The Tomb of Mansur Shah, Sultan of 

 Malacca, 1459—? 1475 A. D. 



By R. 0. WlNSTEDT. 



(With two plates) 



When I was last in Europe, Mr. Blagden gave me a transcript 

 of the inscription on a tomb purporting to be that of Sultan Mansur 

 Shah, one of the rulers of Malacca before the advent of the Portu- 

 guese. Mr. Hervey had got two the inscriptions transcribed and 

 had told Mr. Blagden that the tomb still existed. Mr. Blagden 

 asked me if I could trace, it. On a visit to Malacca, I found the 

 two stones of the tomb placed against the wall of the Residency: 

 Mr. Wolferstan kindly arranged for them to be photographed and 

 undertook to take steps for their preservation. The photographs 

 have been reproduced for its Journal. 



An account of Sultan Mansur Shah's reign will be found on 

 pp. 24-26 of Wilkinson's " History, Part I " in the " Papers on 

 Malay Subjects" (F. M. S. Govt.' Press, Kuala Lumpur). 



According to Hervey's version, the inscription of the face at 

 the bottom (or left) of Plate I should be deciphered as follows: — 



" Hadza raudzat al-mukaddasat wa'l-daulat al-tamih, dl- 

 matharat al-Sultan al-munawar al-adil al-malih al-badzil al-Sultan 

 al-marlium Mansur Shah, lead antakala min dar al-mahal ila dar 

 al-wirad yaum al-arhaa sanat dua Bajab wa thamaniri wa thaman 

 mi' all." 



The translation is. 



" This is the tomb of the illustrious -high and righteous glorious 

 and just Sultan, the beneficent prince, the ruler loved of God, 

 Mansur Shah. He departed this mortal abode for the abode of bliss 

 on Wednesday, the second day of the month of Rejab in the year 

 of the Hegira 880." 



The inscription on the two edges of the tomb is deciphered : — 

 which means 



" Al-asma al-dufana' al-Sultan al-Ali" 



" The name of the deceased, the most exalted Sultan.*' 



The 2nd of Eejab 880 A.H. = Wednesday, Xov. 1, U75 A.D. 

 But unfortunately the bottom line of the inscription would seem 

 to have been chipped and damaged since Hervey's day. If the date 

 is correct, the tomb will be the oldest known relic in Malacca, per- 

 haps with the exception of the Hindu malcara at the foot of the 

 Residency hill. 



Jour. Straits Branch R. A. Soc, No. 78. 



