Malayu

an Indonesian kingdom in the central part of the eastern coastal region of the island of Sumatra; it existed from the seventh to the 14th century.

The political center of Malayu was located in the district of the present-day city of Jambi. In the first half of the seventh century, Malayu was a developed feudal state and conducted a lively trade within Indonesia and abroad. Between 683 and 686, Malayu was conquered by Srivijaya. In the 13th century, Malayu regained its political independence and became one of the principal states of western Indonesia. Its population adhered to hinduized local beliefs for a long time. By the 14th century, Malayu had lost its status as an international trading center. After 1371 reports about Malayu as an independent state disappear.