Ancient Indian Colonies in the Far East (Vol. I: Champa; Vol. II: Suvarnadvipa) v2.c14.t4.62

v2.c14.t4.62

While, therefore, we are unable to state when exactly the city of Malacca came into existence, there is no reason to reject the broad facts whose authenticity is proved by a general agreement of Chinese history and native traditions. We may thus accept the view, that Malacca was raised to an important kingdom early in the fifteenth century A.D. by a chief called Parameśvara. That he was a Javanese Hindu, belonging either to Java itself or its colony Palembang, may also be provisionally accepted. The story of emigration, on a large scale, which followed the flight of king Parameśvara, from Palembang to Singapore, and Singapore to Malacca, may or may not be true, but the rise and fall of the Majapahit empire during 1360 to 1410 A.D., involving important changes in the political condition both of Palembang and Malay Peninsula, may easily account for, and may even be held as conducive to similar migrations of people. According to some native traditions Singapore was cruelly sacked by the king of Majapahit, and that caused the flight of Parameśvara to Malacca¹.