Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c14.t4.6

v2.c14.t4.6

There reigned a king Bataratamurel ( Bhaṭāra Tumapel ) in Java, and a king Parimiśura ( Parameśvara ) in Palembang. As there were frequent fights between the two they came to an agreement. Parimiśura married the daughter of the king of Java, called Parimiśuri (Parameśvari), and agreed to pay tribute to his father-in-law. He, however, soon repented of his decision, and refused to pay either homage or tribute to the king of Java. The king of Java thereupon invaded Palembang, and Parimiśura, being defeated, fled with the wife, children and some escorts to Singapura ( Singapore ). It was then a large and wealthy city under Siam and its governor hospitably received the royal fugitive. Parimiśura, however, killed his host and made himself master of the city. On hearing this news his former subjects of Palembang, numbering 3000, came to Singapore. Parimiśura welcomed them and lived there for five years, pillaging, with his fleet, the ships that passed through the Strait of Singapore.³ ‘Then Parimiśura was attacked by the chief of Patani, brother of the governor of Singapore whom he had so foully murdered. Being defeated, Parimiśura fled with his people to the mouth of the Muar river inhabited only by a few fishermen. About this time 20 or 30 fishermen invited him to settle in their village, which was very fertile and yielded all necessaries of life. Parimiśura, being satisfied by an examination of the locality, removed there with his family. The pirates in the sea touched at this port to take water, and being aided and encouraged by Parimiśura they came there to sell their stolen goods. Thus it grew to be a commercial centre, and in two years the population rose to 2000. Parimiśura named the settlement Malacca. Gradually merchants from Pase (in Sumatra) and Bengal came to trade there, and its importance rapidly increased. Parimiśura died seven years after his settlement at Malacca, leaving a son called Xaquendarxa (Sekandar Shah). Although the prince was a Hindu, he had married the daughter of the king of Pase who had adopted the Muhammadan religion a short while ago. Either at the request of his wife, or at the instance of his father-in-law, it was not long before he himself became a convert to Islam. After he had several children, the king, named Sekandar Shah, paid a visit to the Chinese emperor. He became the vassal of China, brought home a seal as a token of his vassalage, and obtained permission to coin tin money. He died shortly after his return and was succeeded by Modafaixa (Muzafar Shah). He conquered Kampar (in E. Sumatra), Pam (Pahang), Dandargiri (Indragiri), and other countries, and converted their kings by force to Islam. He raised Malacca to a great power, and under his son Sultan Masrusa (Mansur Shah) and grandson Alaoadim (Alau d din) the kingdom became one of the richest and most famous.