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Accomplishments of Malacca 1 Running head: The Accomplishments of Malacca



The Accomplishments of Malacca in South East Asia Kelly McAleer Jonathon London Melissa Meyers Smithtown High School West Mr. Ferrante Pre-AP World History  Abstract Malacca, which is located in Malaysia, had its political, economic, and social views influenced by the society that had control of Malacca at that time. Economically, it was a big trading city because the straits of Malacca surrounded it, although it wasn’t included in the Silk Routes. The Strait of Malacca was used to spread Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam all over Southeast Asia. Politically it had strong elite of ruling officials. Even though Malacca was conquered, it was always by other societies. The name for the government there was called Kerajoan. Malacca had its high points and low points in its history but it influenced many other societies and was an amazing trading city in the 15th century.

THE CITY OF MALACCA (MELAKA)

Malacca is located in Malaysia. It sits on the Straits of Melaka. The Strait is about 500 miles in length. Because of the location of Malacca, it was an enormous trading city that was easy to invade. Malacca wasn’t only used to spread food and luxury items, but also religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Although Malacca was always conquered by new countries, it had strong elite of rulers. Malacca had its high points and low points in its history but it influenced many other societies and was an amazing trading city in the 15th century. 

Melaka (also spelt Malacca) is a city in Southeastern Asia in a place known as Malaysia. It is on a strait near the tip, before the Indian Ocean. Because of where Melaka was located it served as a significant place for different empires and societies to take it over. Melaka served as a trade export and import city for the people who had conquered it. Being a city of trade, many merchants and missionaries came along the routes. An increase in the missionaries allowed different religions to be adopted by Melakans. Depending on the empire that controlled the city of Melaka, it resulted in the flourishing of different religions and change from a Buddhist-Hindu society to a Muslim one.

In about 1279 C.E. Melaka was conquered by the fourth son of Kublai Khan. Tolui Khan was continuing his extension of the empire to the furthest parts, and conquered the Sung Dynasty. When he conquered Melaka, he adopted Buddhist views and traditions, because of this Melaka was a Buddhist city at the time. During the seventh to fourteenth century, Malaka was under the control of the Srivijaya Empire. When it was under this empire it was used heavily as an exporting capital. Because of this, merchants and other missionaries were constantly passing through the city. During this time, Malacca was mostly influenced by people of India and therefore adopted Hindu and continued their Buddhist traditions. Hindus moved into the region and increased the amount of people who adopted the customs. The increase of Hindus caused the Empire to be one of the centers of Mahayana Buddhism. Hinduism lead to a Buddhist society because, the people were familiar with the culture of India, and Buddhist traditions were similar to those of the Hindus (such as the terms used in both religions) Malaccans allowed Buddhism to be part of their society, as well. After a high point in trading, Malacca was taken over by the Muslims in the 14th century. This was because of the changing of tides of the seas and Muslims established many places of worship around places such as Melaka. People in Melaka, because they were ruled by people of Islamic faith, and had Muslim places of worship, became partial to Muslim views. Muslims slowly took over the silk trade and then made their way to conquering the rest of the empire. When the Islamic Arabs finally had control over most of the old Srivijian Empire theyestablished a main port at Melaka, and Malacca became mostly an Islamic society.

The change in religion in Malacca affected many aspects of the culture and how the society was run. It was ruled by the Srivijian Empire, Tolui Khan who was a Mongol ruler, and lastly changed to a Muslim society. Each civilization took a part in contributing to the majority of the religion that existed in Malacca. The religion in Malacca also took a part in the way the city was governed and the amount of trade that went on between other societies and Malacca.  It was founded in 1400 by a prince of Sumatra. The economy of Malacca was based on it trades. Since this city was located on the large peninsula, it was an easy passage and resting stop for many trading ships passing by. The Malay Peninsula is located between the two major water sources, the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean). It is approximately 500 miles in length. By the 15th Century, it was a small fishing port, and became the capital of the Malay Peninsula. This city was founded in 1400 by a prince from Sumatra. He was considered a “rebel” and he was called Parameshvara. He was the man that made the port of Malacca a huge commercial trading center.

After the decline of the main trading city of Mongol, Malacca became even more important (late fourteenth century). Most of its trading was based on sea routes. Muslim ships made up most of the trading. They traded pepper, spices, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and mace. Another country, China, found its way into Malacca to trade porcelain and silk with other countries. It especially attracted Arab merchants. Ships from China, India, Java, Ceylon, Persia, and Arabia, imported and exported items through/in Malacca also. Malacca was not only the city in which countries traded. They also provided the countries with their items as well. The city’s main trading products were rice and rubber. The principal food producing activities were rice cultivation, fishing (since it’s near the water), mixed agriculture, spices, and other luxuries.

