History Of The Royal House Of Sulu
The Sultanate was founded in 1457 by a Mecca-born (some people believe he was born in Juhur) Arab explorer and religious scholar Sayyid Abu Bakr Abirin after he settled in Banua Buansa Ummah (ummah is an Arabic term for “settlement” or village), Sulu. After the marriage of Abu Bakr and local dayang-dayang (princess) Paramisuli, the daughter of Raja Baginda. Raja Baginda, being without a male heir, appointed Abu Bakr, his son-in-law and chief judge and priest, as his heir, and delegated to him all the authority he exercise over Bwansa and the Island of Sulu. This it appears was aquiesced in by the native chiefs who accepted Abu Bakr as their temporal overlord, as well as their spiritual master. Claiming descent from Mohammed, he assumed the powers of caliph and entitled himself Sultan. The Dynasty founded by Abu Bakr ruled with a firmer hand and attained considerable fame and power.
Sultan Abu Bakar was succeeded by his second son, Kamalud-Din.
The next three Sultans who followed were Diraja, Upu and Digunung (Habub).
The sixth Sultan was Mohammedul Halim Pangiral Buddiman.
Sultan Pangiral Buddiman must have died about 1579 and was succeeded by Sultan Batara Shah Tangah. Sultan Tangah’s claim to the Sultanate was strongly contested by his cousin, Abdasaolan who ruled over Basilan.
Sultan Tangah was succeded by Sultan Raja Bungsu (Sultan Muwallil Wasit Bungsu).
Sultan Bungsu died before 1640 and was succeeded by Sultan Nasirud Din II and Sultan Salahud Din Karamat (Baktial). During the reign of Karamat the Sulu was threatened by Chinese invasion from North and by war with Holland. In the days of Karamat Sulus became very active and made many raids in various directions.
Sultan Karamat was succeeded by the order of succession Sultan Shahabud Din, Sultan Mustafa Shafi’ud Din, Sultan Badarud Din I, Sultan Nasarud Din and Sultan Alimud Din I betterly known as Sultan Amirul Mu’minin. The first three were sons of Sultan Karamat, while the last two were sons of Sultan Badarud Din. Alimud Din was a man of peace and a reformer. In 1737 Sultan Alimud Din signed a Treaty of peace between Sultanate and Manila Spanish Government. On 29th of April 1750 Sultan Alimud Din was baptized. At this baptism he recieved the name of Ferdinand (Ferdinand I of Sulu).
Sultan Alimud Din was succeeed by his son Sultan Israel, in November, 1773. He’s succession was contested by rivals.
Sultan Israel was poisoned in 1778 by his cousin Alimud Din II, the son of Datu Bantilan who became the next Sultan of Sulu.
In 1789 Sharapud Din, the son of Alimud Din I ascended the throne of Sulu.
Sultan Sharapud Din was succeedd by his sons Alimud Din III and Aliyud Din I.
Sultan Alimud Din III died in 1808 and was succeeded by his brother Aliyud Din I, who in 1821 was succeeded by his pious brother Shakirul Lah. It is related that Shakirul Lah slept on boards and covered himself with sarongs only.
In 1823 Shakirul Lah was succeeded by Sultan Jamalul Kiram (first to use surname Kiram), the son of Alimud Din III. On the 23rd of September 1836 Jamalul Kiram I signed a commercial treaty with the Capt.Jose M. Alcon as the representative of Captain-General Salazar. The treaty was ratified by Isabel II, the Queen of Spain.
In 1844 Sultan Jamalul Kiram was succeeded by his eldest son Mohammed Pulalun. On 30th April 1851 Sultan Pulalun signed a act of incorporation into the Spanish Monarchy. Sultan Pulalun died September, 24 1862.
In November 1862 Sultan Pulalun was succeeded by his eldest son Jamlul A’lam. In January, 1878 Sultan Jamalul A’lam ceded the Sulu possessions in Borneo to the Sabah or British North Borneo Company. He granted the authorized representaitive of this company, Baron von Overbeck, absolute ownership and dominion over that large territory for a money, 5000$, Mexican currency per annum. In July 1878 he signed a treaty restoring order and peace with Spain. After signing the treaty Sultan Jamalul A’lam established his official residence at Maymbung. The status of Sulu as defined by this treaty resembled that of a protectorate rather than a dependency. The foreign political relations were made subject to the full control of the Philippine Spanish Government.
