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Modern Kedah begins with the Hindu-Buddhist era in the 5th Century. Even the current royal family's past can be traced to that century. Other findings also show that Kedah was the cradle of Hindu-Buddhist civilization in the Peninsula and one of the first places to come into contact with Indian traders. These archaeological findings show that the state was once a prosperous center for trade. The history of Kedah is marked by successive periods of foreign influence due to its vulnerable position - it was located on one of the main transit routes across the Peninsula on the great east-west trade route. It first came under the influence of the Sriwijaya Empire of Sumatra during the 7th and 8th Century. Later, it fell under the influence of the Thais until the 15th Century when the rise of Melaka led to the Islamization of the area. The Portuguese later attacked Kedah in the 17th Century. The British held power in the 18th Century and the Siamese again in the 19th Century.