This is missing information about Abdul Majid Hassan, who was said to rule between 1402 and 1408.(September 2021) |
Sultan of Brunei Darussalam | |
---|---|
Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam | |
Incumbent | |
Hassanal Bolkiah since 5 October 1967 | |
Details | |
Style | His Majesty |
Heir apparent | The Crown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah |
First monarch | Sultan Muhammad Shah |
Formation | 1368 |
Residence | Istana Nurul Iman, Bandar Seri Begawan |
This article is part of a series on the |
Politics of Brunei |
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Politicsportal |
The Sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state of Brunei and head of government in his capacity as prime minister of Brunei. [1] Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates back to the 14th century. [2]
The Sultan of Brunei can be thought of as synonymous with the ruling House of Bolkiah, with generations being traced from the first sultan, Muhammad Shah, temporarily interrupted by the thirteenth sultan, Abdul Hakkul Mubin, who in turn was deposed by a member of the House of Bolkiah. The sultan's full title is His Majesty The Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. [1]
No. | Portrait | Name | Reign start | Reign end | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Muhammad Shah / Awang Alak Betatar | 1363 [3] or 1368 | 1402 | Established the Sultanate. [3] | |
2 | Abdul Majid Hassan / Maharaja Karna | 1402 | 1408 | Died in Nanjing, China. | |
3 | Ahmad / Awang Pateh Berbai | 1408 | 1425 | ||
4 | Sharif Ali / Sultan Barkat (Blessed Sultan) | 1425 | 1432 | Previously the Sharif of Mecca of the Mamluk Sultanate and has no direct genealogical relation to the predecessor, but was selected as he was the son-in-law of the previous sultan (Ahmad) and was well versed in Islam. | |
5 | Sulaiman | 1432 | 1485 | Son of the previous sultan, Sharif Ali. Abdicated to allow his son Bolkiah to become sultan. | |
6 | Bolkiah / Nakhoda Ragam (The Singing Captain) | 1485 | 1524 | Son of the previous sultan, Sulaiman and the first Sultan to have used cannons during his reign. | |
7 | Abdul Kahar | 1524 | 1530 | Son of the previous sultan, Bolkiah | |
8 | Saiful Rijal | 1533 | 1581 | Nephew and adopted-son of the previous sultan, Abdul Kahar. Castile War broke out between Brunei and Spain. | |
9 | Shah Berunai | 1581 | 1582 | Eldest son of Sultan Saiful Rijal | |
10 | Muhammad Hassan | 1582 | 1598 | Younger brother of Shah Berunai. | |
11 | Abdul Jalilul Akbar | 1598 | 1659 | ||
12 | Abdul Jalilul Jabbar | 1659 | 1660 | ||
13 | Muhammad Ali | 1660 | 1661 | Garroted by his future successor Abdul Hakkul Mubin, sparking the Brunei Civil War. | |
14 | Abdul Hakkul Mubin | 1660 | 1673 | Started the Brunei Civil War by killing his predecessor Muhammad Ali and was in turn killed by Muhyiddin who succeeded him as Sultan. | |
15 | Muhyiddin | 1673 | 1690 | Son of Abdul Jalilul Akbar who avenged the death of his father-in-law Muhammad Ali by killing Abdul Hakkul Mubin, thus ending the Brunei Civil War. He also bought Gunpowder from the Sultanate of Jambi during the Brunei Civil War. | |
16 | Nasruddin | 1690 | 1710 | ||
17 | Hussin Kamaluddin | 1710 | 1730 | First reign. He ruled for the second time between 1737 and 1740. | |
18 | Muhammad Alauddin | 1730 | 1737 | Instructed Datu Imam Yaakub to write the Salsilah Raja-Raja Berunai or the Genealogy of the Sultans of Brunei. | |
(17) | Hussin Kamaluddin | 1737 | 1740 | Second reign | |
19 | Omar Ali Saifuddin I | 1740 | 1778 | ||
20 | Muhammad Tajuddin | 1778 | 1807 | Ordered Khatib Abdul Latif to inscribe Batu Tarsilah or Stone Tablet. | |
21 | Muhammad Jamalul Alam I | 1804 | 1804 | ||
22 | Muhammad Kanzul Alam | 1807 | 1826 | ||
23 | Muhammad Alam | 1826 | 1828 | ||
24 | Omar Ali Saifuddin II | 1828 | 1852 | Brunei ceded some territories of Sarawak to James Brooke. Brunei ceded Labuan to the British. | |
25 | Abdul Momin | 1852 | 29 May 1885 | Brunei ceded northwestern part of Borneo to the British. The declaration of Amanat took place in 1884 that vowed not to cede more Brunei territories to foreign powers. | |
26 | Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin | 29 May 1885 | 10 May 1906 | United Kingdom established protectorate over Brunei in 1888. | |
27 | Muhammad Jamalul Alam II | 10 May 1906 | 11 September 1924 | An outbreak of malaria claimed his life as well as three members of his family. | |
