Mahmud Shah of Malacca

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Mahmud Shah
Sultan of Malacca
Reign	Malacca Sultanate: 1488 - 1528
Died	1528
Place of death	Kampar, Sumatera
Predecessor	Alauddin Riayat Shah
Successor	Sultan Ahmad Shah of Malacca
Consort	Princess Of Sultan Pahang, Princess Onang Kening, Tun Teja Ratna Menggala, Tun Kudu, Tun Fatimah
Father	Alauddin Riayat Shah

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 three sons; Sultan Ahmad Shah, Muzaffar I of Perak and Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor. Ahmad Shah succeeded Mahmud when Mahmud mistakenly killed the Tamil Bendahara Tun Mutahir and the Bendahara's family after other jealous Malay ministers accused Mutahir of planning a rebellion. Ahmad Shah was killed by Mahmud Shah himself after the Portuguese conquered Malacca. Mahmud Shah then took back the throne. Muzaffar went north to establish the Sultanate of Perak while Alauddin Riayat 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. Sultan Mahmud is also said to have killed Tun Mutahir and the Bendahara's family members because Mutahir did not give his daughter, Tun Fatimah's hand in mariage to Sultan Mahmud. Tun Fatimah was married to Tun Ali.