Tun Sri Lanang was born in 1565 in Seluyut, Johore, and was descended from Tun Tahir, a brother of Bendahara Tun Mutahir of Malacca. There are not many records about his period as Bendehara in Johore. However, during the rule of Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah III, he shouldered a heavier burden on the affairs of the state as the Sultan is a weak ruler. He shared the responsibility with the Sultan's brother Raja Abdullah. During the period the Dutch were attacking the Portuguese for the port of Malacca. The Dutch signed a friendship treaty with the Johore Sultanate with Tun Sri Lanang as a representative. Tun Sri Lanang refused the Dutch request of helping the Dutch to blockade the port of Malacca preferring the Dutch do it themselves. In 1612, at the request of Raja Abdullah to pen the Malay Annals to ensure "... all the adat, the rules and the ceremonies of the Malay Sultans and Rajas to be heard by our descendants and is made known all utterances so that it may benefit them". At this time, under the orders of Sultan Alauddin Riaayat Shah, Tun Sri Lanang oversaw the editorial and compilation process of the Malay Annals, better known as Sejarah Melayu in Malay. In 1613, Acheh attacked Johor and in the battle of Batu Sawar. Johore was defeated and the Royal Family and Tun Sri Lanang was captured and brought to Aceh. The Bendaharaship was continued by his descendants. His notable descendants include Bendehara Tun Habib Abdul Majid and the Raja Temenggung of Muar.
Later life in Aceh
After a brief "reeducation" in Aceh, the Johor Royal Family was returned to Johor. Tun Sri Lanang elected to stay in Acheh. He became advisor to the third Sultan of Acheh and was bestowed an Acheh honorific title. He was awarded a personal fief in Samalanga, Aceh in 1613 and held the title Uleebalang of Samalanga. He died in 1659 in Samalanga.
Legacy
Some of Tun Sri Lanang's descendants ruled as the Uleebalang of Samalanga until 1949, when Indonesia was formed in the same year. Many of his descendants were fervent nationalists including the female warrior Pocut Meuligo, Teuku Muhammad Daud, Teuku Abdul Hamid Azwar and Teuku Hamzah Bendehara. Some of his descendants carry the "Bedahara" suffix to their names indicating their ancestry. His legacy is not only the rewriting and compiling of the magnum opus "Sejarah Melayu" but also includes the strongly Islamic flavor of Samalanga. Samalanga is also known as "Kota Santri", or "Town of Medrassas" is the centre of Islamic propagation in Acheh until today. Samalanga was also among the last town to fall to the Dutch during the time of the last Sultan of Acheh, Sultan MuhammadDaud Shah and also one of his strongholds.
