Mahmud Shah of Malacca facts for kids

Sultan Mahmud Shah (died 1528) was the eighth ruler of the Sultanate of Malacca. He ruled from 1488 to 1511. After Malacca was captured, he continued to claim the throne from 1513 to 1528. He was the son of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah.

Sultan Mahmud Shah was known for his strong leadership. After Malacca fell to the Portuguese, he moved to Bintan. From there, he led attacks against the Portuguese in Malacca. He later fled to Riau and passed away in 1528.

He had several wives, including Tun Teja and Tun Fatimah. Sultan Mahmud was supported by brave warriors and smart advisors. These included famous figures like Hang Tuah, Khoja Hassan, and Hang Nadim. He had three sons: Ahmad Shah, Muzaffar, and Alauddin Riayat Shah II. His sons Muzaffar and Alauddin Riayat later founded the Perak and Johor Sultanate respectively. Sultan Mahmud is also linked to the Malay tale of Puteri Gunung Ledang. This legend tells the story of his unsuccessful attempt to marry a princess.

Sultan Mahmud Shah's Story

Early Years as Sultan

Sultan Mahmud Shah became ruler at a very young age. This happened after his father's early death. At first, the government was managed by the prime minister, Tun Perak. A prime minister in the Malay language is called a bendahara.

During his younger years, Sultan Mahmud was a tough ruler. However, Tun Perak was a very wise and capable leader. He helped manage the sultanate well. After Tun Perak died in 1498, Tun Mutahir became the new Bendahara. Tun Perak's death made Sultan Mahmud become a more responsible ruler.

Challenges in His Rule

Sultan Mahmud's later years as ruler were difficult. His government became less effective. There were also problems with Tun Mutahir. Some people accused Tun Mutahir of taking bribes. They also said he appointed ministers unfairly. This caused disagreements among the ministers.

Because of these issues, Sultan Mahmud ordered the execution of Tun Mutahir and his family. Some stories say this happened because Tun Mutahir did not allow Sultan Mahmud to marry his daughter, Tun Fatimah. The power struggles among ministers weakened the unity of the people. The sultanate's defenses also became weaker. By the early 1500s, the army mostly consisted of hired soldiers. These soldiers were not always loyal to the sultan.

Fighting the Portuguese

In 1509, a Portuguese admiral named Diogo Lopes de Sequeira visited Malacca. Sultan Mahmud planned to attack him. However, Sequeira found out about the plan. He quickly left Malacca, losing some of his men.

When the famous Portuguese naval officer Afonso de Albuquerque heard about this, he decided to conquer Malacca. In 1511, the Portuguese attacked Malacca. This event is known as the Capture of Malacca (1511). Sultan Mahmud Shah had to flee across the Malay Peninsula to Pahang. He tried to get help from China, but it was not successful.

Mahmud Shah then moved south to the island of Bintan. Bintan is now part of Indonesia, southeast of Singapore. From Bintan, he continued to receive loyalty from nearby states. He became the leader of a group of Malay Muslim states. He launched several attacks against the Portuguese in Malacca. These attacks happened between 1515 and 1519, but they were not successful.

In 1526, the Portuguese fought back against Mahmud Shah's forces. They destroyed his capital in Bintan. Mahmud Shah then fled to Kampar in Riau. He passed away there two years later in 1528.

Who Came Next?

Ahmad Shah became sultan after his father, Mahmud. This happened after Mahmud mistakenly ordered the execution of Bendahara Tun Mutahir and his family. This was due to false accusations from Raja Mudaliar. Ahmad Shah was later seen as not capable enough. Sultan Mahmud Shah himself ordered Ahmad Shah's execution in 1513. This happened after Ahmad Shah failed to retake Malacca from the Portuguese.

Mahmud Shah then took back the throne. However, by this time, the Malacca Sultanate had officially ended. This made him a ruler who claimed the throne but no longer had a kingdom.

His son, Raja Ali, later became Alauddin Riayat Shah II. He went on to establish the Johor Sultanate. This sultanate grew to be a very powerful kingdom in the 18th and 19th centuries. Another son, Muzaffar, was invited by ministers Tun Saban and Nakhoda Kassim to found the Perak Sultanate.