Tun Ledang Shah
Encyclopedia
Tun Ledang Shah was a mythical but probably based on a real character in the ancient Malay
history who was assumed to live during the 13th century Srivijayan Empire
till the 15th century Sultanate of Malacca. His real name was Sang Ledang.
Born in Palembang
in 1234 into a poor family, he gained high status after learning the ancient black arts from Raja Rai or Raidashir - brother to King
Ardashir I
of Persia. As the result, he could cheat death by drinking Srivijayan royal blood. In 1377, he followed the crown prince of Srivijaya Parameswara to Temasik when Palembang was overran by the army of Majapahit
. Already a powerful warrior during his time, he helped made Malacca one of the successful empires in the region as soon as it was established in 1402. Parameswara and his family owed so much to Tun Ledang Shah that they promised him to give him blood for every 20 years.
When the Sultan
s of Malacca
converted to Islam
, he was disfavoured and shunned because of his black magic arts and was relieved from his command as the Grand Admiral of the Malacca fleet by Sultan Muzaffar Shah (1446 - 1456). His position was taken over by Tun Hamzah Datuk Bongkok who in turn, was succeeded by the famous Hang Tuah
. During the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah (1456 - 1477), he was sentenced to death by the Sultan for committing adultery with one of the sultan's wives. He was killed by Hang Tuah in 1463 after living for more than 200 years.
Tun Ledang Shah was considered a myth and his existence was never recorded in the Malay history due to his black magic arts (necromancy
). Only in 1998 when an ancient tome called 'Hikayat Raja Raja' was found in one of the Museum in Portugal
that his existence came into light.
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
history who was assumed to live during the 13th century Srivijayan Empire
Srivijaya
Srivijaya was a powerful ancient thalassocratic Malay empire based on the island of Sumatra, modern day Indonesia, which influenced much of Southeast Asia. The earliest solid proof of its existence dates from the 7th century; a Chinese monk, I-Tsing, wrote that he visited Srivijaya in 671 for 6...
till the 15th century Sultanate of Malacca. His real name was Sang Ledang.
Born in Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
in 1234 into a poor family, he gained high status after learning the ancient black arts from Raja Rai or Raidashir - brother to King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
Ardashir I
Ardashir I
Ardashir I was the founder of the Sassanid Empire, was ruler of Istakhr , subsequently Fars Province , and finally "King of Kings of Sassanid Empire " with the overthrow of the Parthian Empire...
of Persia. As the result, he could cheat death by drinking Srivijayan royal blood. In 1377, he followed the crown prince of Srivijaya Parameswara to Temasik when Palembang was overran by the army of Majapahit
Majapahit Empire
Majapahit was a vast archipelagic empire based on the island of Java from 1293 to around 1500. Majapahit reached its peak of glory during the era of Hayam Wuruk, whose reign from 1350 to 1389 marked by conquest which extended through Southeast Asia. His achievement is also credited to his prime...
. Already a powerful warrior during his time, he helped made Malacca one of the successful empires in the region as soon as it was established in 1402. Parameswara and his family owed so much to Tun Ledang Shah that they promised him to give him blood for every 20 years.
When the Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
s of Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. 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...
converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, he was disfavoured and shunned because of his black magic arts and was relieved from his command as the Grand Admiral of the Malacca fleet by Sultan Muzaffar Shah (1446 - 1456). His position was taken over by Tun Hamzah Datuk Bongkok who in turn, was succeeded by the famous Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
. During the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah (1456 - 1477), he was sentenced to death by the Sultan for committing adultery with one of the sultan's wives. He was killed by Hang Tuah in 1463 after living for more than 200 years.
Tun Ledang Shah was considered a myth and his existence was never recorded in the Malay history due to his black magic arts (necromancy
Necromancy
Necromancy is a claimed form of magic that involves communication with the deceased, either by summoning their spirit in the form of an apparition or raising them bodily, for the purpose of divination, imparting the ability to foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge...
). Only in 1998 when an ancient tome called 'Hikayat Raja Raja' was found in one of the Museum in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
that his existence came into light.