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Singapore Infomap - History Alive

24 Aug 2003 04:23 PM
History Alive

History
Founding of Modern Singapore
The Straits Settlements
Towards Self-government
The Malaysia Proposal
Independence
Coming of Age
Passing of the Torch

History
Written accounts of the early history of Singapore are
sketchy and the names used to refer to the country are
varied.
Early Names
A Chinese account of the third century refers to
Singapore as Puluozhong, translating the Malay words
Pulau Ujong, ie. "island at the end" of the peninsula.

The Javanese Nagarakretagama1 of 1365 identified a
settlement called Temasek, ie. "Water Town", on
Singapore island. A Chinese trader Wang Dayuan, who
visited Singapore around 1330 referred to this
settlement as Danmaxi, in reporting that there were also
some Chinese found on the island.
The Sejarah Melayu or Malay Annals has the most
colourful and vivid account of how Singapore got its
present name. As the story goes, Sang Nila Utama (or Sri
Tri Buana as he was more popularly known), ruler of
Palembang (in present day Indonesia), landed at Temasek
one day while seeking shelter from a storm. Sighting an
animal he took to be a lion, he decided to establish a
settlement which he named Singapura, i.e. "Lion City".
The island became commonly known as Singapura by the end
of the 14th century.
Early History
During the 14th century, Singapore was caught in the
struggles between Siam (now Thailand) and the Java-based
Majapahit Empire for control over the Malay Peninsula.
According to the Sejarah Melayu, Singapore was defeated
in one Majapahit attack. Later, a prince of Palembang,
Iskandar Shah, also known as Parameswara, killed the
local chieftain and installed himself as the island's
new ruler. But shortly after, he was driven out, either
by the Siamese or by the Javanese forces of the
Majapahit Empire. He fled north to Muar in the Malay
Peninsula, where he founded the Malacca Sultanate.
Singapore remained an important part of the Malacca
Sultanate; it was the fief of the admirals (laksamanas),
including the famous Hang Tuah.
By the early 19th century2, Singapore was under the rule
of the Sultan of Johor, who was based in the Riau-Lingga
archipelago. One of his senior ministers, the
Temenggong, administered Johor and Singapura.
When the British East India Company founded their
settlement in early 1819, through an agreement with
Sultan Hussein Shah and the Temenggong, Singapore had
around 1,000 indigenous inhabitants, consisting of
Malays as well as the orang laut, i.e. sea nomads. These
people were clustered around the Singapore River,
Kallang River, Telok Blangah, and along the Johor
Straits3. There were also some Chinese traders and
gambier planters in the interior.
Footnotes
1A Javanese epic poem by Prapanca, considered the most
important work of the literature that developed during
the Majapahit era.
2The period between the 15th and 18th century could be
filled by accounts given by Kennedy, Tregonning or
Joginder Singh in the respective "History of Malaya"
books.
3C.M. Turnbull, A History of Singapore 1819-1988
(Singapore: OUP, 1989) p.5




 

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