Hang Jebat

Presented in Malay literary and historical tradition as a companion and fellow warrior of Hang Tuah in the Malacca Sultanate (born c. 1400 in the sources). The central episode holds that after Hang Tuah was sentenced to death, Hang Jebat was given the Taming Sari kris and, believing his friend unjustly killed, rose in violent rebellion against the sultan until finally confronted and fatally defeated by Hang Tuah. Varying accounts in the oral and literary tradition amplify or alter details of these events.

Sources do not provide a physical description. He is identified principally by his status as an exceptional silat exponent and by his possession and use of the Taming Sari kris, marking him as a warrior-figure within the court milieu.

Portrayed as one of the greatest silat exponents in Malay tradition and nearly unbeatable when wielding the Taming Sari kris. Narratives describe him wreaking havoc on the palace and city after turning against the ruler, with some accounts claiming prolonged combat (a duel with Hang Tuah lasting seven days) and extended violent aftermath (wounding, bandaging, and then running amok for days). Ethically, he is characterized by principled rebellion against perceived tyrannical rulership, encapsulated in the maxim 'Raja adil raja disembah, raja zalim raja disanggah.'