Hang Tuah

Hang Tuah is the peerless warrior and admiral, laksamana, of Malacca and hero of the Hikayat Hang Tuah, the exemplar of absolute loyalty to his ruler. Bearer of the magical kris Taming Sari, held to render its wielder invulnerable, he is unmatched in silat and in embassy alike. When his sworn friend Hang Jebat rebels to avenge Hang Tuah's own unjust condemnation, Hang Tuah returns from hiding at the sultan's word and kills him, choosing fidelity to the throne over friendship. His vow that the Malays shall never vanish from the earth became a touchstone of Malay identity. Sources differ on whether a historical figure underlies the legend.

Domains

• martial valour loyalty
• seamanship admiralty

Powers

• wield the kris Taming Sari
• master the martial art of silat

Epithets

• Laksamana — AdmiralSejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals), trans. C.C. Brown (1970). (primary)
• Takkan Melayu hilang di dunia — The Malays shall never vanish from the earthHikayat Hang Tuah, ed. Kassim Ahmad (1964). (secondary)

Sources

• Hang Tuah is the legendary admiral of Malacca and paragon of loyalty, bearer of the kris Taming Sari and hero of the Hikayat Hang Tuah.: Hikayat Hang Tuah, ed. Kassim Ahmad (Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1964); trans. Muhammad Haji Salleh, The Epic of Hang Tuah (Kuala Lumpur: ITBM, 2010). (secondary); Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals), trans. C.C. Brown (1970). (primary)