Tun Fatimah
Encyclopedia
Tun Fatimah was a well-known Malaysian heroine and daughter to the Malaccan Bendahara
who lived during the 16th century. She was married to Malacca's Sultan Mahmud Shah as one of his consorts after all her male siblings were executed.
She was of a Tamil Muslim descent, her father was Tun Mutahir, a Bendahara (Prime Minister) in Sultan Mahmud's time. Tun Mutahir was the descendant of Tun Kudu and Tun Ali's marriage (Both are prominent figures in the times of Sultan Muzzafar Shah, the 5th Sultan of Malacca).
Tun Fatimah was already married when the Sultan set his sights on her to become his new and latest wife. Tun Fatimah refused to divorce her husband when the Pembesar (Courtiers) urged her, this was her ultimate undoing because it led to the execution of all of her male relatives in her family, including the Bendehara Tun Mutahir and also her husband.
Tun Fatimah finally complied with the Sultan's wishes, she became his wife and she bore him two Princes and two princesses. The younger of the two Prince, Raja Raden Ali would in a few years become the second ruler of Johor Sultanate as Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah
for 36 years.
were more afraid of the Queen than her reigning Sultan
husband. She was known to help Tun Perak
, a Malaccan bendahara
, to lead the Malays in their fight against the invading Portuguese
forces in the early 16th century. Unfortunately, the Malays had later lost the war to the more technologically powerful Portuguese army. According to Malaysian historians it was a sly foreign Datuk of Malacca who gave out the secrets to them to conquer the city, and thus had eventually made the Malays lost their control of it. Perhaps the fall of Malacca is also partly due to the Sultan's cruelty. When Malacca fell to Portugal in 1511, it seemed that it was mainly Tun Fatimah's work that expanded the new Malay Johore-Riau from Johore and the Riau islands to parts of Sumatra
and Borneo
. The Malaccan Sultan
's power was almost restricted to a figurehead
. Tun Fatimah created an alliance with neighbouring kingdoms by letting her children marry the royal
families of Aceh
, Minangkabau and Borneo.
No one knew how long she had lived for, as well as when and where she died. However, fellow historians of the Malay Archipelago suggested that her tombstone is located in Kampar
, Riau on the Indonesia
n island
of Sumatra.
in 2004 Rosdeen Suboh's theatre production of Bangsawan Tun Fatimah in Istana Budaya.
Bendahara
Bendahara is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a hereditary post. It was the office that is held by bendahara family...
who lived during the 16th century. She was married to Malacca's Sultan Mahmud Shah as one of his consorts after all her male siblings were executed.
She was of a Tamil Muslim descent, her father was Tun Mutahir, a Bendahara (Prime Minister) in Sultan Mahmud's time. Tun Mutahir was the descendant of Tun Kudu and Tun Ali's marriage (Both are prominent figures in the times of Sultan Muzzafar Shah, the 5th Sultan of Malacca).
Tun Fatimah was already married when the Sultan set his sights on her to become his new and latest wife. Tun Fatimah refused to divorce her husband when the Pembesar (Courtiers) urged her, this was her ultimate undoing because it led to the execution of all of her male relatives in her family, including the Bendehara Tun Mutahir and also her husband.
Tun Fatimah finally complied with the Sultan's wishes, she became his wife and she bore him two Princes and two princesses. The younger of the two Prince, Raja Raden Ali would in a few years become the second ruler of Johor Sultanate as Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah
Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor
Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II was the first Sultan of Johor. He ruled Johor from 1528 to 1564. He founded the Johor Sultanate following the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511. He was the second son of Mahmud Shah of Malacca. Thus, Johor was a successor state of Malacca and Johor's sultans...
for 36 years.
Her role in Malay politics
She was the first Malay man to lead her people like a charismatic sovereign queen. It is said that the PortuguesePortuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
were more afraid of the Queen than her reigning Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
husband. She was known to help Tun Perak
Tun Perak
Bendahara Paduka Raja Tun Perak was the fifth and most famous bendahara, a Malay rank similar to a prime minister, of the Sultanate of Malacca. He served under four sultans from 1456 to 1498. Early in his life, Perak was a soldier-statesman for Malaccan rulers...
, a Malaccan bendahara
Bendahara
Bendahara is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a hereditary post. It was the office that is held by bendahara family...
, to lead the Malays in their fight against the invading Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
forces in the early 16th century. Unfortunately, the Malays had later lost the war to the more technologically powerful Portuguese army. According to Malaysian historians it was a sly foreign Datuk of Malacca who gave out the secrets to them to conquer the city, and thus had eventually made the Malays lost their control of it. Perhaps the fall of Malacca is also partly due to the Sultan's cruelty. When Malacca fell to Portugal in 1511, it seemed that it was mainly Tun Fatimah's work that expanded the new Malay Johore-Riau from Johore and the Riau islands to parts of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. The Malaccan Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
's power was almost restricted to a figurehead
Figurehead
A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and 19th century.-History:Although earlier ships had often had some form of bow ornamentation A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and...
. Tun Fatimah created an alliance with neighbouring kingdoms by letting her children marry the royal
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
families of Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
, Minangkabau and Borneo.
No one knew how long she had lived for, as well as when and where she died. However, fellow historians of the Malay Archipelago suggested that her tombstone is located in Kampar
Kampar Regency
Kampar is a regency of Riau, Indonesia. It has an area of 11,707.64 km² and population of about 415,344.The regency is divided into 13 subdistricts . The seat of the regency is located at Bangkinang.Bordered with:...
, Riau on the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
n island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Sumatra.
Tun Fatimah in Popular Culture
Tun Fatimah was portrayed by Fasha SandhaFasha Sandha
Nur Fasha Sandha binti Hassan or commercially known as Fasha Sandha is a Malaysian actress who has appeared in movies, television shows, and commercials. She was born in Johor Bahru, Johor, but moved to Penang and later to Perlis due to her father's work...
in 2004 Rosdeen Suboh's theatre production of Bangsawan Tun Fatimah in Istana Budaya.