Mahmud Shah of Malacca

Mahmud Shah of Malacca
Mahmud Shah
Sultan of Malacca
Reign Malacca Sultanate: 1488 - 1528
Died 1528
Place of death Kampar, Sumatera
Predecessor Alauddin Riayat Shah
Successor Sultan Ahmad Shah of Malacca
Wives Princess of Sultan of Pahang
Princess Onang Kening
Tun Teja Ratna Menggala
Tun Kudu
Tun Fatimah
Royal House House of Malacca-Johor
Father Alauddin Riayat Shah

Sultan Mahmud Shah (died 1528) ruled Malacca from 1488 to 1528. He was the son of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah.

Upon his father's premature death, he was installed at a very young age. The regent at that time was the prime minister (Bendahara in Malay) Tun Perak. During his initial years as a young adult, the sultan was known to be a ruthless monarch. The administration of the sultanate was in the hands of an able and wise Tun Perak. After the death of Tun Perak in 1498, he was succeeded by a new Prime Minister Tun Mutahir. The death of Tun Perak changed Sultan Mahmud into a more responsible ruler.

During Portuguese admiral Diogo Lopes de Sequeira's visit to Malacca from 1509–1510, the sultan planned to assassinate him. However, Sequeira learned of this plot and fled Malacca. When the famous Portuguese naval officer Afonso de Albuquerque received word, he decided to utilize this to embark upon his expeditions of conquest in Asia.[1] Malacca was then subsequently attacked by the Portuguese in the Capture of Malacca (1511), during which the Sultan retreated to Muar, Johor and later further to Kampar, Sumatra and held a government there until his death in 1528.

He had several wives. Among the most famous was Tun Teja. The sultan was also surrounded by able men and warriors such as Hang Tuah, Khoja Hassan and Hang Nadim. He had three sons; Sultan Ahmad Shah, Muzaffar I of Perak and Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor. Ahmad Shah succeeded Mahmud when Mahmud mistakenly killed the Tamil Bendahara Tun Mutahir and the Bendahara's family after other jealous Malay ministers accused Mutahir of planning a rebellion. Ahmad Shah was killed by Mahmud Shah himself after the Portuguese conquered Malacca. Mahmud Shah then took back the throne. Muzaffar went north to establish the Sultanate of Perak while Alauddin Riayat went on to found Sultanate of Johor.

Sultan Mahmud is associated with the Malay legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang which is about his failed courtship of a fairy princess. Sultan Mahmud is also said to have killed Tun Mutahir and the Bendahara's family members because Mutahir did not give his daughter, Tun Fatimah's hand in marriage to Sultan Mahmud. Tun Fatimah was married to Tun Ali.

See also

References

  1. ^ Haywood, John (2002). Historical Atlas of the Early Modern World 1492-1783. Barnes & Noble Books. ISBN 0760732043. 
Mahmud Shah of Malacca
House of Malacca
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Alauddin Riayat Shah
Sultan of Malacca
1488-1511
Succeeded by
Ahmad Shah
Regnal titles
Preceded by
New Creation
Sultan of Johor
1511-1528
Succeeded by
Alauddin Riayat Shah II