Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TIMELINE
1400
Hindu prince and pirate Parameswara flees his home on the island of Temasek (Singapore) following
an invasion. Sailing up the peninsula, he founds what will become the trading port of Melaka.
1509
Portuguese traders sail into Melaka. Although at first greeted warmly, the sultan later acts on the ad-
vice of his Indian Muslim councillors and attacks the Portuguese ships, taking 19 prisoners.
1641
After a siege lasting several months, the Dutch, with the help of the Johor sultanate, wrest Melaka
from the Portuguese; this marks the start of Melaka's decline as a major trading port.
1795
The British take over Melaka and Dutch Java; after the defeat of Napoleon in 1818 both are returned
to the Dutch but Melaka's fortress A'Famosa is left in ruins.
1826
Having swapped Bencoolen on Sumatra for the Dutch-controlled Melaka, the British East India Com-
pany combines this with Penang and Singapore to create the Straits Settlements.
1857
Raja Abdullah and Raja Juma'at, nephews of Abdul Samad, fourth Sultan of Selangor, sponsor an
expedition of 87 Chinese miners up the Klang River to search for more tin.
1859
Chinese trader Hiu Siew is appointed the first Kapitan Cina (meaning Chinese Captain) of the grow-
ing jungle settlement that had become known as Kuala Lumpur.
1867
A war over the tax spoils of tin starts between Raja Abdullah, administrator of Klang, and Raja Ma-
hadi. The war ends in 1874.
1868