28 | Ahmad Tajuddin | 11 September 1924 | 4 June 1950 | Japanese occupation of Brunei took place. | |
29 | Omar Ali Saifuddien III | 4 June 1950 | 5 October 1967 | Signed the Brunei Constitution of 1959. Abdicated voluntarily in favor of his eldest son, Hassanal Bolkiah. Became Brunei's first Minister of Defence after independence in 1984. | |
30 | Hassanal Bolkiah | 5 October 1967 | Incumbent | Brunei regained independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. |
The earliest historical record of the Sultans of Brunei is not clearly known due to the poor early documentation of Brunei history. In addition there has been an effort to Islamise the history, with the "official history" not matching up with verifiable foreign sources [4] The Batu Tarsilah - the genealogical record of the kings of Brunei - was not started until 1807. Therefore, much of the interpretation of history relied on earlier Chinese sources and legends. It seems that the early Sultanate of Brunei was dependent on Chinese support, [3] [5] [6] and perhaps early Sultans were of Chinese origin. [3] Furthermore, the earliest Sultans may have been practicing the Hindu or Buddhist religions, with early names indicating this origin. [4]
Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with its territory bifurcated by the Sarawak district of Limbang. Brunei is the only sovereign state entirely on Borneo; the remainder of the island is divided between its multi-landmass neighbours of Malaysia and Indonesia. As of 2020, the country had a population of 460,345, of whom approximately 100,000 resided in the capital and largest city of Bandar Seri Begawan. Its official language is Malay and Islam is the state religion of the country, although other religions are nominally tolerated. The government of Brunei is an absolute monarchy ruled by the Sultan of Brunei, and it implements a fusion of English common law and jurisprudence inspired by Islam, including sharia.
Malaysia is a modern concept, created in the second half of the 20th century. However, contemporary Malaysia regards the entire history of Malaya and Borneo, spanning thousands of years back to prehistoric times, as its history.
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 that 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 its 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.
The Government of Brunei is the union government created by the constitution of Brunei where by the Sultan of Brunei is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Brunei has a legislative council with 36 appointed members, that only has consultative tasks. Under Brunei's 1959 constitution, His Majesty Hassanal Bolkiah, is the head of state with full executive authority, including emergency powers since 1962. The Sultan's role is enshrined in the national philosophy known as "Melayu Islam Beraja" (MIB), or Malay Islamic Monarchy. The country has been under hypothetical martial law since a rebellion occurred in the early 1960s and was put down by British troops from Singapore. The Seat of the Government is located in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
The Brunei dollar, has been the currency of the Sultanate of Brunei since 1967. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively B$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 sen (Malay) or cents (English). The Brunei dollar is issued by the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank.
Mohamed Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III is a member of the royal family of Brunei. He is the second son of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei, and Raja Isteri (Queen) Pengiran Anak Damit. He is the Head of the Brunei’s Viziers. After Brunei’s independence in 1984, he became the country’s first foreign minister, serving from 1 January 1984 until 22 October 2015. He served in the cabinet as the Minister of the Brunei's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade alongside the second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Lim Jock Seng.
Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 1950 until his abdication from the throne in 1967.
Al-Muhtadee Billah ibni Hassanal Bolkiah is the eldest son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and his wife Queen Saleha. He is the Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam and is first in the line of succession to the Bruneian throne.
