The name Parameswara is derived from the Sanskrit word Parameśvar(Sanskrit: परमेश्वर), a Hindu concept literally meaning the "mighty Lord". The word "parama" meaning "the supreme" is added to Ishvara to intensify the title of God. Parameśvara is also one of the names of Lord Shiva.
There is basically only one record which give in some detail on the kingdoms ofSingapura and Malacca - the Malay Annals written during the heyday of Malacca and re-compiled in 1612 by the Johor court. It is the basis for accounts of its founding, the succession of its rulers and its eventual decline. Another important record, the Suma Oriental, was written shortly after thePortuguese conquest of Malacca. Both Suma Oriental and Malay Annals do contain similar stories about a fleeing Srivijayan prince arriving in Singapura and about the last king of Singapura who fled to the west coast of Malay peninsula to found Malacca. However, both accounts differ markedly when Suma Oriental identified the fleeing prince and the last king of Singapura as the same person known as "Parameswara". On the other hand, the more detailed Malay Annals identified the fleeing prince and the last king as completely two different persons separated by five generations. Suma Oriental noted further that the fleeing Srivijayan prince usurped the throne of Singapura from a Siamese viceroy named "Temagi" sometimes around the 1390s. However, this is refuted by the only Chinese first-hand account of 14th century Singapura, Dao Yi Zhi Lue written by Wang Dayuan, that explicitly mentioned that Singapura was ruled by a local government.[1]
The Ming Chronicle (Ming Shilu) recorded that the consort of Parameswara known as Bā-ér-mí-sū-lǐ (八兒迷蘇里) ('Parameswari') attended a banquet together with the king Bai-li-mi-su-la ('Parameswara') in the Ming court.[2] It is more likely that 'Parameswari' ("Supreme Lordess") referred to a title rather than a given name, which is in fact still in use today in the form of "Permaisuri" ('Queen') in Malay language. Therefore, the name Parameswara is also believed to be a small part of a longer regnal title which was something common among Malay royals until the present day. Apart from Parameswara the founder of Malacca, there were two other rulers from the same lineage that use Parameswara in their regnal title, they areSang Nila Utama, the founder of ancient Singapura (titled "Sri Maharaja Sang Utama Parameswara Batara Sri Tri Buana") and Abu Syahid Shah, the fourth Sultan of Malacca (titled "Raja Sri Parameswara Dewa Shah").
Fall of Singapura[edit]
In 1389, Sri Maharaja of Singapura was succeeded by his son, he tooted his father Iskandar Shah. Despite the use of the peculiar Persian name and title, there is evidence of his conversion to Islam. Accounts in the Malay Annals trace back the Islamic influence in Singapura to the reign of Sri Rana Wikrama, when he first established relationships with a Sumatran Muslim Kingdom, Peureulak.[3] One source claims that Parameswara had a Muslim woman as his wife and converted to her religion.[4]
As mentioned in the Malay annals, the story of the fall of Singapura and the flight of its last king begins with Iskandar Shah's accusation of one of his concubines of adultery. As punishment, the king had her stripped naked in public. In revenge, the concubine's father, Sang Rajuna Tapa who was also an official in Iskandar Shah's court, secretly sent a message toWikramawardhana of Majapahit, pledging his support should the king choose to invade Singapura. In 1398, Majapahit dispatched a fleet of three hundred main warships and hundreds of smaller vessels, carrying no less than 200,000 men. Initially. the Javanese soldiers engaged with the defenders in a battle outside the fortress, before forcing them to retreat behind the walls. The invasion force laid a siege of the city and repeatedly tried to attack the fortress. However the fortress proved to be impregnable.[3][5][6]
After about a month, food in the fortress began to run low and the defenders were on the verge of starvation. Sang Rajuna Tapa was then asked to distribute whatever grain left to the people from the royal store. Seeing this opportunity for revenge, the minister lied to the King, saying the stores were empty. The grains were not distributed and the people eventually starved. The final assault came when the gates were finally opened under the order of the treacherous minister. The Majapahit soldiers rushed into the fortress and a terrible massacre ensued.[6] According to the Malay Annals, "blood flowed like a river" and the red stains on the laterite soil of Singapore are said to be blood from that massacre.[7] Knowing that defeat was imminent, Iskandar Shah and his followers fled the island.
