Sang Nila Utama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sang Nila Utaama
Sri Tri Buana, "Lord of Three Worlds"
Statue of Sang Nila Utama at the Raffles' Landing Site as part of events commemorating the bicentennial of the founding of modern Singapore, along with other pioneers of the modern period of Singapore.
1st Raja of Singapura
Reign	1299–1347
Predecessor	Kingdom established
Successor	Sri Wikrama Wira
Born	Late 13th century Palembang
Died	1347 Kingdom of Singapura
Burial	Keramat Iskandar Shah, Fort Canning Hill (disputed)
Spouse	Wan Sri Bini
Issue	Sri Wikrama Wira
Father	Sang Sapurba

Sang Nila Utama was a prince from Palembang. He is known for founding the Kingdom of Singapura in the year 1299. When he became king, he took the official title Sri Tri Buana. This title means "Lord of Three Worlds". The "Three Worlds" might refer to the sky, the human world, and the underworld. It could also mean he ruled over Java, Sumatra, and Temasek/Singapura. This title was used by other rulers in Southeast Asia too.

Sang Nila Utama passed away in 1347. His son, Sri Wikrama Wira, became the next ruler. The stories about his life and the kings who came after him are found in a famous book called the Malay Annals. Historians still discuss if all the events in this book really happened. Some even think Sang Nila Utama might be a legendary figure. However, it is now accepted that a settlement existed in Singapore in the 14th century. Even so, the Malay Annals might mix real people and events with exciting stories.

The Story of Sang Nila Utama

Sang Nila Utama was a prince from Palembang. His father was King Sang Sapurba. It was believed that his family came from Alexander the Great. Sang Nila Utama married Wan Sri Bini. She was the daughter of Queen Parameswari Iskandar Shah from Bintan Island. He received special gifts, including a golden crown and a royal ring. These showed his power.

According to the Malay Annals, Sang Nila Utama founded the trading city of Singapore in 1299. One day, while hunting on Bintan Island, he chased a stag up a hill. When he reached the top, the stag disappeared. He then saw a very large rock and climbed it. From the top of the rock, he looked across the sea. He saw another island with a white sandy beach. It looked like a white cloth. He asked his chief minister what island it was. He was told it was Temasek, which is now known as Singapore.

While his ship was at sea, a big storm started. The ship was tossed by huge waves and began to fill with water. To stop it from sinking, his men threw heavy things overboard. But water still came in. The ship's captain told him to throw his crown into the sea. This was a gift to the sea. Right away, the storm stopped, and he reached Temasek safely.

He landed on the beach and went hunting near the river mouth. This area is now called the Padang. Suddenly, he saw a strange animal. It had a red body, a black head, and a white chest. It quickly vanished into the jungle. He was amazed by its beauty. He asked his chief minister what animal it was. He was told it was a lion. Sang Nila Utama was happy because he thought this was a good sign. He decided to build his new city in Temasek. He and his men stayed on the island and built a city. He renamed the island Singapura. In Sanskrit, "Singapura" means "Lion City".

Sang Nila Utama had two sons with Wan Sri Bini. They were Raja Kechil-Besar and Raja Kechil-Muda. The older son married Nila Panchadi, a princess from India. The younger son married his cousin. Sang Nila Utama ruled Singapura for 48 years. He died in 1347. Raja Kechil-Besar then became the second Raja of Singapura, known as Sri Wikrama Wira. Kechil-Muda became his prime minister. Sang Nila Utama was buried on Bukit Larangan, now called Fort Canning Hill. The exact spot of his grave is not known. However, an altar there might be near the royal burial sites.

The stories about Sang Nila Utama are full of meaning. They are probably not exact historical records. For example, throwing the crown into the sea was a symbolic act. In the Malay world, a king's power was strongly linked to ceremonies and special clothing. This act could show that power was moving from Palembang to Singapura. Singapura was becoming the new center for Malay kings.

It's interesting to note that lions have never lived in Singapore. Not even Asiatic lions. So, the animal Sang Nila Utama saw was probably a tiger, most likely a Malayan tiger. Another idea is that it was a mythical creature called janggi. This creature is part of Minangkabau legends. It is said to guard gold mines. Regardless of the exact animal, the Asiatic lion was a strong symbol of power. This idea spread through Buddhist culture in Southeast Asia.

There are other ideas about how Singapore got its name. The name "Singapura" first appears in the Ramayana. Some think the "lion" refers to a lion throne. This throne was set up by Parameswara in Palembang. It was a challenge to the Majapahit Empire. Others believe the "lion" refers to a Buddhist group from Majapahit. As for Singapore's history, a Chinese record from the 3rd century describes it as "the island at the end of a peninsula," or Pulau Ujong. Later, it was known as Temasek. Other places like Long Ya Men and Banzu were also mentioned. Chinese traveler Wang Dayuan wrote about them in his Daoyi Zhilue. Later records from the Ming Dynasty also mention these places and their local rulers.

Was Sang Nila Utama Also Parameswara?

Archaeology in Singapore has shown that its 14th-century history is real. However, some people wonder if Sang Nila Utama himself was a real person. They suggest he might be a story used to hide the difficult past of the founder of Melaka, Sultan Parameswara. A book called Suma Oriental by Tome Pires points out many similarities between Sang Nila Utama and Parameswara. Both were born in Palembang. Both founded (or took over) Singapore. It's also confusing because "Parameswara" means "Supreme Lord" in Sanskrit. It was a very common title for rulers in Southeast Asia at that time.

Parameswara's story is different from Sang Nila Utama's. Parameswara's rule involved trickery. He reportedly killed the local ruler of Singapore after being welcomed for nine days. Unlike Sri Tri Buana's grand founding, Parameswara's rule ended quickly. This was because of the Siamese rulers who were above the murdered chieftain. The conquest of Singapore forced Parameswara to flee to the Malay Peninsula. This eventually led to the creation of the Melaka Sultanate. The destruction of Singapore is instead blamed on a king named Iskandar Shah. He was the fifth Raja of Singapura. The island's conquerors are said to be Javanese from Majapahit.

These differences might come from different sources. Pires said his information about Parameswara came from a "Javanese chronicle." This source might have been biased against the Sumatran rulers from Palembang. The Malay Annals, on the other hand, wanted to show the links between the Kingdom of Singapura and its later states, the Melaka Sultanate and the Johor Sultanate. This helped make the rulers in Johore seem more legitimate. So, it's not fully clear if Singapore's 14th-15th century history shows five generations of trade started by Sang Nila Utama, or if it reflects the Majapahit world and its brief disruption by Parameswara.

See also

In Spanish: Sang Nila Utama para niños