MARITIME MUSEUM PHASE I (Flor de La Mar)
QUOTES ABOUT MALACCA BY TOM PIRES
- Malaqa is a city that made for merchandise
- Man cannot estimate the worth of Malaqa on amount of a greatness and profit.
- Whoever is lord of Melaka has his hand on the throat of Venice
- Whoever is lord of Melaka has his hand on the throat of Venice
- Malacca cannot live without Cambay not Cambay withour Malacca
- Some rich Moorish merchants moves from Pase to Malaqa and Arabian Moors
- The end of monsoons and the beginning of others.
ALFONSO DE ALBURQUEQUE
Alfonso De Albuquerque succeded Almeida as the 2th viceror of India and went on to establish Portuguese supremacy in the Arabian seas by defeating the chain links of Muslim trade ports of Calicut, Goa, Hormaz and Malacca. He took vigorous actions to secure Portuguese domination of the maritime trade routes of Asia thus securing wealth for Portugal. He recognised as one of the heroes of Portugal.
DE SEQUEIRA’S MISSION TO MELAKA
As soon as the Portuguese arrived at India in 1498 AD, They had acknowledged and gathered information on location and the role of Melaka in international trade. They were aware that Melaka controlled a vast trading network of luxurious commodities especially the spices, silk and porcelain. Ludicivo Varthema who claimed to visit the city in 1505 AD also described.
Images of Melaka’s significance and wealth from Lisbon, the Portuguese Monarch repeatedly urged his Viceroy, Almeida in India to dispatch trading mission to Melaka. By 1509 AD more details of Melaka surfaced in Europe. One of these sources quoted Melaka as a place rich with gold. A fleet of fire Portuguese ships led by Lopez De Sequeira arrived in Melaka on September 11 1509 AD. This mission was sent directly from Portugal via India. Their arrival stirred curiosity as narrated in the Malay annals. They came when the Portuguese power in India and West Asia.
Expressed deep sentiments againts Muslim traders the missions failled amidst suspicious and influence of the Arab Persian were and traders the Gujeratis. A number of Portuguese captives were held in Melaka including Rui Aroujo. Antagonistic sentiments arouse between both parties.
KEJATUHAN MELAKA, 1511 M
Alfonso de Alburqueque arrived in Melaka on July 1511 AD release Portuguese
Captive, demand compensation and secure trading rights. He led and fleet of 19 ship and more than 1400 soldier while navigating to Melaka from Goa. Number of ship together with the crew were captured and brought to Melaka. The party at that time expanded their power by force of arm. Alburqueque the port Viceroy in India. 1509-1515 was of the opinion that strategic centre of trade fortified by defense fortressed were essential to the spice trade and instrumental in shaping “Asia Portuguesesa” in Melaka a series of negotiations. Failed as hetred and suspicion escalated. Shootings broke out climing life on both sides. The Portuguese affected the Gujeratis vessels and burned the village along the shore.
A fierce battle ensured before the party succeeded in capturing the bridge across the Melaka River. Sultan Ahmad the scholars, dignitaries warrior and mercenaries defended Melaka, the Portuguese returned to launch a stronger assault on August 10 1511. The attack managed to weaken Malacca defend. The Portuguese seized properties and weapons destroying bullwork. Mosque, the palaces and many others. On August 24 1511, the Port and city of Melaka fell to Portuguese. Sultan Mahmud his heir and follower abandoned Melaka and move to Muar, Pahang and subsequently to Bentan.
PORTUGUESE TRADING SYSTEM IN MALACCA
The Portuguese practiced the monopoly trading system in Melaka. Certain goods such as spices, clove and others became the monopoly of government. Officers were government servants. Their salaries and allowances were paid according to their positions in function under the monopoly system trading ship which plied through the Straits Of Melaka, were forced to harbour and pay taxes at passes ant trading rights were granted with fixed amount. Disobedience would lead to severe punishment including confiscation of cargoes or ship destroyed. This action had caused many foreign merchants especially Muslims to trade at otherports such as Aceh, Brunei, Pattani, Johor and others.
The Portuguese imposed a heavy taxation system whereby a 5% tax was charged on the total value of cargo. Merchandise from China was taxes as mush as 10% while those come from Bengal were set at 8%. No taxes were imposed on food items because Melaka dependant on imports. The Portuguese could not defend their monopoly trading system and were seriously challenged by the rival ports and neighbouring powers. The Portuguses ambition to monopolize the spice trade at Terrate and Tidore, pepper in Kedah and tin of Perak among others also failed.
PORTUGUESE ADMINISTRATION IN MALACCA
Alfonso de Alburqueque was instrumental in arranging the Portuguese administrative system in Melaka. He founded the defense fortress known as A Farmosa. This rectangular fort consisted of 4 towers with walls as thick as 2.4 m. one of its towers stood 36 m high. The fortress housed the official residence of captain and bishop, churches, administrative building, stockhade, jail, wells, hospital, school and others. The biggest activity known as the captain as the fortress was reserves for the elite (fidalgo), appointed every 3 or 4 years. The local institution such as the Bendahara, Temenggung, Syahbandar was maintained to manage the affairs of the local people. Every traders in Melaka including the Chinese, Indian and Javanese were governed by their own leaders styled the Tribal Capitan. The Portuguese administration was plagued by numerous problems.
