Historians rely on Singapore's strategic position to explain its great success as a royal trading port in the 14th century, and as a British colony after 1819. What, then, accounts for the many centuries when it seemed not to thrive? This volume collects studies about Singapore before 1800, bringing together different efforts across the 20th century at reconstructing Singapore's ""missing years"".

1. Singapore ? History 2. Singapore ? Politics and government ? History 3. Singapore ? Economic conditions ? History