The Pahang Sultanate

1. The History

The Pahang Sultanate, formerly Negeri Pahang (Pahang State), had existed since the Neolithic period. Its existence is proven by the discovery of prehistoric artifacts by archeologists in caves, hills, along rivers, and mining lands. The artifacts include stones, earthenware, bronze, glazed porcelain, and iron made by prehistoric people. These places include Gunung Senyum, Gunung Tongkat, Gunung Kecil, Gunung Cintamani, Gunung Bama, Gunung Kota Gelanggi, and the Tembeling River.

Not only have the artifacts proven the existence of Pahang, but it is also corroborated by the documented mention of the area in the records written by foreign wanderers who came across the Pahang state. The records of Chau Jou-kua (1225 A.D), Fei Shin (1436 A.D), and Mpu Prapanca in his book Nagarakertagama (1365 A.D) are among examples. Those records mention Pahang as a state. 

The Pahang Sultanate was established around 1470 A.D. The presence of Khmer people, who had significant influence in the region, preceded the history of the Sultanate. Some historians relate it to the coming of the Sukhotai people, who ruled over the Kingdom of Ligor in South Thailand. The Sukhotai Kingdom, after gaining much power, expanded its territories to the Malay Peninsula and almost dominated half of it, namely Pahang, Perak, Terengganu, Kelantan, Kedah, and Perlis. They appointed Maharaja Dewa Sura, as wazir, to take control over the state and run the administration. His reign was short-lived as the Sultan of Malacca, Mansur Shah, would later successfully seize it.             

Left kingless after the death of Maharaja, Pahang experienced unstable political situation. This prompted Mansur Shah to appoint Seri Bija Diraja to serve as his representative in the state. Following the end of his tenure, Mansur Shah was undecided as to whom he should appoint the next ruler. He had even considered one of his sons, Raja Ahmad and Raja Muhammad, to take the position. However, since both were infamous for their indiscretions, as they murdered a son of Bendahara Besar (treasurer) in a folk game, Mansur Shah abandoned his plan.

Sultan Mansur Shah appointed Raja Muhammad to succeed him as the next Sultan. He believed that the appointment was the right decision for all - his people and family. Raja Muhammad, in fact, was his foster child of Sultan Mansur Shah. He was the son of Maharaja Dewa Sura. With his coronation, he was recorded as the first Sultan of Pahang. This moment also marked the historical shift of Pahang administration system from State to Sultanate.

As evident in several writings, “Pahang” was better known as Pahang Darul Makmur. The Chinese wrote “Pahang” in several versions: Pang-Hang, Peng-Heng, Pag-Heng, Pong-Fong, Phe-Hang, Pang-Kang, and other words. In 1225 A.D, Chao-Ju-Kua wrote a book, Chu-Fan-Chi, which mentioned several shadowland of San-Fo-Chi. This included Peng-keng, which later on known as Pahang. The Europeans and Arabs, too, had several names for Pahang. They called it Pam, Pan, Phang, Paam, Pao, Paon, Phaan, Paham, Fanhan, Phang, and Pahagh. 

A different reference contends that the word “Pahang” originally came from the Siamese language, meaning tin. According to a story, the people of Siam had ventured to a place rich in -  the area near the Tembeling River, where today's Sungei Lembing is located. The name Pahang Darul Makmur was also mentioned by the ancient inhabitants of the Malay Peninsula, who recounted that a Kayu Mahang tree grew along the Pahang River. Going back  earlier in time, it will be found that this Sultanate used Pahang Inderapura as its name.

2. The Kings of the Kingdom

The Sultans of Pahang :

1.  Maharaja Dewa Sura (before 1470 A.D.)

2.  Sultan Muhammad Shah or the first Sultan of Pahang the first (1470-1475 A.D.)

3.  Sultan Ahmad or the second Sultan of Pahang (1475-1497 A.D.)

4.  Sultan Abdul Jamil or Sultan of Pahang the third (1511-1512 A.D.)

5.  Sultan Mansor Shah the first or the fourth Sultan of Pahang (1497-1515 A.D.)

6.  Sultan Mahmud or the fifth Sultan of Pahang the fifth (1515-1530 A.D.)

7.  Sultan Muzaffar or the sixth Sultan of Pahang (1530-1540 A.D.)

8.  Sultan Zainal Abidin or the seventh Sultan of Pahang (1540-1555 A.D.)

9.  The second Sultan Mansor Shah or the eighth Sultan of Pahang (1555-1560 A.D.)

10.  Sultan Abdul Jamal or the ninth Sultan of Pahang (unknown)

11.  Sultan Abdul Kadir Alauddin Shah or the tenth Sultan of Pahang (...-1590 A.D.)

12.  Raja Ahmad or the eleventh Sultan of Pahang (1590-1592 A.D.)

13.  Sultan Abdul Ghafur Mohaidin Shah or the twelfth Sultan of Pahang (1592-1614 A.D.)

3. The Kingdom Period

Sultan Muhammad Shah, the first Sultan of Pahang, ruled the Sultanate for five years from 1470 to 1475 A.D. After his death, he was dubbed the Marhum Langgar. During his rule, some polemics occurred, particularly when his brother, Raja Ahmad, rejected the appointment of Raja Hussain, their stepbrother, as the Sultan of Malacca. For that reason, Raja Ahmad fled to Hulu Pahang (the interior of Pahang).

