Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter. Hang Tuah is held in the highest regard, even in present-day Malaysian Malay culture, and is arguably the most well-known and illustrious warrior figure in Malaysian history and literature. Hang Tuah was born in Kampong Sungai Duyong, Malacca, to Hang Mahmud and Dang Merdu Wati. His interest in religious knowledge and skill in the art of self-defense became apparent at a young age, and he was said to be inseparable from his four childhood friends: Hang Kasturi, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu. Hang Tuah and his close-knit group of friends eventually became the Malay equivalent of the Three Musketeers. He perfected his natural abilities at self-defense by practicing silat under a teacher named Guru Adi Putra, who also taught Hang Kasturi, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu. It was under this teacher's instruction that Hang Tuah also learned how to meditate. As a youth, Hang Tuah was first noticed by the Bendahara (in modern parlance, the Prime Minister) of Malacca, Tun Perak. A band of pirates ran amok, causing havoc in a village, and Tun Perak and his guards' attempts to quell the unrest resulted in further attacks on the Bendahara.
