Abdullah Mukarram Shah of Kedah

The war between Burma and Siam lasted from 1759 to 1786 and beyond. While the war was still ongoing, Kedah had stopped the delivery of "Bunga Mas" to Siam. After the war ended, Siam once again became a very powerful force, demanded Kedah to resume sending the "Bunga Mas" to Siam which led Sultan Abdullah to feel threatened by the demands. He wanted to preserve the sovereignty of Kedah and the welfare of the people. Sultan Abdullah chose to seek military assistance from East India Company (EIC). He offered Penang Island to them if they were willing to protect Kedah from the Siamese threat. Francis Light knowing the importance of the Penang Port and the usage of military bases, saw the offer as irresistible although the EIC wanted to protect the interests of trade with Siam.

Francis Light personally have come to an agreement with Sultan Abdullah in the year 1786. Sultan Abdullah let Francis Light to stay in Penang provided that he must provide military assistance for Kedah when needed.

The agreement stipulated that the:

• EIC has to provide military assistance for Kedah as long as Kedah is attacked by enemies.
• EIC must not lead the enemies of Kedah.
• EIC needs to pay as much as 30,000 Spanish Dollars each year to Sultan Abdullah as reparation.

On 11 August 1786, the Union Jack was raised in Penang. Francis Light named Penang as the "Prince of Wales Island" and their settlement as "Georgetown" after the British king, George III. This marks the start of the British Occupation in Malaya. The year 1786 saw Siam conquering Patani and threatening Kedah. Sultan Abdullah demanded military assistance from the EIC as the agreement indicated. The EIC refused to provide assistance because Sultan Abdullah only agreed with Francis Light, but not the EIC. It was stated that Light had no authority to speak on behalf of the EIC. Sultan Abdullah forced Light out of Penang. Light was reluctant to let go of Penang and offered payment of damages but was rejected by Sultan Abdullah.

In 1791, Sultan Abdullah with the help of Riau, Siak and Selangor, was able to prepare a naval attack to retake Penang. Francis Light asked assistance from the British Military to attack the stronghold of Sultan Abdullah in Seberang Perai. Sultan Abdullah lost and was forced to agree to a peace treaty on 1 May 1791. With this treaty, the EIC officially annexed Penang. As a reward, EIC agreed to pay as much as 6,000 Spanish Dollars every year to Sultan Abdullah.

• He married his first wife, H.H. Tengku Puneh binti al-Marhum Sultan Sallehuddin Shah, Tengku Besar, before divorcing two years later.

• One son with Wan Mek
  • Tunku Yahya
• Three sons and six daughters with Wan Kamaliah, Tuan Mas, daughter of the Dato’ Sri Paduka Raja Laksamana of Kedah
  • Tunku Ahmad Tajuddin
  • Tunku Bisnu
  • Tunku Ahmad
  • Tunku Hitam
  • Tunku Chik
  • Tunku Zamzam
• Three sons and one daughter with Che Puan Paduka Bonda, a princess from Patani (daughter of Sultan Muhammad ‘Abdu’l Jalil Karimu’llah Mualim Shah, Raja of Patani?)
  • Tunku Ibrahim
  • Tunku Sulaiman
  • Tunku Kusu
• One son with Che Fatima Dewi, Che Mas
  • Tunku Daud
• Two sons and two daughters with Che’ Chandra Sari
  • Tunku Ya’akub
  • Tunku Muhammad Yusuf
• Two daughters with Che’ Bida Sari

• List of Sultans of Kedah