The Genealogy of Kings: Sulalat al-Salatin

Muhammad Haji Salleh

A History of the Malay Peninsula and the Islands of the Archipelago.

The Malay Annals (Sejarah Melayu), originally titled Sulalatus Salatin (Genealogy of Kings), is a literary work that gives a romanticised history of the origin, evolution and demise of the great Malay maritime empire, the Malacca Sultanate. The work which was composed sometime between 15th and 16th centuries, is considered one of the finest literary and historical works in the Malay language. 

In 2001, the Malay Annals were listed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme International Register. The Annals cover the founding of Melaka and its rise to power; its relationship with neighbouring kingdoms and distant countries; the advent of Islam and its spread in Melaka and the region as a whole; the history of the royalty in the region including battles won or lost, marriage ties and diplomatic relationships; the administrative hierarchy that ruled Melaka; the greatness of its rulers and administrators, including the Bendahara Tun Perak and Laksamana Hang Tuah.

Prof Muhammad Haji Salleh was awarded the National Literary Award in 1991 and won the SEA Writers Award in 1997. In 2008, he was named National Academic Leader. He was the President of the Malaysian Translators Association (1978-1982) and was the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. In 1992-1993, he was elected Fullbright Visiting Researcher, at the University of California, Berkeley.