During the last days of Srivijaya empire, the center of power shifted to Malayu in Muaro Jambi[disambiguation needed] area, Jambi, and later moved upstream to Dharmasraya. After the collapse of Srivijaya, there was no major political power to control the town, however some Malay nobility families remain in town.
At this time, the last Srivijaya prince, Parameswara, emerged. He tried to revive the city as an independent center of commerce once again and breaking from Majapahit overlordship. Majapahit took this action as rebellion and sent massive punitive naval expedition to Palembang. Parameswara fled to Tumasik with Sang Nila Utama.
There he killed the governor of the Tumasik Thai nationals, and when the Thai army attacked Tumasik, Parameswara and his followers moved to Malacca in the Malay Peninsula, and established the Kingdom of Malacca. Parameswara converted to Islam in order to marry the daughter of Pasai, and changed his name to Sultan Iskandar Shah. Malacca flourished in the 15th century, and Parameswara became the sole ruler of the Malacca Strait and waters around it.
After the fall of Palembang to Majapahit invasion, there was no major political power to control the town. The town was left in chaos and desolation. At that time in Palembang and the surrounding villages local militias forces began emerging, such as the Great Commander in the lower Yellow River Musi, The Sigentar Alam group in the hills, the Tuan Bosai on river upstream, Commander Gumay groups along the Bukit Barisan, and so on.
In addition, some merchants from China made this city as their trade base, also inviting pirates from China. Orang laut also made Palembang as their home, and these rough sailors without government and authority has transformed Palembang as a pirate haven for many years to come. Chinese pirates are known to investing the area around Malaccan straits, until Cheng Ho naval expedition on behalf of Ming dynasty defeated these pirates.
Sultanate of Palembang
Local elders of Palembang during colonial period.
Destruction of Majapahit in Java indirectly influenced Sumatra. Several key figures behind the collapse of Majapahit were Raden Patah, Ario Dillah (Ario Damar), and Pati Unus, figures closely associated with Palembang. The Sultanate of Demak subsequently replaced Majapahit in Java. Sultanate of Palembang was established[when?] by Ki gede ing Suro, a Javanese nobles fleeing the Demak court intrique after the death of Trenggana Sultan of Demak. Palembang was made the center of a sultanate with Darussalam Mukmiminin Khalifatul susuhunan Sayyidu Abddurrahaman Faith as its first king. This kingdom formed from the merger of two cultures. The maritime heritage of the Sriwijaya and Majapahit combined to create the greatest agricultural and trade center of the Malay world at the time. One of the most famous king during this period was Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II, who won three battles against both Dutch and English forces.
Colonial period
The walled city of Palembang with its three fortresses in 1682.
In 1619 the VOC opened a trading post in Palembang. Although it was closed a few years later by Jan Pieterszoon Coen, some contact was maintained with the town. The VOC’s Resident in Jambi ordered pepper from the traders of Palembang, who sailed to Batavia themselves to sell the pepper. Because of the low profit yield for the Company, Batavia asked the sultan for permission to reopen the trading post in the town. The contract with the sultan gave the VOC Resident authority over all foreign ships calling at the harbor of Palembang. This enabled the Company to guard against illicit trading. Despite these privileges, the Company was still dependent on the sultan, who decided whether the Resident’s demands were acceptable or not.
In the 18th century Palembang supplied around 50,000 pounds of white pepper annually.
After the fall of the Sultanate of Palembang Darussalam, Palembang became a subordinate kingdom within the Dutch East Indies. The main victory of Dutch forces under de Kock occurred in 1821. Some of the sultans of surrendered states succeeding Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II tried to rebel against the Dutch. All attempts failed and resulted in the burning of imperial buildings.
After that Palembang was divided into two major prefectures, and settlements in Palembang were divided into regions and Ulu Ilir.
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Palembang Today
SEA GAMES XXVI 2011 opening ceremony held in Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, Palembang in 11 November 2011
On 27 September 2005, the President of Indonesia declared Palembang to be the “City of Water Tour” on 27 September 2005. The President revealed that the city would increasingly be known for its water attractions, similar to other South East Asian cities such as Bangkok and Phnom Penh.
The city of Palembang in 2008 publicized its tourist attractions with the slogan “Visit Musi 2008?. More recently, Palembang has drawn further international attention as one of the host cities of the SEA GAMES XXVI 2011.
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