The history of Brunei concerns the settlements and societies located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, which has been under the influence of Indianised kingdoms and empires for much of its history. Local scholars assume that the Islamisation of Brunei started in the fifteenth century, with the formation of the Bruneian Empire, a thalassocracy which covered the northern part of Borneo and the southern Philippines. At the end of the 17th century, Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by Brunei Civil War, piracy, and European colonial expansion. Later, there was a brief war with Spain, in which Brunei lost Manila and evacuated their capital for a brief period until the Spanish withdrew. The empire lost much of its territory with the arrival of the Western powers, such as the Spanish in the Philippines and the British in Labuan, Sarawak, and North Borneo. The decline of the Bruneian Empire accelerated in the nineteenth century when Brunei gave much of its territory to the White Rajahs of Sarawak, resulting in its current small landmass and separation into two parts. Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin later appealed to the British to stop further annexation in 1888. In the same year, the British signed a "Treaty of Protection" and made Brunei a British protectorate until 1984 when it gained independence and prospered due to the discovery of oil.
Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital and largest city of Brunei. It is officially a municipal area with an area of 100.36 square kilometres (38.75 sq mi) and an estimated population of 100,700 as of 2007. It is part of Brunei-Muara District, the smallest yet most populous district which is home to over 70 per cent of the country's population. It is the country's largest urban centre and nominally the country's only city. The capital is home to Brunei's seat of government, as well as a commercial and cultural centre. It was formerly known as Brunei Town until it was renamed in 1970 in honour of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei and the father of the current Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.
Sultan Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 1950 until his abdication from the throne in 1967.
Omar Ali Saifuddin II was the 23rd Sultan of Brunei. During his reign, Western powers such as the United Kingdom and the United States visited the country. His reign saw the British adventurer James Brooke becoming the White Rajah of Sarawak.
Omar Ali Saifuddin I ibni Muhammad Alauddin, also known as Al-Marhum Makam Besar, was the 18th Sultan of Brunei and the second son of Sultan Muhammad Alauddin. He was regarded as one of the longest-serving sultans and was renowned for his wise leadership and just rule, merely following his father-in-law, Sultan Hussin Kamaluddin. In fact, he received helpful knowledge, counsel, and experience from his father-in-law when he was still alive during his reigning period.
The Brunei revolt or the Brunei rebellion of 1962 was a December 1962 insurrection in the British protectorate of Brunei by opponents of its monarchy and its proposed inclusion in the Federation of Malaysia who wanted to establish a republic. The insurgents were members of the TNKU, a militia supplied by Indonesia and linked to the left-wing Brunei People's Party (BPP), which favoured a North Borneo Federation. The TNKU began co-ordinated attacks on the oil town of Seria, on police stations, and on government facilities around the protectorate. The revolt began to break down within hours, having failed to achieve key objectives such as the capture of Brunei Town and Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The revolt influenced the Sultan's 1963 decision not to join Malaysia. It is seen as one of the first stages of the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.
Sheikh Azahari bin Sheikh Mahmud, better known as A.M. Azahari, was a Brunei politician. According to historian Hussaymiya, it is not possible to verify the truth about his 'Brunei birth'. Many people claimed he was born in Labuan, but Azahari strongly denied the claims and said he was born in Brunei Town in a house on the site where the Churchill Memorial Museum was later built.
Abdul Momin was the 24th Sultan of Brunei from 1852 until his death in 1885.
Brunei People's Party is a banned political party in Brunei. PRB was established as a left leaning party in 1956 and aimed to bring Brunei into full independence from the United Kingdom. The party sought to democratise the government by shifting the national leadership from the palace to the people.
Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin was the 25th Sultan of Brunei from 1885 to 1906.
The 20-point agreement, or the 20-point memorandum, is a list of 20 points drawn up by North Borneo, proposing terms for its incorporation into the new federation as the State of Sabah, during negotiations prior to the formation of Malaysia. In the Malaysia Bill of the Malaysia Agreement some of the twenty points were incorporated, to varying degrees, into what became the Constitution of Malaysia; others were merely accepted orally, thus not gaining legal status. The 20-point agreement often serves as a focal point amongst those who argue that Sabah's rights within the Federation have been eroded over time.
The History of Sarawak can be traced as far as 40,000 years ago to the paleolithic period where the earliest evidence of human settlement is found in the Niah caves. A series of Chinese ceramics dated from the 8th to 13th century AD was uncovered at the archeological site of Santubong. The coastal regions of Sarawak came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 16th century. In 1839, James Brooke, a British explorer, first arrived in Sarawak. Sarawak was later governed by the Brooke family between 1841 and 1946. During World War II, it was occupied by the Japanese for three years. After the war, the last White Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke, ceded Sarawak to Britain, and in 1946 it became a British Crown Colony. On 22 July 1963, Sarawak was granted self-government by the British. Following this, it became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia, established on 16 September 1963. However, the federation was opposed by Indonesia, and this led to the three-year Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. From 1960 to 1990, Sarawak experienced a communist insurgency.
Marsal bin Maun was the second Menteri Besar, who served from 1961 to 1962. It was during his tenure as Menteri Besar that the Brunei Revolt broke out. He was one of the person responsible for the establishment of the Federation of Brunei Malay Teachers (PGGMB) and Brunei Scout Movement, which both still run till today. He was a prominent member of the Brunei Malay Teachers' Union, close to Sultan Omar Ali Safuddien III, and the first of the "three M's" that the British government dreaded.
The Istana Darussalam is the former residence of Omar Ali Saifuddien III and birthplace of Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah. The palace is located at Jalan Darussalam, Sumbiling Lama, Brunei-Muara District, Brunei. The building has become a tourist attraction and currently under the protection of the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act of the Museums Department.
Pengiran Anak Damit was Queen of Brunei as the wife of the 28th Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddien III.
Isa bin Ibrahim CVO OBE is a nobleman and politician from Brunei who currently serves as the Special Adviser to His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan and Minister at the Prime Minister's Office since 30 January 2018.
Abbas Al-Sufri MVO was a nobleman, civil servant and courtier from Brunei who previously served as the acting personal secretary to Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. He had a career in the government service of Brunei, in which he held a number of important positions such as being a member of the Privy Council of Brunei.
Pengiran Anak Hashim, also simply referred to as P. M. Hashim, was a Bruneian nobleman and politician who formerly held several high-ranking positions which included being a member of the Privy Council, Legislative Council, and the Islamic Religious Council.
Prince Hashim of Brunei or commonly referred to by his title Pengiran Muda Hashim and Raja Muda Hashim, was a Bruneian prince who was the son of Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam, and uncle to Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II.
Idris Talog Davies CBE was a nobleman and judge who served in several high-ranking positions which included being appointed as a member of the Brunei Privy Council and the Brunei Attorney General. Notably, he was among the Avidosry Editorial Board for the Malayan Law Journal, and a lifetime member of the Malaysian Historical Society.
