Kedah Sultanate

Map of the early Kadaha kingdom and the Early transpeninsular routeway.

The Sultanate of Kedah is possibly the oldest sultanate in the Malay Peninsula. King Phra Ong Mahawangsa, the 9th ruler of Kedah which is a region in Malaysia, ruled the region from 1136 to 1179. He converted to Islam and was known as Sultan Mudzafar Shah. The bloodline of the Kedah royalty began with Maharaja Derbar Raja, allegedly a descendant of Alexander the Great of Macedon.

History

Main article: Early History of Kedah

Around 170 AD a group of Hindu and Javanese refugees arrived at Kedah; they were soon followed by peoples from nearby islands and the northern Mon-Khmer region. Kedah covered the areas of Kuala Bahang, Kuala Bara, Kuala Pila and Merpah, and the inhabitants of Kedah appointed Derma Dewa and Tom Perkasa as their village chiefs.

Ancient artefact found in Kedah.

In the year 630 CE, Maharaja Derbar Raja of Gemeron in Persia was defeated in battle and escaped to Ceylon, but was blown off course by a storm and landed on the shores of Kuala Sungai Qilah, Kedah. The inhabitants of Kedah found him to be a valiant and intelligent person, and they made him the king of Kedah. In the year 634 AD, a new kingdom was formed in Kedah. It consisted of Persian royalty and Malay and Hindu peoples. Its capital was Langkasuka.

Nobat

The Nobat musical instruments of Nagara and Nepiri were introduced to Kedah by Maharaja Derbar Raja. The instrument is also called semambu. The band is led by the king, and it consists of drums, a gong, a flute and a trumpet. Today, Nobat is a Royal orchestra, played only during royal ceremonies such as inaugurations, weddings, and funerals.

Kedah Sultans

This is a list of Sultans of Kedah. Dates of reign are given beside the names of each sultan.

• Sultan MUZAFFAR SHAH I 1160/1179
• Sultan MUAZZAM SHAH 1179/1201
• Sultan MOHAMMED SHAH 1201/1236
• Sultan MAAZUL SHAH 1236/1280
• Sultan MAHMUD SHAH I 1280/1320
• Sultan IBRAHIM SHAH 1320/1373
• Sultan SULAIMAN SHAH I 1373/1422
• Sultan ATADULLAH MUHAMMED SHAH 1422/1472
• Sultan MUHAMMED JIWA ZAINAL ABIDIN I 1472/1506
• Sultan MAHMUD SHAH II 1506/1546
• Sultan MUZAFFAR SHAH II 1546/1602
• Sultan SULAIMAN SHAH II 1602/1625
• Sultan RIJALUDDIN SHAH 1625/1651
• Sultan MUHIYUDDIN SHAH 1651/1661
• Sultan ZIAUDDIN AL-MUKARRAM SHAH 1661/1687.
• Sultan ATADULLAH MUHAMMED SHAH II 1687/1698.
• Sultan ABDULLAH I AL MUAZZAM SHAH 1698/1706, died 1706/1723?
• Sultan AHMAD TAJUDDIN HALIM SHAH I 1706/1709, died 1709/1710.
• Sultan ABDULLAH II 1709/1723.
• Sultan ATADULLAH MUHAMMED III 1723/1741.
• Sultan MUHAMMED JIWA ZAINAL ABIDIN II 1741/1778.

The HH Sultans

• HH Sultan Abdullah Makarram Shah III (1778-1797)
• HH Sultan Ziyauddin Mukarram Shah II (1797-1803)
• HH Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin II Halim Shah (1803-1843)
• HH Sultan Zainal Rashid Muadzam Shah II (1843-1854)
• HH Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin III Mukarram Shah (1854-1879)
• HH Sultan Zainal Rashid Muadzam Shah III (1879-1881)
• HH Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah (1881-1943)
• HH Sultan Badli Shah (1943-1958)
• HH Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah (1958-)

See also

• Bujang Valley
• Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa
• Sultanate of Malacca

External links

• List of Kedah sultans
• http://www.kdh.icu.gov.my/english/file%20html/profilnegeri.htm
• Nobat
• Kedah State Public Library Corporation, supported by Kedah State Government