Sultanate of Malacca: Map & History
The Malacca Sultanate was a Malay sultanate based in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia.
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The Malacca Sultanate was a Malay sultanate based in the modern-day state of Malacca, Malaysia. Conventional historical thesis marks c. 1400 as the founding year of the sultanate by King of Singapura, Parameswara, also known as Iskandar Shah, although earlier dates for its founding have been proposed. At the height of the sultanate's power in the 15th century, its capital grew into one of the most important transshipment ports of its time, with territory covering much of the Malay Peninsula, the Riau Islands and part of the central eastern coast of Sumatra in present-day Indonesia.
Modern Countries Once Part of Sultanate of Malacca
At its mapped extent, Sultanate of Malacca covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Singapore1459–1511 CE · nearly all
- Malaysia1512–1743 CE · a large part
- Indonesia1512–1861 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Sultanate of Malacca's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Sultanate of Malacca in Depth
History
The founding of Malacca is generally taken to be c. 1400. The region was dominated by the Srivijaya empire centered on Palembang in Sumatra until it was weakened by the Chola Empire in the 11th century. By the end of the 13th century, the Javanese Singhasari followed by the Majapahit had become dominant.
According to the Malay Annals, a prince from Palembang named Seri Teri Buana who claimed to be a descendant of Alexander the Great stayed on Bintan Island for several years before he set sail and landed on Temasek in 1299. The Orang Laut, known for their loyal services to Srivijaya, eventually made him king of a new kingdom called Singapura.
Islam and Malay culture
Whether the first ruler of Malacca, Parameswara, converted to Islam is unknown as there is no evidence to suggest that he had. The 16th-century Portuguese writer Tomé Pires explicitly mentioned that Parameswara was succeeded by his son, Megat Iskandar Shah who only converted to Islam at age 72. On the other hand, the Malay Annals noted that it was during the reign of the third ruler Muhammad Shah (r. 1424–1444), that the ruling class and their subjects began accepting Islam. While there are differing views on when the Islamization of Malacca actually took place, it is generally agreed that Islam was firmly established during the reign of Muzaffar Shah (r. 1445–1459).
Legacy
The Malacca Sultanate heralded the golden age of the Malay world and became an important port in the far east during the 16th century. It became so rich that Tomé Pires said "Whoever is lord of Malacca shall have his hands on the throat of Venice.". Within a span of a century, the sultanate left a lasting and important legacy, especially within Malay culture and the History of Malaysia. Malacca was the first Malay Muslim state that achieved the status of a regional maritime power. Despite the existence of earlier Muslim kingdoms such as Kedah, Samudra Pasai and Aru, which also possessed well-established ports, none of them came close in challenging Malacca's success in expanding its territory and influence in the region.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Malacca Sultanate (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Sultanate of Malacca: Key Facts
| Capital | Malacca |
|---|---|
| Official language | Malay |
| Religion | Islam |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Currency | tin ingot |
| Founded | 1400 |
| Dissolved | 15 August 1511 |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
- Johor Sultanate
- Portuguese Malacca
Facts from Wikidata Q46652 (CC0).
Sultanate of Malacca Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Sultanate of Malacca appears, with the other states of the time.
Sultanate of Malacca Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 230,357 km² in 1520 CE.
Sultanate of Malacca: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Sultanate of Malacca exist?
The Sultanate of Malacca is dated to 1459 CE – 1861 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of the Sultanate of Malacca?
The capital of the Sultanate of Malacca was Malacca.
How large was the Sultanate of Malacca at its peak?
At its peak in 1520 the Sultanate of Malacca covered about 230,357 km².
How did the map of the Sultanate of Malacca change over time?
The Sultanate of Malacca appears on 5 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1500 CE to 1850 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Raigad