Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c14.t3.1

v2.c14.t3.1

The Mediaeval history of Malay Peninsula forms really an essential part of the history of the Śailendra empire which we have related above. The peculiar geographical position of the Malay Peninsula invested it with a special commercial importance, as it controlled the trade-route to East Indies. By the conquest of Sumatra and the Peninsula, the Śailendras obtained that commercial supremacy to which the Arab writers bear eloquent testimony. Henceforth the greater part of the Peninsula formed an important part of the empire, referred to by the Arabs as Zābag, and its fortunes rose and fell with Zābag. The Arabs refer to Kalāh as the principal port, and it has been identified with Keddah or Krah.¹