Etymology[edit]

Further information: Parameshwara (God)

The name Parameswara is derived from the Sanskrit word Paramevar (Sanskrit: ),
a Hindu concept literally meaning the "mighty Lord". The word "parama" meaning "the supreme" is
added to Ishvara to intensify the title of God. Paramevara is also one of the names of Lord Shiva.
There is basically only one record which give in some detail on the kingdoms of Singapura and
Malacca - the Malay Annals written during the heyday of Malacca and re-compiled in 1612 by
the Johor court. It is the basis for accounts of its founding, the succession of its rulers and its
eventual decline. However, the accuracy and historicity of the Malay Annals is in doubt according to
historians.[2]Another important record, the Suma Oriental, was written shortly after the Portuguese
conquest of Malacca. Both Suma Oriental and Malay Annals do contain similar stories about a
fleeing Srivijayan prince arriving in Singapura and about the last king of Singapura who fled to the
west coast of Malay peninsula to found Malacca. However, both accounts differ markedly
when Suma Oriental identified the fleeing prince and the last king of Singapura as the same person
known as "Parameswara". On the other hand, the more detailed Malay Annals identified the fleeing
prince and the last king as completely two different persons separated by five generations. Suma
Oriental noted further that the fleeing Srivijayan prince usurped the throne of Singapura from a
Siamese viceroy named "Temagi" sometimes around the 1390s. The only Chinese first-hand
account of 14th century Temasek (the name used before it was changed to Singapura), Dao Yi Zhi
Lue written by Wang Dayuan, indicates that Temasek was ruled by a local chief (before the time of
Parameswara).[3]
The Ming Chronicle (Ming Shilu) recorded that the consort of Parameswara known as B-r-m-s-l
() ('Parameswari') attended a banquet together with the king Bai-li-mi-su-la
('Parameswara') in the Ming court.[4] It is more likely that 'Parameswari' ("Supreme Lordess") referred
to a title rather than a given name, which is in fact still in use today in the form of "Permaisuri"
('Queen') in Malay language. Therefore, the name Parameswara is also believed to be a small part
of a longer regnal title which was something common among Malay royals until the present day.
Apart from Parameswara the founder of Malacca, there were two other rulers from the same lineage
that use Parameswara in their regnal title, they are Sang Nila Utama, the founder of
ancient Singapura (titled "Sri Maharaja Sang Utama Parameswara Batara Sri Tri Buana") and Abu
Syahid Shah, the fourth Sultan of Malacca (titled "Raja Sri Parameswara Dewa Shah").

Life[edit]
Origin[edit]
There are varying accounts of the origin and life of Parameswara. Although the Malay Annals omits
any mention of Parameswara, it is believed that the Iskandar Shah of the Malay Annals may have
been Parameswara.[5] In this account, Parameswara would have been a descendant of Sang Nila
Utama said to have founded Singapura. However, Portuguese accounts by Tom Pires and Joo de
Barros that may have been based on a Javanese source suggest that Parameswara was a prince
from Palembang who attempted to challenge Javanese rule over Palembang sometime after 1360.
In this version, different from that of the Malay Annals, the Javanese attacked and drove
Parameswara out of Palembang, who then escaped to Singapore. Parameswara soon assassinated
the local ruler with the title Sang Aji, Sangesinga. Parameswara then ruled for five years before he
was driven out by people from the Kingdom of Patani, possibly for killing Sang Ali whose wife may
have been from Patani.[6] However, the account by Pires indicates that Iskandar Shah was the son of
Parameswara who became the second ruler of Malacca.[7]

Fall of Singapura[edit]