WARRIOR OF THE ARCHIPELAGO - HANG TUAH

Palace of Sultan Mansur Shah c. 1460.

The Melaka Sultanate: Iskandar Shah (Parameswara), 1390-1414; Muzaffar Shah, 1446-1456; Mansor Shah, 1456-1477; Alauddin Shah, 1477-1488; Mahmud Shah, 1488-1511.

The Ming Emperor, Chengzu gave the hand of Hang Li Po, a princess as an act of friendship to the first Sultan of Melaka in 1405 via his envoy Admiral Cheng Ho aka Zheng He. 

Sam Po's well purportedly dug by Admiral Zheng He for his crew. Also believed to be Hang Li Po's well built by Sultan Mansur Shah.

Hang Tuah is as real as the Malay kingdom of Melaka. His brave exploits were intertwined with Majapahit Empire having defeated their top warrior, Taming Sari in a kris duel. 

He kidnapped Tun Teja, the Pahang princess for the lust of Sultan Mahmud, his Sultan.  

The five Malay warriors - Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekir, Hang Kesturi and Hang Lekiu did they ever got married and leave their generations today? They got their 'Hang' name in the fashion of Hang Li Po?

As to his Taming Sari kris, it was said to be in the Melaka River. It is also believed that the Perak royalty is in keeping of the kris.

His killing of Jebat though sounds melodramatic in the Hikayat but it happened.

Hang Tuah was defending Melaka during the Portuguese conquest. He purportedly shouted "Tak kan Melayu di dunia" on seeing the impending defeat of kris vs gun battle.

Hang Tuah's legacy still lives in the forms of his well at Kg. Duyung, Melaka and his grave at Kg. Balik Bukit, Tg. Keling.

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