The Question:
Ferdinand Magellan and his Malay slave are considered to be the first circumnavigators of the world. How has the Malay slave been immortalised?
The answer:
The Straits of Malacca are named
in his honour.
Most of us in India are under the opinion that the Straits
of Malacca are named after Magellan's slave. Apparently this is absolutely
incorrect. Check out what Ameesha, a native of Malaysia has to say about
this -
I disagree with your answer. I don't
think Straits of Malacca was named after the slave. Malacca is a state
on the west coast of Malaysia. It was founded by an exiled Hindu prince
from Sumatra(in Indonesia),called Parameswara who later converted to a
Muslim and came to be known as Raja Iskandar Shah. He named it Malacca
or Melaka after a tree he was resting under on the banks of the Melaka
river.The story is he saw a mouse deer fighting or chasing his hunting
dog and therefore decided to name the place Melaka. This is in 1401. The
other version of the origin of the name of Melaka is that at that time
the Arabics used to come here to trade. They named it Melaka after the
word 'malakat'which means meeting or gathering of all trades. The earlier
version is the more popular version. Under the Melaka Sultanate, Melaka
or Malacca became an empire just like the SriVijaya Empire. The whole of
Malaya was under the Malacca Empire including parts of Indonesia. This
was a Muslim empire. It was golden kingdom well known for it's trade and
also known as the emporium of the East. One on the reasons being the strategic
position and the importance of the waterway which was already known as
the Straits of Malacca after the Malaccan Empire. The Portuguese only came
to Malacca in 1511 and ruled it until 1641. The Dutch came after them followed
by the British. Ferdinand Magellan expeditions started only in 1517 and
later came to Malacca(with Enrique and Sebastian del Cano.Magellan was
dead at this stage) somewhere in 1521 I think. Magellan named the Pacific
Ocean(meaning peaceful) and the Straits of Magellan(in South America) after
him. In all the Malayan history we have studied in school I have never
heard of the Straits of Malacca being named after a Malay slave. The history
of Malacca is something we study way back in primary school,and do so,
in detail in secondary school. Almost all Malaysians can tell you this
off the top of their heads.Malacca is a very important in the Malay Annals
and history.That is why Malacca is also known as the historical city here.
(My opinion: She's got to be right!!!)
Results of Gopal's Weekly Quiz - 16:
No of respondents: 1
No. of correct answers: 1
The Respondents:
1. Rahul Karkun
His Answer: The Straits
of Malacca
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