Mahmud Shah of Malacca

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Sultan Mahmud Shah (died 1528) ruled Malacca from 1488 to 1528. He was the son of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah.

Upon his father's premature death, he was installed at a very young age. The regent at that time was the prime minister (Bendahara in Malay) Tun Perak. During his initial years as a young adult, the sultan was known to be a ruthless monarch. Fortunately, the administration of the sultanate was in the hands of an able and wise Tun Perak. After the death of Tun Perak in 1498, he was succeeded by a new Prime Minister Tun Mutahir. The death of Tun Perak changed Sultan Mahmud into a more responsible ruler.

He had several wives. Among the most famous was Tun Teja. The sultan was also fortunate to be surrounded by able men and warriors such as Hang Tuah, Khoja Hassan and Hang Nadim. When Malacca was attacked by the Portuguese in 1511, the Sultan retreated to Kampar, Sumatra and held a government there until his death in 1528. He had two sons; one went north to establish the Sultanate of Perak while the other went on to found Sultanate of Johor.

Sultan Mahmud is associated with the Malay legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang which is about his failed courtship of a fairy princess.