Malacca History Essay Example

and the spread of Islam.

One of the major factors contributed to the rise of Malacca as trading centre was the monsoon winds that enabled Arab and Indian traders from the west to travel to China in the east and vice versa. Soon Malacca became a major player in spice trade and served as a gateway between the Spice Islands and high-paying Eurasian markets. Malacca also became the center of Islam in the eastern sphere and the spread could be traced throughout the Malay Peninsula and the Sumatran. At the height of its power, the Sultanate encompassed most of modern day Peninsula Malaysia, Singapore and a great portion of eastern Sumatra shores.

The sultanate dominated both sides of the Straits of Malacca for more than a hundred years and this period marked the classical age of Malay culture and architecture. The kingdom gave birth to the grand timber-frame palace of the third sultan of Malacca, Sultan Mansur Shah (1459-1477). Besides palace, mosques became the centres of Islamic learning under the patronage of its rulers. The Malacca River distinguished the southern hills for the sultan, the chiefs and administrators to the godowns and residences of the traders at the northern bank. Malacca River grew rapidly into a vast, cosmopolitan trading centre.

Illustration showing the grand timber palace of Sultan Mansur Shah. Under the patronage of Sultan Iskandar Syah (1394-1414), Malacca enjoyed international diplomatic ties. The expedition of chinese admiral Cheng Ho to Malacca in 1405 established tributary relations between the Malay States and the Ming Dynasty. Chinese culture, customs and building techniques were brought in at Kampung Cina settlement (today Hang Kasturi Street).

The Baba-nyonya is Malacca’s straits-born Chinese or Peranakans (meaning

“born here”) whose lineage traces back hundreds of years when their descendents arrived and inter-married with the local women. The architectural influences of the Chinese led to a hybrid Malaccan townhouses termed as ‘Straits Eclectic’ that combined architectural wisdoms from Chinese, Malay and later European. Inter-marriage also took place between the Tamil Muslim and the locals gave birth to the Chittys.

Besides Chinese and Tamil, the cosmopolitan Malacca attracted numerous races from the archipelago as well as the far east such as from Pasai, Palembang, Jawa, Maluku, Banda, Borneo, Filippines, Gujerat, Coromandel, Bengal, Burma, Egypt, Mecca, Aden, Persia dan Turkey. Languages, religious beliefs, culture of various ethnics existed harmoniously, interrelated and assimilated to become the very identity of Malaccan culture before the western colonial powers dominated the scene of Malacca history.

Picture showing hybrid Malacca townhouses and Malacca hybrid traditional houses. The Colonial Legacy in Malacca The colonial powers that ruled Malacca from 1511 to 1957 had great influence on the economy, culture and architecture. Under Alfonso de Alburqueque, Portuguese conquered Malacca in 1511 and consolidated their position by building a fortress at the foot of St.Paul’s Hill called A Famosa (Porta de Santiago). They later converted Malacca into a Christian town with masonry buildings of churches, chapels and monasteries and introduced laterite and tiles as building materials.

Drawing shows A Famosa or Porta de Santiago built by the Portuguese. After 130 years of Portuguese rule, the Dutch wrested control of Malacca in 1641 to monopolize spice trade in Indonesian waters through Dutch East India Company, world’s first global trade company. The 185 years of Dutch rule (untill 1826) had monopolized the trade & economy, brought in more Chinese to

develop agriculture, rebuilt the city and occupied it largely as a military base to control the Straits of Malacca.

Where the Portuguese had concentrated on the construction of fortification and churces, the Dutch on the other hand planned Malacca well, built comfortable brick houses (along Heeren Street and Jonker Street), protestant churches and large administrativebuildings such as the Stadthuys.

The Stadhuys showing Christ Church in the middle, 1807. Malacca in 1800 (from The Hikayat Abdullah) The Kew treaty between the Dutch and the British at the end of the Napoleonic Wars led the British to set up the straits settlement of Penang, Melaka and Singapore in 1826. Malacca was handed to British in exchange to Batavia (Jakarta). However, British did not want Malacca to compete with Penang and Singapore and Governer William Farquhar felt it was necessary to demolish the fort that the Dutch had rebuilt.

Malacca ceased from being the main entreport by the second World War and the river was no longer became the major growth generator. The British on the other hand, developed alternative land facilities such as roads, telephone and telegraph communication systems. By this time, Malacca town were devided into European Town occupied by the British and Native Town on the western bank occupied by the Dutch, Portuguese, China, Malay, India etc. Heeren Street known as the First Class gentlement Street by the Dutch and Millionaires Row by the British were bought by the Baba-nyonyas and so were houses at Jonker Street.

The British reasserted their powerful presence by introducing Neo classical architecture prevalent in England with emphasis on symmetrical planning, proportions and the use of classical motives in administrative buildings. The British also introduced prewar

architecture, Planning Ordinance and 1884 Building by-laws. Comprehensive strategy on politics, socio-economics and education prooved successful in creating high regards on the new values and modern development introduced.

Japanese occupation in 1942 brought Malacca into war. British repossessed Malaya upon Japanese surrender in 1945. By this time nationalist movement took the country via UMNO (United Malays Nation Organization) led by Dato’ Onn bin Jaafar (1 April 1946). UMNO under Tunku Abdul Rahman collaborated with MCA (Malayan Chinese Association) under Sir Tan Cheng Lock towards Malayan independence.

Modern Malacca

Malacca’s independence from British in 1957 together with other Malaysian states marked the end of colonial power. Since then Malacca developed as a modern state, headed by head minister and institutionalised by a governor. Malacca’s modern economy was first based on agriculture and later on tourism and industrialization. New development area were opended such as Bukit Baru, Ujung Pasir, Klebang, Peringgit dan Bacang. Economic boom in the 80’s led to reclaim of new waterfront near Bandar Hilir and new growth area at Ayer Keroh. Malacca proclaimed Historic city on April 15, 1989 and later Historic Cultural City on September 9, 1996.

Malacca on tourist map

Modern Malacca cannot ignore its rich layers of history and culture. Various ethnics – the Malay, the Chinese, the Indian, the Chittys, the Baba-Nyonya and the Portuguese hold teadfastly to their respective traditions and heritage which is infused in the different areas including food, religious customs and festivals, cultures, customs, dressing, handicraft and architecture. As a result, today Malacca is a modern state that offers intriguing historical reminders on such as the ancient fort, town plaza and old streets. The historical melting-pot of cultures and races has very

much shaped unique culture.Today, 1638sq metres Malacca has a lot to offer on tourism, entertainment, economy and development.