Sultan Jamalul A’lam died April 8, 1881 and was succeeded in 1881 by his eldest son Badarud Din II. He’s succession was contested by his younger brother Amirul Kiram. Sultan Badarud Din II died on 22nd February 1884 without male heir.
The question of a succssor to Sultan Badarud Din II proved to be very vexatious, both to the Sulus and Philippine Spanish Government. At that date the eligibles to the Sultanate belogned to three houses-that of Sultan Jamalul Kiram I, that of Sultan Shakirul Lah, and that of Datu Putung, the son of Sultan Alimud Din I. These houses were represented by the three canditates: Raja Muda Amirul Kiram, Datu Aliyud Din, and Datu Harun ar-Rashid. Amirul Kiram was the second son of Sultan Jamalul A’lam. Datu Aliyud Din was the son of the Datu Israel, the son of the Sultan Shakirul Lah. Datu Harun ar-Rashid had no Sultan in his line for five generations and he did not press his claim to the succession. He was close friend of Jamalul A’lam and also the only living signer of the treaty of 1878. The majority of Datus supported Amirul Kiram. Governor Parrado suggested that Amirul Kiram should be elected Sultan, but that Aliyud Din should act as regent during the minorityof the former. Datu Harun arrived in Sulu on 17th of November to find a consensus between the claimants but he failed. Officially no one was recognised as Sultan. Amirul Kiram attacked Aliyud Din and defeated him. Amirul Kiram then requested Philippine Spanish Government recognise his succession to sultanate, but without success. Harun as a middle man became more close to Philippine Spanish Government.
On 24th of September 1886 Sultan Badarud Din II was succeeded by Sultan Harun. Hes sultanate seemed unacceptable to the great majority of datus and people of Sulu.
In 1894 Sultan Harum was finally succeeded by the right heir to throne Raja Muda Amirul Kiram who assumed the name of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II. On 20th August 1899 he signed a Treaty with American Government representative General Bates, by which the sovereignty of Sulu passed from Spain to the United States of America. Sultan Jamalul Kiram II also signed in 1915 so called Carpenter Agreement, by which he virtually surrendered his political powers to the United States government.
Sultan Jamalul Kiram II was succeeded in 1936 by his younger brother Muwallil Wasit II.
Upon the death of Sultan Muwallil Wasit II in 1936 the Sultanate entered a period of competition to see who would become Sultan of Sulu. Also shortly after his death World War II began with a Japanese occupation of Sulu. After the death of Sultan Muwallil Wasit II, Dayang Dayang Piandao, a niece of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II and daughter of Sultan Badarud Din II, seated as a temporary ruler. She asked her subjects to proclaim her husband Datu Ombra Amilbangsa as Sultan Amirul Umara II. In January 1937 knowing the issue of proclamation‐ that obviously displayed a sort of self‐interest on the part of Dayang Dayang Piandao, the Datus of Patikul, whose mothers were descendants of Sultan Shakirullah build their own “Temporal Branch” and selected Princess Andrada, daughter of Datu Tambuyung as their “ruler. She thereby too asked her subjects to select her father Datu Tambuyung and named Sultan Mohammad Jainal Abirin II. His lineage was from Sultan Sakirul Lah, the brother of Sultan Alimud Din III, and the father of Sultan Jamalul Kiram I. His lineage was traced same as Sultans Badarud Din II, Jamalul Kiram II, and Mawallil Wasit, all belonging to the fifth generation. Furthermore, the succession issue in the house of Shakirul Lah is more acceptable since Sultan Muhammad Jaimal Abirin has the rightful connection as far as leadership is concerned, which is a clear ground prioritation, as compared to Sultan Ombra Amilbangsa who came from Tawi‐Tawi. With this kind of scenario, the struggle to the throne existed, even though no shedding of blood occur, the issue remain a threat to both side.
During the Japanese time, Sultan Ombra Amilbangsa becomes an ally of the Japanese troops. This has become a strong driving force that later on proclaimed him as a recognized Sultan of Sulu. Aside from this, he was also proclaimed as governor of Sulu. And upon the success of American liberation in the Philippines against the Japanese troops, Ombra Amilbangasa ran for the office as a Congressman and won. He died due to old age. On the other hand, Sultan Jainal Abirin remained an anti‐colonizer. In opposite to Sultan Ombra Amilbangsa, he deliberately fought with the American troops of Gen. Pershing at the Battle of Bud Bagsak, again with the Japanese troops thus gaining the misinterpreted connotation of being a “rebel” instead of being a “Time Freedom Fighter” until his death due to old age in 1950. Read More…