Foundation of Malacca[edit]
Iskandar Shah or Parameswara fled north to found a new settlement.[8]:245–246 In Muar, Parameswara contemplated establishing his new kingdom at either Biawak Busuk or at Kota Buruk. Finding that the Muar location was not suitable, he continued northwards. Along the way, he reportedly visited Sening Ujong (former name of present-day Sungai Ujong) before reaching a fishing village at the mouth of the Bertam River (former name of the Malacca River). This evolved over time to become the location of modern-day Malacca Town. According to the Malay Annals, legend has it that the king saw a mouse deer outwitting his hunting dog into the water when he was resting under the Malacca tree. He thought this boded well, remarking, 'this place is excellent, even the mouse deer is formidable; it is best that we establish a kingdom here'. Tradition holds that he named the settlement after the tree he was leaning against while witnessing the portentous event. Today, the mouse deer is part of modern Malacca's coat of arms. The name "Malacca" itself was derived from the fruit-bearing Malacca tree (Malay: Pokok Melaka) scientifically termed as Phyllanthus emblica.[9] Another account on the origin the naming of Malacca elaborates that during the reign of Muhammad Shah (1424–1444), the Arab merchants called the kingdom 'Malakat' (Arabic for 'congregation of merchants') because it was home to many trading communities.
Reign in Malacca[edit]
After the foundation of the new settlement in Malacca, Parameswara initiated the development of the place and ordered his men to cultivate the lands with banana, sugar cane, yam and other crops for food. Taking the advantage of the harbour that is protected by a hill and sheltered ships well from the danger of strong tides, Parameswara laid the foundation of a trading port by building the storage and market facilities to serve as a meeting point to exchange goods. The indigenous inhabitants of Malacca and the strait, the Orang Laut, who were also known as the loyal servants of Malay rulers since the time of Singapura and Srivijaya, were said to have been employed by Parameswara to patrol the adjacent seas, to repel other petty pirates, and to direct traders to their Malay overlords' port. Ironically, Orang Lauts themselves were known to be ferocious pirates in history. Within years, news about Malacca becoming a centre of trade and commerce began to spread all over the eastern part of the world and reached as far as China. The Yongle Emperor of the Ming dynasty, who reigned from 1402 till 1424, sent his envoy known as Yin Qing to Malacca in 1405. Yin Qing's visit opened the way for the establishment of friendly relations between Malacca and China. Chinese merchants began calling at the port of Malacca and they can be said to be among the first traders to set up bases here. Apart from Chinese, other foreign traders notably the Javanese, Indians, Chinese, and Burmese came to establish their trading bases and settle in Malacca, soaring its population to 2000 during Parameswara's reign.
In 1411, Parameswara himself, his wife and son with a royal party of 540 people left for China with Admiral Zheng He to pay homage to the Yongle Emperor. When the envoy of Malacca paid homage to the Yongle Emperor, the emperor praised Parameswara and acknowledged him as the rightful ruler of Malacca. The Yongle Emperor then presented Parameswara with a seal, silk and a yellow umbrella as symbols of royalty and also a letter appointing Parameswara as the ruler of Malacca. Malacca was then recognised as a kingdom by the Emperor of China. The envoy returned to Malacca together with a fleet led by Admiral Zheng He, who was the first Chinese man to sail and explore the areas in the southern region.
The Chinese chronicles mention that in 1414, the son of the first ruler of Malacca visited Ming China to inform them that his father had died. It is generally believed that he was buried on top of a hill at Tanjung Tuan (also known as Cape Rachado), near modern-day Port Dickson. Parameswara was succeeded by his son, Megat Iskandar Shah who in turn ruled Malacca until 1424.
No comments:
Post a Comment