The Vatican Library (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana) holds what is considered the oldest extant recension of the Undang-Undang Melaka (Laws of Malacca), which includes the Undang-Undang Laut (Maritime Laws or Law of the Malay Sea).
The Vatican Manuscript: Vat. ind. 4
The manuscript, cataloged as Vat. ind. 4, (Malakaans Wetboek van Zeerecht) is a highly significant document for historians of Southeast Asia. While the laws themselves were promulgated during the reign of Sultan Mahmud Shah (1488–1511), the physical manuscript in the Vatican dates to March 1, 1656.
Here are a few key details about this specific holding:
- Historical Context: It was likely produced in Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) and eventually made its way to Europe through Dutch orientalists like Adrian Reland in the early 18th century.
- It has been preserved in the Vatican since the early 17th century, having been part of a collection of Malay and Javanese manuscripts sent from Batavia between 1705 and 1710.
- The Content: The manuscript is a comprehensive legal digest. It covers not just maritime law (navigation, duties of the nakhoda or captain, and trade), but also land laws, marriage laws, and Islamic jurisprudence.
- The Title: In the Vatican’s records, it is sometimes referred to by its Latin descriptive title: Jus maritimum secundum constitutiones Regis Malacarum Sultani Mahmoud (The Maritime Law according to the constitution of the King of Malacca Sultan Mahmud).
- Renowned Scholar Dr. Liaw Yock Fang has described it as the "Best Manuscripts" of the Malacca laws due to its completeness and age compared to other surviving copies.
Why the Vatican?
It may seem surprising to find a Malay legal code in the heart of the Catholic Church, but the Vatican Library has long served as a global repository for human knowledge. Its Indian/Indonesian Fond contains several rare Malay and Javanese manuscripts sent to Europe during the colonial era, often by scholars and collectors who recognized their intellectual value even if they were outside the Church's religious mission.
How the Manuscript Reached the Vatican
The manuscript was copied on March 1, 1656, and somehow made its way from the Malay Archipelago to Europe within a few decades.
- Dutch Collection: It was originally part of a collection of Malay and Javanese manuscripts gathered in Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) between 1705 and 1710.
- The Vatican Transfer: These documents were sent to the Vatican in the early 18th century as part of the Vat. ind. (Vatican Indian) collection, likely through ecclesiastical or diplomatic channels established during the Dutch colonial presence in Southeast Asia.
- Rarity: Scholars like Dr. Liaw Yock Fang highlight that while many Malay manuscripts were lost to fire or war, this specific copy remained "jealously guarded" or overlooked in the Vatican’s archives, preserving it as the oldest and most complete extant version
Other Notable Manuscripts
While the Vatican holds the oldest version of this specific legal code, it’s worth noting that the oldest Malay manuscript overall is the Tanjung Tanah code of law, which dates back to the 14th century (pre-Islamic) and is held in Sumatra, Indonesia.
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2 January 2026: 12.09 a.m
