Muzaffar Shah of Malacca

Sultan Muzaffar Shah was the fifth Sultan of Malacca. He ruled from 1445 to 1459. He is the son of Sultan Muhammad Shah. The original name of Sultan Muzaffar Shah is Raja Kassim^[1]:246 and known as Sulutan Wudafona Sha in History of Ming of China.

Raja Kassim, son of Sultan Muhammad Shah and Tun Wati, was installed as the fifth ruler of Malacca after the death of Sultan Muhammad Shah. After his installation as ruler of Malacca, Raja Kassim titled as Sultan Muzaffar Shah. Sultan Muzaffar Shah has ordered senior officers to perform all the customs, traditions and prohibitions introduced by his late father. Sultan Muzaffar Shah married with the daughter of the Bendahara (Prime Minister) and had a son named Raja Abdullah.

When Bendahara Seri Wak Raja I died, the Sultan has appointed Tun Perpatih Sedang, son of the late Bendahara as Bendahara and given the title Seri Melaka Wak King (II). However, Sri Wak Raja II has taken his own life by drinking poison when he mistook the Sultan that the Sultan displeased him. He leaves a daughter, Tun Kudu, and two sons, Tun Perak and Tun Perpatih Patih. Sultan Muzaffar Shah later married Tun Kudu. Tun Perak, which at that time did not hold any post in Malacca were sent by Sultan Muzaffar Shah to become a country leader in Klang. Seri Nara Diraja Tun Ali, the uncle of the Sultan also served as the bendahara of Malacca.

Future threats from Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam, made possible by the occurrence of an attack on Malacca by road in 1446. Tun Perak led his people from Klang to Malacca to repel the attacks of Siam. Judgment and his leadership had attracted great attention of the Sultan. That he has high hopes to see that Malacca continued to grow, Tun Perak appointed as Bendahara.

Tun Perak arose in political arena has created tension between him and Tun Ali. Looking feud between these two beloved leaders can lead to disunity among the people of Malacca. Sultan Muzaffar Shah has been in talks with Tun Ali, who is a widower who was old at the time. Tun Ali agreed to continue the role he provided and allowed to marry Tun Kudu, who is one of the Sultan's wives. Sultan Muzaffar Shah consented to divorce his wife for the sake of political stability and Tun Kudu has also agreed to marry Tun Ali for the well being of the country. The sacrifice of Sultan Muzaffar Shah and Tun Kudu was not in vain. Tun Ali and Tun Perak became close friends and had always worked for the development of Malacca. Soon, Tun Ali himself applied to the Sultan to appoint Tun Perak as bendahara. Thus, Sultan has appointed Tun Perak as the new bendahara and titled Paduka Raja around 1456

Siamese government, based in Ayutthaya, determined to conquer Malacca despite their previous attack by land was ended with the defeat of their party. In 1456, during the reign of King Boromo Trilokanat, Siam had made plans to attack Malacca by sea. When Malacca Government knew about this plan, it has prepared its naval and decided to break the Siamese in Batu Pahat. The forces led by Tun Perak and assisted by Tun Hamzah, a warrior who called Datuk Bongkok. A fierce battle took place between the two sides, and this is the first battle of Malacca. However, Malacca has the advantage in terms of skills and knowledge has been successfully drove the Siamese forces to Singapore and forced them back. Malacca victory in this war has injected new vigor in the strategy to expand its influence in the Malay Archipelago. The Victory over Siam has also led to political stability and strengthened the reputation of Malacca in Southeast Asia.

Sultan Muzaffar Shah died in 1459 and his tomb is still in Malacca now.

References

1. Cœdès, George (1968). The Indianized states of Southeast Asia. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 9780824803681.

The Siamese Wars with Malacca During the Reign of Muzaffar Shah　G. E. Marrison　Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society　Vol. 22, No. 1 (147) (March 1949), pp. 61–66

History of Malacca - Chronology of Events