Sultan of Selangor

The Sultans of Selangor are descended from a Bugis dynasty that claim descent from the rulers of Luwu in the southern part of Celebes (today known as Sulawesi). Nobles from this bloodline were involved in the dispute over the Johor-Riau Sultanate in the early 18th century, eventually placing their full support in the cause of Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah of Johor of the Bendahara dynasty against the claimant to the Malaccan lineage, Raja Kechil.[2] For this reason, the Bendahara rulers of Johor-Riau established close relations with the Bugis nobles, providing them with titles and control over many areas within the empire, including Selangor.

Daeng Chelak, one of the five Bugis warriors, married Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah's sister, Tengku Mandak.[3] He was made the second Yang di-Pertuan Muda of Riau from 1728 until 1745.[4][5] He appointed his son, Raja Lumu to become Yamtuan Selangor on 1743.[2] In the same year, Raja Lumu was recognised by the 14th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Muhammad Shah ibni Sultan Mansur Shah III as the Raja Selangor, after helping the Sultan ascended Perak's throne. He continued to hold the title until 1766.[2]

Raja Lumu did not succeed his father after the latter's death in 1745. Instead, his first cousin, Daeng Kemboja was appointed as the third Yang di-Pertuan Muda of Riau.[2][6] In February 1756, Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah of Johor, who assumed Selangor is still a part of his territory, offered the Dutch to mine tin ore in Selangor after helping his nephew, Raja Mahmud winning a civil war against his step-brother, Raja Alam.[3] His action was opposed by Daeng Kemboja, Raja Tua of Klang and Raja Lumu.[3] Raja Lumu then sought to strengthen his influence and removed Selangor from Johor empire by seeking recognition from the 16th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Mahmud Shah ibni Sultan Muhammad Shah.[2] He was installed by Sultan Mahmud Shah as the first Sultan of Selangor in November 1766, taking the regnal name, Sultan Salehuddin Shah.[7][8][9][10]

After the death of Sultan Salehuddin Shah on 1778, he was succeeded by his son, Raja Ibrahim Marhum Saleh, who then used the title Sultan Ibrahim Shah.[11] In 1784, he was defeated in the attack on Kuala Selangor by the Dutch, forcing him to leave Kota Malawati. He subsequently managed to occupy it back in less than a year with the help of Pahang Sultanate.[12] Sultan Ibrahim Shah allied himself with Perak Sultanate afterwards but the alliance fall apart in a debt dispute.[11]

Following his death on 18 October 1826, he was succeeded by his son, Raja Muhammad who took on the title Sultan Muhammad Shah.[13] He was unable to control his chiefs during his reign which resulted in the separation of Selangor into five individual territories; Bernam, Kuala Selangor, Kelang, Langat and Lukut.[14] His reign also saw the opening of tin mines in Ampang District, which brought business to the people and the state.[11]

After 31 years of reign, Sultan Muhammad died in late 1857 without appointing an heir. As a result, there was a huge dispute regarding who will succeed him as the Sultan of Selangor. His nephew, Raja Abdul Samad Raja Abdullah was finally chosen to be the next Sultan and he took on the title Sultan Abdul Samad.[15] He gave the power of authority of Klang to Raja Abdullah and Langat to Tunku Kudin of Kedah, both of whom were his sons-in-law, in 1866 and 1868 respectively.[11]

During Sultan Abdul Samad's reign, the Klang War broke out between Raja Abdullah and the previous ruler of Klang, Raja Mahdi. The involvement of British Empire in the war marks as their first involvement in Selangor's politics. The first British resident in Selangor, James Guthrie Davidson was also appointed during his reign.[16] Sultan Abdul Samad died at the age of 93 in February 1898 and was buried at Makam Sultan Abdul Samad in Jugra.[17]

Mahkota Puri Palace

Raja Muda Sulaiman ibni Almarhum Raja Muda Musa, the grandson of Sultan Abdul Samad rose to the throne, taking the title Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah on 1898 as the fifth Sultan of Selangor. His reign saw the increase in construction of houses, shops, roads, and railways especially in Kuala Lumpur and Klang.[11]

Sultan Alaeddin (sitting, second from left) during the second Durbar in 1903.

