The Malay Annals (Malay: Sejarah Melayu, Jawi: سجاره ملايو), originally titled Sulalatus Salatin (Genealogy of Kings),[1] is a literary work that gives a romanticised history of the origin, evolution and destruction of the Malacca Sultanate.[2] The work, composed in the 17th century by court historians, draws from earlier accounts prior to that century,[3][4] is considered one of the finest literary and historical works in the Malay language.
The original text has undergone numerous changes, with the oldest surviving version from 1612, through the rewriting effort commissioned by the then regent of Johor, Raja Abdullah.[5][6] It was originally written in Classical Malay on traditional paper in old Jawi script, but today exists in 32 different manuscripts, including those in Rumi script.[7] Notwithstanding some of its mystical contents, historians have looked at the text as a primary source of information on past events verifiable by other historical sources, in the Malay world.[8] In 2001, the Malay Annals was listed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme International Register.[9]
- ^ Ooi 2009, p. 285
- ^ UNESCO 2012, p. 219
- ^ Lockard, Craig (2009). Southeast Asia in World History. Oxford University Press. p. 68. ISBN 978-0-19-972196-2.
- ^ "Sejarah Melayu | Malay culture, history, language | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ Abdul Samad Ahmad 1979, p. xxvii
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica 2014
- ^ Ooi 2009, p. 285
- ^ Encyclopædia Britannica 2014
- ^ UNESCO 2012, p. 219