Megat Iskandar Shah of Malacca

Who is Megat Iskandar Shah of Malacca?

Megat Iskandar Shah was the second Sultan of Malacca and the son of Parameswara. The position of Megat Iskandar Shah as the second ruler of Malacca has historically been contested.

In the 2005 book, Admiral Zheng He & Southeast Asia published by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Professor Wang Gungwu in his paper ‘The First Three Rulers of Melaka’, published in 1968, put forward evidence to support the belief that Megat Iskandar Shah was the second ruler of Malacca. This information is recognised in Malaysian school text books.

It is noteworthy that neither Tomé Pires's Suma Oriental nor Sejarah Melayu make any reference to Megat Iskandar Shah. They, however, acknowledged that Iskandar Shah had ruled Malacca until 1424.

Sir Richard Winstedt, who earlier in 1935, supported the existence of Megat Iskandar Shah, soon after the Second World War changed his opinion when he became aware of the descriptions from the Suma Oriental.

Megat Iskandar Shah converted to Islam, which made it easier for him to establish a relationship with the traders of Gujarat and Bengal. He also maintained a good relationship with the Ming Dynasty of China. According to the History of Ming, "The Prince Mugansakandi'ersha paid tribute to Emperor Yongle in 1414 after being informed that his father had died. The Emperor gifted gold coins and titled him in return. After that Iskandar Shah paid tribute to the Emperor annually or every two years.'