Sultanate of Malacca
The Sultanate of Malacca (1402 - 1511) was a Malay sultanate founded by Parameswara, a Srivijayan prince who escaped the Majapahit capture of Palembang. He stopped by at an island and called it Temasik, now a modern Singapore. In 1402, he founded a new capital, Malacca (Melaka in Malay), at the chokepoint of the strait between Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, the narrow passage through which passed all sea-going traffic between the South China Sea and the East Indies and the West. In 1414, he converted to Islam and became the Sultan of Malacca.
The Sultanate thrived as an entrepot and became the most important port in Southeast Asia during the 15th and the early 16th century. Furthermore, Malacca was a major player in spice trade, as a gateway between the Spice Islands and high-paying Eurasian markets. The Portuguese writer Duart Barbarosa once wrote "He who is lord of Malacca has his hand on the throat of Venice".
One of the factors that contributed to the rise of Malacca was the monsoon winds that enabled Arab and Indian traders from the west to travel to China in the east and vice versa.
At the height of its power, the Sultanate encompassed most of modern day Peninsula Malaysia, the site of modern day Singapore and a great portion of eartern Sumatra. It was also the center of Islam in the eastern sphere.
The Sultanate most important regional rivals were Siam in the north and the declining Majapahit Empire in the south. Majapahit was not able to control or effectively compete with Malacca within the archipelago, and came to an end during the later 15th century. Siam on the other hand attacked Malacca three times, but all attacks were repelled.
At the same time, Malacca had a good relationship with China. One of the Malaccan Sultans even married a Chinese princess named Hang Li Po. This friendly relationship with China helped deter Siam from invading.
It was in 1509, during the reign of the last Sultan of Malacca, Sultan Mahmud Shah that the Portuguese - the first European power to reach Southeast Asia - reached Malaccan shore, led by Admiral Lopez de Sequira. Trouble however ensued immediately after the general feeling of rivalry between Islam and Christianity was invoked by a few groups, in particular the Indian merchants in the Sultan court.
Soon, the Portuguese fleet was attacked by the Malay and was forced to flee.
In 1511, a larger Portuguese fleet from Cochin, India led by Viceroy Alfonso d'Albuquerque attacked Malacca. On August 24, Malacca fell after 40 days and the Sultanate was effectively divided into two Malay states - Perak in the north and Johore in the south - and thus ended the Sultanate of Malacca.
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