Legend has it that while hunting, the Prince of Palembang of the Srivijaya Empire, known as Sang Nila Utama, noticed an island across the sea. Curiosity piqued, he inquired of his chief minister, who informed him that it was known as Temasek (Singapore's original name, which means "sea town" in Old Javanese). The prince ordered that the city be built on top of the hill overlooking the sea. Thus, Singapore was born. Early history The first settlers in what is now called Singapore were a tribe of Indonesian hunters called the Senoi. They arrived around A.D. 300 and began building their own villages on the coastal hillsides. Over time, these settlements became more permanent with houses made of wood and thatched with rice plants. The people grew crops including sugar cane, vegetables, and fruits such as pineapples in their own community orchardries. They also hunted buffalo, deer, and fish in the waters surrounding the island. In 1186, Ang Mo Kio (the last ruler of the Kingdom of Singapura) surrendered to the invading forces of Melaka (present-day Malaysia). He was given peaceable passage out of Singapore with his family but was later captured and executed by the Malays. After this defeat, no member of the royal family was allowed to survive. So, the story goes that all the prisoners of war were killed to ensure there would be no future resistance to the Malay invasion.