He oversaw the construction of Mahkota Puri Palace in 1905 and proceeded to live there for 35 years until his death.[18] His first son, Tengku Musa Eddin was named the heir apparent in 1920 but he was dismissed in 1934 following the allegation from the then British resident, Theodore Samuel Adams as a gambler.[3] Sultan Sulaiman pleaded the case to Secretary of State for the British Colonies but to no avail. Tengku Alam Shah, his third son was subsequently named the heir apparent in 1936.[19]

Sultan Sulaiman was succeeded by Tengku Alam Shah in 1938, using the title Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah.[11] In January 1942, following the Japanese occupation of Malaya, he was told to surrender his throne to his elder half-brother, Tengku Musa Eddin, whom the Japanese proclaimed as the new Sultan of Selangor, taking the title Sultan Musa Ghiatuddin Riayat Shah. Sultan Hisamuddin refused Japanese orders for him to work with them and stopped receiving the allowance awarded to him. Sultan Musa Ghiatuddin Riayat Shah was installed as the seventh Sultan of Selangor by the then Governor of Selangor, Lieutenant-General Shotaro Katayama in November 1943. He only ruled for three years, during the Japanese occupation. When the British returned after the war, he was dethroned and exiled to the Cocos Keeling Islands.[3][20]

Sultan Hisamuddin resumed his reign in September 1945. In the same year, he signed the Malayan Union treaty, albeit under protest, along with the rest of the rulers of Malaya at the time.[21] He later rejected the establishment of Malayan Union and openly supported the Malay nationalists who opposed the plan.[19] In 1950, he demolished Mahkota Puri Palace and built Istana Alam Shah, which is still used as the official residence of the Sultan of Selangor to this day.[18]

Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque, also known as the blue mosque, the second largest mosque in South East Asia

Sultan Hisamuddin continued to rule Selangor following the independence of Federation of Malaya. He was appointed as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 3 August 1957.[22] He became the second Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaya after the death of Tuanku Abdul Rahman in 1960.[3]

Tengku Abdul Aziz, the eldest son of Sultan Hisamuddin took the throne following his father's death. He used the title Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.[23] In 1974, he signed the 1974 Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Agreement which then established the Federal Territory in Malaysia.[24] Later, he commissioned the building of Kota Darul Ehsan arch to commemorate this event and as a border mark between Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.[25] After Kuala Lumpur was made Federal Territory, he proclaimed Shah Alam as the new capital of Selangor. The placed is named after his father, Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah.[26] His most notable legacy is the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, the largest mosque in Malaysia.[27] Sultan Salahuddin was installed as the eleventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 1999 for two years until his death in 2001.[28]

His son, Tengku Idris Shah, ascended the throne in 2001, taking the title of Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.[29]

Some of the government's executive authority is theoretically and nominally vested in the Sovereign and is known as the royal prerogative. His Highness shall act in accordance with the advice of state executive council but he may act in his discretion in the performance of the following: appointment of Menteri Besar, the withholding of consent to request the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly, making a request for a meeting of the Conference of Rulers (concern solely about the privileges, position, honours and dignities of Their Highnesses or religious acts, observance or ceremonies), any function as the head of the Islam religion or relating to the custom of the Malays, appointment of an heir (or heirs), consort, regent or the Council of Regency, the appointment of persons to Malay customary ranks, titles, honours, dignities, and the designations of the functions appertaining thereto, and the regulation of royal courts and palaces.[36] The Sultan also can grant a pardon to any offense committed in the state.[37]

Only the Sultan has the power to confer titles and dignities, and institute the Orders and Badges of Honour and Dignity to whom he sees fit after consulting the Selangor Council of Royal Court. He also has the power to degrade any person of any title and order that has been conferred by him or his precedence.[38][39]

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Constitution of Malaysia#Chapter 2—The Conference of Rulers

