Melaka known as a state of rich historical and recognized as a symbol of national spirit of solidarity that has been carved and the results be incused weave a unique history. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south.
This state is second smallest state after Perlis. The state of Malacca covers an area of 1,650-sq. km. or 0.5 percent of the whole area of Malaysia. The length from north to south is 40 kilometres and the width from west to the east is 69 kilometres.
According to historical records, Malacca's name has long existed namley from the sultanate's name, which is founded by Parameswara or King Iskandar Syah. From Chinese businessman's record, who came to Malacca claimed that there were exists a trading place called Malacca. Malacca's name also was mentioned in 'Syair Jawa' dated 1324. Malacca is mentioned as a state sheltering under Siam during 1360.
Malacca's name was started to be used in the 14th century. The precise origins of Malacca are disputed. However, the openly accepted story was a story that links that its name derived from a tree, the 'pokok Melaka'.
A popular account puts the Prince as out hunting one day and while resting under a tree, one of his dogs cornered a mouse-deer or 'pelandok'.The mouse-deer in its defence attacked the dog and even forced it into the river-water. According to Malay's beliefs, such an unusual occurrence symbolizes that it is a beginning of one job that will produce success.
Parameswara was so taken up by the courage of the mouse-deer that he decided on the spot to found a city on the ground he was sitting on. Thus, Melaka or Malacca was born. Many claimed that the prince took this name from the 'Melaka' tree that was shading him. Apart from that, have opinion who said that Malacca originated from from word 'Malagas'. According to Gasper Correa, a story writer in the year 1551 saying that Parameswara fled to Malacca, discovered there existed indigenous Malay people and sea people's settlement.
Majesty discovered in the river estuary, there were a fisherman village where the inhabitants involve in making salted fish to be selled to the merchants who came from outside. That place was known as 'Malagas' or 'Mulagas', in conjunction with the name as the salted fish trade centre.
In the book of Suma Oriental, Malacca's name reputedly originated from the word Malaya mean place of refuge. According to a story, when Parameswara reaches Muar, a bunch of souhern people known as 'Orang Selat' had met the majesty and requested the majesty to rule them in more suitable place, namely in Bertam. Parameswara accepted and order to them that "you all know that in our language,a person who flee is called 'Melayo', therefore this place is called 'Malaya' because this place is our place to refuge.
Other opinion says that Malacca's name originated from 'mirabolanos' namely a kind of fruit. Malacca's name also been linked with 'Malayakolam' or 'Malayaka' that means 'Malay people's state'. The name also has in common with the name of one quarter that were in India which was mentioned in Mahabhrata’s stories.
Because of its strategic location, namely the Straits of Malacca renders it to become the famous trader centre for traders that drop by Malacca. Therefore, the Arabian traders called the port city as 'Mulagah', which means ‘meeting place’. Sometimes the place is called ‘Multaqam’ (assembling place) because the traders from the east and the west will gather and trade there. There are also those that mention Malacca as ‘malakat’ or ‘malaqqa’, which means ‘market’ or ‘trading’ place.
Malacca state founder, Parameswara a Srivijayan prince of Palembang who fled Sumatra following a Majapahit attack in 1377. Parameswara in particular sailed to Temasek to escape persecution and came under the protection of Temagi, a Malay chief from Patani who was appointed by the King of Siam as Regent of Temasek. Within a few days, Parameswara killed Temagi and appointed himself as regent. Some 5 years later he had to leave Temasek due to threats from Siam. During this period, Temasek was also attacked by a Javanese fleet from Majapahit.
Parameswara and his followers have to flee until he finally found his way to Malacca. The year was 1402.
