old Hindu-Buddhist-Animistic cultural practices and beliefs of the people and imbued it with an Islamic worldview. Beginning 12th century, the old polities were soon gradually superseded by Islamic kingdoms across the region. The most important of these was Melaka Sultanate, established around 1400 CE. At the zenith of its power in the 15th century, Melaka exercised its special role not only as a trading centre, but also as the centre of Islamic learning, therefore promoting the development of Malay literary traditions. The blossoming of Malay literature in this era had transformed the Classical Malay dialect of Melaka, enabling it to attain the linguistic prestige. As a result, growth in trade between Melaka and the rest of the archipelago has made the dialect to spread beyond the traditional Malay speaking world, and eventually became a lingua franca of Maritime Southeast Asia. It was then further evolved into Bahasa Melayu pasar ("Bazaar Malay") or Bahasa Melayu rendah ("Low Malay"), which generally believed as a form of pidgin influenced by contact between Malay and Chinese traders. The most important development, has been that pidgin Malay creolised, creating several new languages such as the Ambonese Malay, Manado Malay and Betawi language. The period of Melaka was also known as the era of Malay ethnogenesis, signified by strong infusion of Islamic values into Malay identity, and the flourish of various important aspects of Malay culture. The term 'Melayu' ("Malay") to refer to a distinct group of people had been clearly defined, to describe the cultural preferences of the Melakans as against foreigners from the same region, notably the Javanese and Thais. The cara Melayu ('ways of Malay'), were the cara Melaka ('ways of Melaka'); in language, dress, manners, entertainments and so forth, might be referred to as 'Malay', and this Melaka-based culture or civilisation was acknowledged right across the archipelago. The aboriginal communities from Orang Asli and Orang Laut who constituted a majority original population of Melaka were also Malayised and incorporated into the hierarchical structure of Melaka. Successfully did Melakan rulers equate the kingdom with "Melayu" that one Malay text describes how, after a defeat, the people of Melaka fled into the jungle where they became Jakun, that is Orang Hulu ('upriver people'). It shows that, without the mantle of Melaka's prestige, the local inhabitants were undifferentiated from the other non-Malay elements in neighbouring areas. The Melakans were described by European travellers as "white",