Malacca (Melaka)

MALACCA - MELAKA

MALACCA (ALSO KNOWN AS MELAKA) IS THE THIRD-SMALLEST STATE IN MALAYSIA. IT IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTH OF THE MALAY PENINSULAR, ON THE STRAITS OF MALACCA. THE STATE'S CAPITAL IS MALACCA TOWN. ALTHOUGH MALACCA WAS ORIGINALLY A MALAY SULTANATE, THE STATE HAS NO SULTAN TODAY. INSTEAD THE HEAG OF STATE IS KNOWN AS THE YANG-DI-PERTUAN NEGERI OR (GAVERNOR). MALACCA, PENANG AND SINGAPORE WERE CONSTITUENT PARTS OF THE STRAITS SETTLEMENTS (SS) FROM 1826 TO 1946. MALACCA WAS THE OLDEST AND LARGEST MEMBER OF (SS) AND HAS ARGUABLY THE RICHEST AND LONGEST HISTORY. HOWEVER IT IS THE LEAST DEVELOPED COMMERCIALLY. THE SULTANATE OF MALACCA WAS FOUNDED BY PARAMESWARA (A HINDU PRINCE FROM PALEMBANG) IN 1400. PARAMESWARA HAD ESCAPED THE MAJAPAHIT CONQUEST OF PALEMBANG BY FLEEING TO SINGAPORE, AND THEN TO MUAR, JOHORE. IN 1402 HE SETTLE IN MALACCA AND CONVERTED TO ISLAM AFTER MARRYING A PRINCESS FROM PASAI. ACCORDING TO THE "MALAY ANNALS", PARAMESWARA, WHO DECLARED HIMSELF KING, OBSERVED A MOUSE DEER OUTWITA DOG UNDER A MALCCA TREE. TAKING  THIS TO BE A GOOD OMEN, HE NAMED TO TOWN "MALACCA". TODAY, THE MOUSE DEER IS PART OF MALACCA'S COAT OF ARMS. MELAKA IS THE HISTORICAL STATE OF MALAYSIA, RICH WITH HERITAGE BUILDINGS, ANCIENT LANDMARKS AND COLONIAL STRUCTURE. IT WAS HERE THAT COLONIAL FORCES FIRST MADE CONTRACT WITH MALAYSIA, WHICH EVENTUALLT SHAPED HE COUNTRY INTO ITS CURRENT ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SYSTEM. MELAKA HAS EMERGED AS A STRONG MARITIME TRADING STATE UNDER THE INDUSTRIOUS PARAMESWARA AND HIS CHIEFS. MELAKA ALSO BEGAN TO BE NOTICED BY MUSLIM TRADERS FROM WEST ASIA AND INDIA, WHO UNTIL TAHT PERIOD, HAD BEEN CONCENTRATING THEIR ACTIVITIES IN ARU, PEDIR AND PASAI EN-ROUTE TO THE EAST, ESPECIALLY CHINA.

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