Malacca didn’t only gain riches from being the biggest trading city in the 14th and 15th centuries, but it also made money by collecting tolls and custom duties. When a ship wanted to dock and stay docked they had to pay a fee/toll. Sometimes people ended up spending more money in Malacca from tolls than from trading, because the Monsoons may have caused people to have to stay there for six months.

Food and luxury items weren’t the only items traded in Malacca. The spread of Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism occurred as well. Whatever country/empire was controlling the city of Malacca is what most people in the city practiced. So, many religions influenced Melaka. It was controlled by Buddhist Sirvijaya in Sumatra, Hindu-Buddhist Majapahit in Javam, Muslim Melaka in Malay Peninsula and Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain. Since Islam was spreading during this time period, Malacca’s court was Muslim, although the city was originally Hindu. Malacca was the most important city in spreading Islam through the Malay Peninsula and through Indonesia.

Malacca was affected by many different cultures. For example, when the Dutch and the Portuguese ruled the city, they built the oldest Chinese temple, Cheng Hoon Teng. The temple still stands today, in modern day Malacca. The Cheng Hoon Teng temple and all of the other temples in Malacca controlled the trade and economy. It was basically the control center of Malacca, which was the control center of trade in the world. There was such a variety of different cultures in Malacca because of the number of trading ships docked in the port. The architecture is what reflects Malacca’s multicultural city the best. In 1511 the Portuguese also gained control of Malacca. They turned it into a huge spice trading center.

Malacca's government, religion, economy, traditions and even culture were all effected by the people who were importing and exporting goods/religions in the main commercial center of Malacca. Malacca was strong politically because it had a strong ruling elite of ruling officials and many people including the kings folk and the sultans assistants made Malacca strong politically. A prince named Paramaswara found Malacca. The Prince embraced Islam so Malacca began practicing it. The name of the government they used was called Kerajoan in Malacca. It's political structure was similar to a colony. Malacca's policies were constantly changing because every time it was conquered, its culture would completely change. Many societies conquered Malacca in the 15th and 16th centuries. Early in the 16th century Selangor ruled Malacca. In 1511, the Portuguese captured Malacca. Malacca had a well defined government with laws. On top of the Sultanates hierarchy was the sultan and he was the absolute monarch. Mazaffar Shah, who forged relationships with Ming China in order to protect the prosperity of Malacca. Below the sultan was the Bendahara, and he was the highest ranking officer that could be held by any common people. He is very similar to the prime minister and he is chosen by the sultan. He advises the Sultan on many policies. After the Bendahara came the laksamana. A laksamana is an admiral who was responsible for the sultans protection and he commanded the army. He is also responsible for state security. After him comes the Temenggung. The Temenggung is the chief or public officer. At the bottom of the nobility structure was the penghulu bendahari who was the treasurer of state and the shabanders were the ones who were responsible for trade. Thirty-Two government officers were provided to help the ministers. Tun Perek, a man who was a Bendahara is known for expanding Malacca to its greatest extent.

The set of laws in Malacca were called the Undang-Undang Malacca. The legal rules were influenced by three main influences, including the early Hindu/Buddhist tradition, Islam, and the indigenous. Sometimes the local district chiefs often took the sultans powers without any authority from the sultan. The Sultans were port kings and river lords in Malaccan Society. Some Sultans included Ahmad Shah, Mahmad Shah, and Mansur Shah. Some laws in Malacca included rebels would face capital punishment, criminals were harshly punished, and only elites could wear yellow and have a gold dagger to show their eliteness. Little is known about the laws because people have not yet figured out how to read these laws. Including the Portuguese, the Dutch also invaded Malacca. Malacca which was part of Malaysia was a very powerful government, which was set up in a pyramid of power. Their laws and way of controlling people made them one of the most prosperous parts of Malaysia at the time. Malacca had many influences on other societies only because they were always there to trade and communicates. Malacca's power came from the pyramid of elites.

Malacca was the strongest trading city in the 14th and 15th centuries. It traded with all the countries who visited the city of Malacca. Its political officials were strong and could maintain control, even though the city was conquered constantly. Since the city was constantly controlled by a different country, it meant a different religion. New and old religions left and came to Malacca. Economically, socially and politically Malacca was a strong city from 600-1450.

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]] Malacca, Strait of. (2010). //Encyclopedia Americana//. Retrieved April 2, 2010, from Grolier Online []   Melaka. (2010). //Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia//. Retrieved April 3, 2010, from Grolier Online  []  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Melaka. (2010). //Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia//. Retrieved April 7, 2010, from Grolier Online <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> Melaka. (2010). //Encyclopedia Americana//. Retrieved April 7, 2010, from Grolier Online [] <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Melaka. (2010). //Encyclopedia Americana//. Retrieved March 9, 2010, from Grolier Online []

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