Bendahara is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms comparable to a vizier before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a hereditary post. The bendahara and the sultan shared the same lineage.
The Brunei River is a river which flows through Brunei and empties into the Brunei Bay towards the north-east direction. The Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, stands on its banks. The Brunei River is the shortest major river in Brunei. It is the major river basin within the Brunei-Muara District, the smallest but most populous district. It flows through the country's capital Bandar Seri Begawan. It is home to Kampong Ayer, the Brunei's traditional village on stilts above the river water.
Islam is Brunei's official religion, 82.70 percent of the population is Muslim, mostly Sunnis of Malay origin who follow the Shafi'i school of jurisprudence. Most of the other Muslim groups are Malay Kedayans, local Chinese and Dayak Iban converts. Islam was introduced to Brunei by traders arriving from Persia, Arabia, China and the Indian subcontinent. Therefore, other religions can be practiced freely.
The Sultanate of Brunei or simply Brunei, also known as the Brunei Empire, was a Malay sultanate, centered in Brunei on the northern coast of Borneo Island in Southeast Asia. Brunei became a sovereign state around the 15th century, when it substantially expanded after the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese, extending throughout coastal areas of Borneo and the Philippines, before it declined in the 17th and 18th centuries. The first ruler or sultan of Brunei was a Muslim. It became a British protectorate in the 19th century.
The politics of Brunei take place in a framework of an absolute monarchy, whereby the Sultan of Brunei is both head of state and head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Brunei has a legislative council with 36 appointed members, that hold consultative powers only.
Bruneian Malays are a native Malay ethnic group that lives in Brunei, the federal territory of Labuan, the southwestern coast of Sabah and the northern parts of Sarawak. The Bruneian Malays are a subgroup of the larger ethnic Malay population found in the other parts of the Malay World, namely Peninsular Malaysia and the central and southern areas of Sarawak including neighbouring lands such as Singapore, Indonesia and Southern Thailand, having visible differences especially in language and culture, even though they are ethnically related to each other and follow the teachings of Islam. All Bruneian Malays who are born or domiciled in East Malaysia even for generations before or after the independence of the states of Sabah and Sarawak from the British Empire through the formation of Malaysia in 1963 are also considered Malaysian Malays in the national census and were in the same status like the Malaysian Malays domiciled in Peninsular Malaysian states and the central and southern parts of Sarawak. They are also defined as a part of the Bumiputera racial classification together as a subgroup within the Malaysian Malay ethnic population along with the Kadazan-Dusuns, Orang Ulu, Ibans, Malaccan Portuguese, Muruts, Orang Sungai, Bajau, Suluks and the Malaysian Siamese.
The House of Bolkiah is the ruling royal family of Brunei Darussalam. It is composed of the descendants of the 1st sultan Sultan Muhammad Shah and his family. The Sultan of Brunei is the head of state and absolute monarch of Brunei. He is also head of government in his capacity as Prime Minister.
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III is Sultan of Brunei since 1967 and the prime minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984.
Halbi bin Mohammad Yussof is a Bruneian nobleman, military officer and politician who currently serves as a Minister at the Prime Minister's Office and Minister of Defence II. He is a former member of the Legislative Council of Brunei, and previously served as the Minister of Defence II from 2018 to 2022, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports from 2015 to 2018, Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF), and Royal Brunei Land Forces (RBLF).
The Ministry of Defence Brunei Darussalam, officially abbreviated as MinDef, is a cabinet-level ministry of the Government of Brunei. It is responsible for the country's national security and military forces, the latter collectively known as the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF); Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei, (ABDB). It is Brunei's ministry of defence; and was established on 1 January 1984, when Brunei Darussalam achieved independence from the United Kingdom. The Ministry of Defence leadership presently consists of a minister ; its incumbent is the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, who is also the Supreme Commander of the RBAF / ABDB. A deputy minister is second-in-command at the MinDef.
The Most Esteemed Family Order of Laila Utama is an order of Brunei. It was established on 1 March 1954 by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III. The order carries the post-nominal letters "DK" or "DK I" as well as the title "Dato Laila Utama".