The Sultan of Selangor has a permanent seat in the conference of rulers as he is one of the nine Malay sultans. During the meeting, none of the Malay Rulers takes precedence over the others and all are considered equal. The member of the conference has the power to elect one of the Malay Rulers as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the head of state of Malaysia) and Deputy of Yang di-Pertuan Agong every five years. Sultan of Selangor is eligible to stand as a candidate for such occasions.[40] Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah and Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah were Malaysia's second and eleventh Yang di-Pertuan Agong respectively.[41][42]

Royal family of Selangor
Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the Sultan Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, the Tengku Permaisuri Tengku Amir Shah, the Raja Muda Tengku Zerafina Colin Salem Parbury Tengku Zatashah Aubry Rahim Mennesson
Permaisuri Siti Aishah, Salahuddin's widow
Tengku Sulaiman Shah, the Tengku Laksamana Tunku Puteri Kamariah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah of Johor, the Tengku Puan Laksamana Tengku Shakirinal Amin Mahmud Ismail Ahmad Shah Che Puan Nadiah Khan Tengku Mahmood Tengku Sulaiman Tengku Abdul Aziz Tengku Salehuddin Ismail Shah, the Tengku Indera Bijaya Diraja Tengku Ibrahim Shah Tengku Shahrain Ismail Ibrahim Iskandar Hishamuddin Shah Che Puan Melati Artia Tengku Sharifuddin Ibrahim Ismail Iskandar Abdul Aziz Shah Che Puan Juliana Sophie Johari Evans Tengku Kamiliah Zanariah Ruby Ehsan Putri Tengku Saidatul’Ihsan Zabedah Fauziah Putri Tengku Kathira Zanariah Ihsan Maimunah Aminah Iskandar Putri
Tengku Abdul Samad Shah, the Tengku Panglima Besar Tengku Musahiddin, the Tengku Seri Perkasa Diraja Tengku Munazirah Izzat Ilyas bin Muhammad Nasir
Tengku Ahmad Shah, the Tengku Panglima Raja Tunku Irinah of Negeri Sembilan, the Tengku Puan Panglima Raja Tengku Alam Shah Amiruddin Tengku Alana Iman Shahirah Faiz Dhiyaulhaq bin Suffian
Tengku Puteri Zahariah Syed Budriz Putra Jamalullail of Perlis, the Engku Maharaja Lela Setia Paduka Tengku Aressa Helanie of Kelantan Syed Aqil Harryth Jamalullail Sharifah Allyssa Hanis Sharifah Rima Irwani of Perlis Wan Muhammad Shazly Wan Putra Muhammad Khalil Wan Putri Khadija Sharifah Emelia Safina of Perlis Raja Sheena Frida of Perak Iskandar Alam bin Zainal Abidin Megat Muhammad Faez An-Nuura Nasuha Rasnatrazia Mika Sulaiman Shah
Tengku Puteri Nor Zehan, the Tengku Puan Panglima Perlis Syed Zainal Anwar Jamalullail, the Tengku Panglima Perlis Syed Haizam Hishamuddin Putra Jamalullail of Perlis, the Tengku Panglima Setia Diraja Che Puan Nurlin binti Muhammad Salleh Syed Jufri Dhiauddin Putra Jamalullail of Perlis Che Puan Siti Sarah Noble Syed Ayden Husain Mateen Aziz Putra Jamalullail Dr. Sharifah Eliza Cornelia Putri Jamalullail of Perlis Dr. Tunku Muzafar Shah of Kedah Tunku Inaya Rahimah
Tengku Putra, the Tengku Indera Pahlawan Diraja To' Puan Pengiran Hajah Zaliha of Brunei Tengku Saidatul Rehan Tengku Saifan Rafhan Putra, the Tengku Maha Kurnia Bijaya Diraja Tengku Ainul Nur Syuhada
Tengku Ardy Esfandiari, the Tengku Seri Paduka Shah Bandar To' Puan Siti Rahilah Mohd Hashim Tengku Ezrique Ezzuddean, the Tengku Orang Kaya Menteri Diraja To' Puan Syamim Mohd Farid Tengku Ezzer Ezzaruddean, the Bentara Raja Che Puan Juliana Razman Tengku Ezran Ezzaeddean Che Puan Nur Syazana Mustakim

The current order of succession is as follow:

- previous Sultan - current Sultan