Raja Ahmad reign lasted 22 years beginning from 1475 A.D  to 1497 A.D. Following his death, he was dubbed the title Marhum Sheikh. After Raja Ahmad`s rule, dissent broke out over the appointment of a successor. In 1497 A.D., Sultan Mansor Shah I, the younger  brother of Sultan Abdul Jamil, became the ruler of the sultanate. However, he was not recorded as the third Sultan of Pahang. It was so since he was only considered as “ad interim Sultan.” In 1511 A.D., the authority of the Pahang Sultanate went officially to Sultan Abdul Jamil. He was appointed as the third Sultan of the Pahang Sultanate. He had once been engaged to the legendary princess, Tun Teja. By 1512 A.D, he had resigned from the position of Sultan due to his dissatisfaction over the system of governance. He left for Lubuk Pelang. After his death, he was dubbed the Marhum Ziarat.

Sultan Mansor Shah I succeeded his elder brother in 1512 A.D. According to some historical records, he was appointed as the fourth Sultan Pahang. He ruled the sultanate until 1515 A.D. As mentioned earlier, he had ruled the Sultanate since 1497 A.D. as caretaker ruler before his brother, Sultan Abdul Jamil, took officially assumed authority as sultan. This 'interregnum' in royal lineage is still disputable due to lack of historical data. Sultan Mansor Shah was killed in 1515 A.D.

Sultan Mahmud succeeded the first Sultan Mansor Shah to become the fifth Sultan of Pahang (1515-1530 A.D.). According to historical records, in 1522 A.D., he killed two captains and 80 soldiers of Alfonso de Albuquerque who came to Pahang. During this time, the Pahang Sultanate had collaborated with the Bentan Sultanate to attack the Portuguese soldiers in the Muar River. In 1526 A.D., Sultan Mahmud sent 2000 of his soldiers to assist Bentan Sultanate in repelling the attack by soldiers of the Portuguese leader, Pedro Mascarenhas. After passing away in 1530 A.D., Sultan Mahmud was dubbed the title Marhum Di Hilir.

In 1530 A.D., Sultan Muzaffar succeeded Sultan Mahmud as the sixth Sultan of Pahang . He died in 1540 A.D. in the hands of Khoja Zainal, Brunei Darussalam`s envoy to the Pahang Sultanate. According to written records, Sultan Muzaffar was killed because of his affair with Khoja Zainal`s wife. After his death, Sultan Muzaffar was dubbed the title Marhum Tengah.

In 1540 A.D., Sultan Zainal Abidin succeeded Sultan Muzaffar as the seventh Sultan of Pahang. His bravery was evident when he sent soldiers to help the Johor and Perak Sultanates during the siege of Malacca Sultanate in 1550 A.D. After his death in 1555 A.D., he was as Marhum Di Bukit.

Sultan Mansor II succeeded Sultan Zainal Abidin as the eighth Sultan of Pahang (1555-1560 A.D.). After his death, he was proclaimed Marhum Syahid. He was succeeded by his younger  brother, Sultan Abdul Jamal, who became the ninth Sultan of Pahang. There is no written records detailing his reign. It was rumoured he was killed by unknown people for absurd reasons.

Sultan Abdul Kadir Alauddin Shah became the tenth Sultan of Pahang. His reign, too was devoid of proper records. After he passed away in 1590 A.D., he was replaced by Raja Ahmad as the XI Sultan of Pahang who ruled the sultanate until 1592 A.D.

In 1592 A.D., Sultan Abdul Ghafur Mohaidin Shah was appointed as the XII Sultan of Pahang. He was well-known for creating the Laws of Pahang (Hukum Kanun Pahang). In 1612 A.D., he went to Brunei Darussalam, and then got married to the princess of Patani, the daughter of the king of Brunei. He did not stay long time in Brunei. In 1613 A.D., he hastened back to  Pahang to manage the problems afflicting the state, including widespread poverty, drought, and internal strife. He died mysteriously in 1614 A.D.

The last sultan of Pahang Sultanate was Sultan Abdul Ghafur was. After his death, leadership crisis broke out. From then on, the Sultanate went through several crises, including the clash between Raja Abdullah (the son of Sultan Abdul Ghafur) and Raja Bujang. During the vacuum in leadership, the sultanate was attacked by Aceh. In 1617 A.D., Sultan Iskandar Muda Mahkota Alam conquered the Pahang. He then brought Raja Ahmad (the XII Sultan of Pahang) and his son of Raja Mughal to Aceh.

Based on the historical records, the Pahang Sultanate had probably existed for 144 years, or one and half century - from 1470 to 1614 A.D. After 1614 A.D., there was no written record explaining the development of the sultanate, although it existed until today.  

4. The Structure of the Kingdom

Dato` Haji Yaakub Isa (2005) refers to Hukum Kanun Pahang-HKP (Laws of Pahang) as the basic premise of the system used by the Pahang Sultanate. The preamble of the HKP states, “menjaga manfaat terhadap negeri agar sultan-sultan boleh memelihara segala rakyat dan pada saat yang bersamaan sultan-sultan mengadakan pembesar untuk menggantikan baginda dan tidak menyulitkan baginda” (for sustaining the welfare for the country, the Sultans are demanded to protect all interest of the Pahang people and avoid conflict in the succession process by appointing his successor.)

The system of government in the Pahang Sultanate can be described as follows : the Sultan is at the peak of authority. He is assisted by the bendahara (treasurer), tumenggung (governor), penghulu bendahari (…), and shahbandar (Harbour Master). The Hukum Kanun Pahang explains the prohibited actions in the governmental system, which included disrespecting the Sultan`s position. Sultan, as the highest and most exalted position in the state. He must be respected, as his status is considered “sacred”. According to the Kanun, it is also prohibited to use Hulu Keris Merumbai and other paraphernalia of yellow colour. In the colloquial language, five words should not be uttered by commoners, except the Sultan. These include, the words titah (King`s command), patik (slave), murka (angry), kurnia (grant), and anugerah (bestow).  

Adapted from Melayu Online