September 2nd, 2009
Singapore History
Documented acconts of Singapore’s early history are sketchy at best. The country was referred to under a variety of names in the third century. The Chinese called Singapore Pu-luo-chung or thranslated into English the “island at the end of the peninsula’. Around 320 the Mongol empire sent a delegation to somewhere called Long Yamen (Dragon’s Tooth Strait) to get some elephants. More than likely this was Keppel Harbor. Around 1330 a Chinese visitor Wang Dayuan called it Pancur and reported that there were Chinese already living there. In the Javanese Nagarakretagama’ of 1365 one of the earliest reference to Singapore as Temasek or Sea Town was made. Vietnamese sources also make reference to this name in the 14th century. By the end of the 14th century the name Singapura (Lion City) came into common use. Control over the Maylay Peninsula was caught up in struggles between Siam and the Majapahit Empire dunning this time. The records of the Sejarah Melayu indicate Singapore was defeated in one Majapahit attack. Iskandar Shah a prince of Palembang, later killed the local chieftain and appointed himself as the island’s new ruler. Not long after he fled north to the Siamese or Javanese forces. There he founded the Malacca Sultanate. Singapore remained and important part of the Sultanate for many years. This history is all around in Singapore. The mixture of cultures and the all night markets the best hotels in Singapore offer information on it all. Singapore draws people from all over the world due to its location. Today Singapore is a modern city sitting in its antique roots. Ancient architecture sits next to modern glass and steel building. Singapore is a unique place in all the world. The British influence over the area began in the 18th century beginning a dark period of foreign control over the region from the Dutch oppression that began many years earlier.
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