Captain Adam Johann von Krusenstern (1770–1846) was a Russian admiral and explorer, best known for leading the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe. His connection to the Malay Annals (Sejarah Melayu) is significant to historians because he is the namesake of one of the oldest known manuscripts of the text.
The Krusenstern Manuscript
In 1798, Krusenstern was serving on a British merchant vessel and spent several months in Malacca (Melaka) while recovering from an illness. During this stay, he acquired a copy of the Sejarah Melayu (then known as the Sulalat al-Salatin).
- Significance: The "Krusenstern Manuscript" is considered the oldest known copy of the Sejarah Melayu, dated to roughly June–October 1798.
- Discovery: While Krusenstern was not a Malay scholar, he recognized the cultural importance of the document. He eventually donated it to the Russian Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg in 1802.
- Modern Study: The manuscript remained relatively obscure to Western and Southeast Asian scholars for nearly two centuries. It was "rediscovered" for the wider academic community by Russian scholars like A.M. Kulikova and later featured in research by prominent Malay historians such as Ahmat Adam.
Why It Matters
The Sejarah Melayu exists in many different versions and "recensions." The Krusenstern version is vital for comparative literature because:
- The "Long" vs. "Short" Versions: It provides a baseline for understanding how the text evolved before the better-known 1812 version (the Raffles MS 18) became the standard.
- Historical Accuracy: Because it predates the versions edited under British colonial influence (like those by John Leyden or Sir Stamford Raffles), it offers a unique glimpse into the text's structure in the late 18th century.
Comparison of Key Manuscripts
| Manuscript | Date Acquired | Current Location |
| Krusenstern MS (K) | 1798 | St. Petersburg, Russia |
| Raffles MS 18 | 1812 | Royal Asiatic Society, London |
| Farquhar MS 5 | ~1810s | British Library, London |
Note: Although Krusenstern is primarily remembered as a naval explorer who mapped the Pacific and named the Cook Islands, his incidental "souvenir" from Malacca became a foundational treasure for Malay philology.
KRUSENSTERN VS RAFFLES VERSION
While the Raffles MS 18 (the 1612 recension) is the version most commonly taught in schools as the "standard" text, the Krusenstern Manuscript (1798) is a vital historical alternative. To a student, the differences might feel subtle, but to a historian, they reveal a completely different "state" of the Malay world.
The primary differences lie in the scope of the story, the dating system, and the ending.
1. The Ending: Where the Story Stops
The most visible difference is where the narrative concludes.
- Raffles MS 18 (Standard): This is the "Johor version." It follows the royal line even after the fall of Malacca in 1511, continuing the story into the early 17th-century Johor Sultanate. It was edited in 1612 to boost the legitimacy of the Johor rulers.
- Krusenstern MS: This is a "short version" (or Malacca version). It ends abruptly with the conquest of Malacca by the Portuguese in 1511. It does not include the later adventures of the exiled sultans in Johor.
2. Dates vs. Durations
In school textbooks, the Sejarah Melayu is often criticized by historians for lacking specific dates (e.g., "he reigned for 40 years" rather than "he died in 1459").
- Raffles MS 18: Generally lacks specific calendar years. It focuses on the duration of reigns and the legendary nature of the events.
- Krusenstern MS: Remarkably, this version includes actual dates for the succession and death of individual kings. This makes it a rare bridge between traditional Malay "story-telling" history and factual "chronicle" history.
3. Language and Vocabulary
Because the Krusenstern MS was copied later (1798) but from an older tradition, its language reveals different influences.
- Sanskrit/Kawi Influence: Scholar Ahmat Adam, who edited the Krusenstern facsimile, notes a significant presence of Old Javanese (Kawi) and Sanskrit terms.
- Portuguese Influence: Interestingly, the Krusenstern MS contains fewer "modern" interpolations and more direct loanwords from the era of the Portuguese-Malay conflict, reflecting the language used in Malacca at the time it was copied.
Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Raffles MS 18 (School Standard) | Krusenstern MS |
| Origin Date | 1612 (The "Year of the Golden Deer") | 1798 (Copy of an older tradition) |
| Recension | Long / Johor Recension | Short / Malacca Recension |
| Final Event | Establishment of the Johor Sultanate | The Portuguese conquest of Malacca (1511) |
| Chronology | Uses durations (reigned X years) | Uses specific calendar dates |
| Primary Theme | Legitimacy of the Johor-Riau line | The rise and fall of the Malacca Empire |
Why don't we use the Krusenstern version in schools?
The Raffles MS 18 is used because it is more "literary." It includes the most famous stories of the Bendahara (Prime Ministers), the legendary wisdom of the sultans, and the full development of the "social contract" between the ruler and the subject (the covenant of Demang Lebar Daun).
The Krusenstern version is seen more as a scientific or philological tool—it helps scholars verify if the Raffles version was "exaggerated" or changed by later editors.
Reference:
- Museum Volunteers JMM : Tales from the Malay Annals: A Brief Introduction
- New Straits Times: Russians wrote of Old Malay World
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Google Gemini AI
13 January 2026: 10.41 p.m