Insufficient manpower, inefficiency bribery, favouritism and misappropriations were rampant without any efforts to cradicate them. Portuguese influence was limited in the areas within the harbour and the Melaka fort. The Malay states pledged their loyalty towards the Johor Sultanate. Intermarriages policy between Portuguesan males with the natives and Christianization felt short of their target. During the 1550’s Melaka was declared a city and was assigned to its own Bishop. The Portuguese carried out religious discriminatory policy causing many to leaved Melaka especially the Muslim merchants. As a result of the Melaka port was frequenly attacked by enemies during the 130 years of Portuguese rule.
THE ARRIVAL OF PORTUGUESE
Ever since Vasco Da Gama reached Calicut in the Malabar coast of India in 1498, they understood that India alone did not supply all the spices. They also came to know the cordial relationship between Sultan of Calicut and Sultan Mahmud Shah of Malacca and thus the existence of the emporium of the east. While the Portugis were busy in conquering Calicut, Goa and hormoz, they were also collecting all avaible datas about Malacca.As early as 1504, the Portuguese were ready to contact Malacca but were held back due to the wars. They started against the coastal states of Arabians seas.
When the Portugies king ordered his men to contact Malacca immediately and establish trade relationship in 1506, they could only do so in 1508, when 4 ships under 11th September 1509.The arrival of his men landed on shore, they became the fist europeans to step into Malacca. The locals had never seen an Europeans, mistook and referred them as white Benggalis. When they went through the bazaar to the residence of Bendahara, people stared to gather around them and touched them.
The arrival of Sequeira and his men in Malacca signaled the beginning of the downfall of the Malacca sultanate.
JOHOR RIVALRIES AGAINTS THE PORTUGUESE
After the capture of Malacca by Portuguese, Sultan Mahmud, his dignitaries and several loyal subjects shifted the seat of power to several places in Johor before settling at Bentan. The Johor Sultanate was a continuing episode of the Melaka Sultanate. Johor’s political, economical and social structures were similar to Melaka. The Portuguese influence was restricted to the Melaka port and city while Sultan Mahmud and his successors in Johor Riau enjoyed allegiance from most of the former Melaka dependencies. From Johor and Bentan, the Sultan directed his army headed be Laksamana Hang Nadim to launch series of attack against the Portuguese in Melaka. the attacks and sieges caused hardship to the Portuguese. They counteracted by destroying Bentan. The Sultan died at Kampar in 1528 AD.
The attacks aimed to impair and recover Melaka were continued by his successors from the capitals located along the Johor River. In 1535 and 1536, the Portuguese mounted their attacks causing Sultan Alaudin to sue for peace. In 1540 AD Johor Lama became the seat of power. In 1551 Johor with Japara, Phang and Perak attacked Melaka involving 5000 soldiers and 200 pahus. Melaka port was blockaded 43 months resulting in death and hunger. In 1587, Johor reemerged after the Acehnese attack, mounted on slaught on Melaka in alliance with armies from Aru, Kampar, Inderagiri and others. In the same year, the Portuguese devastated Johor Lama. After 1587, Aceh was more of threat to Johor than the Portuguese in Melaka.
PORTUGUESE INFLUENCE IN MELAKA
After the capture of Malacca by Portuguese, Sultan Mahmud, his dignitaries and several loyal subjects shifted the seat of power to several places in Johor before settling at Bentan. The Johor Sultanate was a continuing episode of the Melaka Sultanate. Johor’s political, economical and social structures were similar to Melaka. The Portuguese influence was restricted to the Melaka port and city while Sultan Mahmud and his successors in Johor Riau enjoyed allegiance from most of the former Melaka dependencies. From Johor and Bentan, the Sultan directed his army headed be Laksamana Hang Nadim to launch series of attack against the Portuguese in Melaka. the attacks and sieges caused hardship to the Portuguese. They counteracted by destroying Bentan. The Sultan died at Kampar in 1528 AD.
The attacks aimed to impair and recover Melaka were continued by his successors from the capitals located along the Johor River. In 1535 and 1536, the Portuguese mounted their attacks causing Sultan Alaudin to sue for peace. In 1540 AD Johor Lama became the seat of power. In 1551 Johor with Japara, Phang and Perak attacked Melaka involving 5000 soldiers and 200 pahus. Melaka port was blockaded 43 months resulting in death and hunger. In 1587, Johor reemerged after the Acehnese attack, mounted on slaught on Melaka in alliance with armies from Aru, Kampar, Inderagiri and others. In the same year, the Portuguese devastated Johor Lama. After 1587, Aceh was more of threat to Johor than the Portuguese in Melaka.
MALACCA BY GASPER CORREA 1511/1550
Gasper Correa was one of the secretaries of Albuquerque and was in Malacca during the year 1513 - 1514. The painting on display was supposed to have been painted during his stay in Malacca and supposed to depict the scenario of Portuguese Malacca. A farmosa fort built by Albuquerque was clealy indicated, so was the chapel a top the St Paul’s hill. But the chapel was only built in 1521.The painting also exaggerated the size and the numbers of the buildings located around a Farmosa.
It was possible that this painting could only have been painted later than 1521.Some historians had indicated 2 other dates for the painting, that is 1536 and 1550.A later date for the painting could be acceptable.
