Malahayati was born in the 16th century in the Aceh Empire, present day Indonesia, to Admiral Machmud Syah. She studied at Pesantren, an Islamic school, before moving on to Ma’had Baitul Maqdis or the Aceh Royal Military Academy. At the time, Aceh was one of the strongest empires in the region, controlling the Malacca Strait, a busy regional trade hub. During this time, Malahayati was appointed as the First Admiral of the powerful Aceh Navy. During her time as First Admiral, she became well known as a powerful warrior and legendary commander, winning several battles with the Portuguese and Dutch colonizers. In 1599, after a Dutch commander, Cornelis de Houtman, insulted the Sultan of Aceh, the two armies engaged in battle, with Malahayati leading the Aceh army into battle, eventually killing de Houtmano on 11 September 1599. In 1602, England chose to lead a peaceful, diplomatic mission to enter the Malacca Strait, sending a letter from Queen Elizabeth I via James Lancaster to the Sultan of Aceh. Malahayati led the negotiation with Lancaster, which eventually led to the opening of an English route to Java. She was killed in combat during battle with a Portuguese naval fleet and was buried in Bukit Kota Dalam, a fishing village a short trip from Banda Aceh. Her legacy lives on in modern Indonesia, with a number of universities, hospitals and roads bearing her name. A naval ship - KRI Malahayati - and a naval port near her grave - Malahayati Port - both bear her name as well. In 2017, President Joko Widodo awarded her the title of National Hero of Indonesia, the highest level title awarded in the country,.