Sultan Mahmud Shah II of Johor
Encyclopedia
H.H. Paduka Sri Sultan Mahmud Shah II ibni al-Marhum Sultan Ibrahim Shah was the 10th Sultan of Johor, Pahang and Lingga (1685-3 September 1699).
Born in 1675, he was the last in line of a dynasty of the Sultanate of Johor (founded by his grandfather, Sultan Alauddin Ri'ayat Shah II
) descended from the Sultans of Melaka (Malacca). As he was still a young boy when his father Sultan Ibrahim died (16 February,1685), Sultan Mahmud II reigned under the joint regency
of his mother and the Bendahara
Paduka Raja until the death of the latter (27 July, 1697).
He had several wives and is said to have slain any of them to have the misfortune of becoming pregnant. Perhaps this could have been the result of his fear that the birth of a son would enable rivals to depose him. After all, he himself came to power at a young age through a palace conspiracy that led to the poisoning of his father Sultan Ibrahim by his wives.
Sultan Mahmud Shah II is famously known as "Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang". The name Mangkat Dijulang was given in remembrance of the way he was killed (mangkat being the Malay word referring specifically to a royal death) while being carried (dijulang) in a royal litter or dais. On his way back from Friday prayers, he was assassinated by one of his military chiefs. This military chief, Laksamana
Megat Sri Rama (hailing from Bintan
), was enraged The famous legend behind the murder of Sultan Mahmud Shah II
is recounted in the 19th century Malay chronicle, the Tuhfat al-Nafis
. Based on this story, he is mostly remembered for his decadence and cruelty, marking a shameful end to his dynasty.
Sultan Mahmud was buried
in a village near Kota Tinggi
in Johor, which is still known today as Kampung Makam (Village of the Tomb). Legend has it that before he died, he lay a curse on Kota Tinggi, forbidding any sons of Bintan from entering the city for all time.
After his death, his Bendahara
(chief minister)Abdul Jalil declared himself the next Sultan of Johor. Upon ascending the throne, the new Sultan (Abdul Jalil IV) killed all the wives of Sultan Mahmud in order to avoid the possibility of any future claims to the throne. However, according to the Hikayat Negeri Johor (Chronicles of the State of Johor)and the Pahang Manuscripts, one wife, Che Mi, managed to escape to Minangkabau and gave birth to Raja Kechil. Less than two decades later in 1717, Raja Kechil would assemble a fleet from Minangkabau and succeed temporarily in ousting Sultan Abdul Jalil's successor Sultan Sulaiman and gain the Johor Sultanate, basing his legitimacy on the claim that he was the post-humous son of Sultan Mahmud Shah II. However, Bugis
mercenaries that assisted him in this campaign changed sides and he was eventually forced to flee to Siak
, where he founded a new Sultanate.
Born in 1675, he was the last in line of a dynasty of the Sultanate of Johor (founded by his grandfather, Sultan Alauddin Ri'ayat Shah II
Alauddin Riayat Shah II of Johor
Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II was the first Sultan of Johor. He ruled Johor from 1528 to 1564. He founded the Johor Sultanate following the fall of Malacca to the Portuguese in 1511. He was the second son of Mahmud Shah of Malacca. Thus, Johor was a successor state of Malacca and Johor's sultans...
) descended from the Sultans of Melaka (Malacca). As he was still a young boy when his father Sultan Ibrahim died (16 February,1685), Sultan Mahmud II reigned under the joint regency
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of his mother and the Bendahara
Bendahara
Bendahara is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a hereditary post. It was the office that is held by bendahara family...
Paduka Raja until the death of the latter (27 July, 1697).
He had several wives and is said to have slain any of them to have the misfortune of becoming pregnant. Perhaps this could have been the result of his fear that the birth of a son would enable rivals to depose him. After all, he himself came to power at a young age through a palace conspiracy that led to the poisoning of his father Sultan Ibrahim by his wives.
Sultan Mahmud Shah II is famously known as "Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang". The name Mangkat Dijulang was given in remembrance of the way he was killed (mangkat being the Malay word referring specifically to a royal death) while being carried (dijulang) in a royal litter or dais. On his way back from Friday prayers, he was assassinated by one of his military chiefs. This military chief, Laksamana
Laksamana
The Laksamana is a position within the armed forces, similar to the position of admiral in Malay people sultanates and in present-day countries like Malaysia and Indonesia...
Megat Sri Rama (hailing from Bintan
Bintan
Bintan Island or Negeri Segantang Lada is an island in the Riau archipelago of Indonesia. It is part of the Riau Islands province, the capital of which, Tanjung Pinang, lies in the island's south and is the island's main community....
), was enraged The famous legend behind the murder of Sultan Mahmud Shah II
Makam Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang
Makam Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang is a famous historical tomb in Kota Tinggi, Johor in Malaysia. It is situated in a village near Kota Tinggi town, Kampung Makam...
is recounted in the 19th century Malay chronicle, the Tuhfat al-Nafis
Tuhfat al-Nafis
Tuhfat al-Nafis is a work of Malay literature written by Raja Ali Haji in Jawi in 1885. It records and chronicles events, especially those of the 19th century, that occurred in several Malay states. Some of the events recorded in the work are the founding of the state of Terengganu and the murder...
. Based on this story, he is mostly remembered for his decadence and cruelty, marking a shameful end to his dynasty.
Sultan Mahmud was buried
Makam Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang
Makam Sultan Mahmud Mangkat Dijulang is a famous historical tomb in Kota Tinggi, Johor in Malaysia. It is situated in a village near Kota Tinggi town, Kampung Makam...
in a village near Kota Tinggi
Kota Tinggi
Kota Tinggi is a town in the state of Johor of Malaysia, located around 42 kilometers north-east of Johor Bahru, on the road to Mersing. Hometown of Azizul Hanipah. Kota Tinggi can also be reached by ferry from Changi terminal in Singapore where tourists need to pass through the immigration check...
in Johor, which is still known today as Kampung Makam (Village of the Tomb). Legend has it that before he died, he lay a curse on Kota Tinggi, forbidding any sons of Bintan from entering the city for all time.
After his death, his Bendahara
Bendahara
Bendahara is an administrative position within classical Malay kingdoms before the intervention of European powers during the 19th century. A bendahara was appointed by a sultan and was a hereditary post. It was the office that is held by bendahara family...
(chief minister)Abdul Jalil declared himself the next Sultan of Johor. Upon ascending the throne, the new Sultan (Abdul Jalil IV) killed all the wives of Sultan Mahmud in order to avoid the possibility of any future claims to the throne. However, according to the Hikayat Negeri Johor (Chronicles of the State of Johor)and the Pahang Manuscripts, one wife, Che Mi, managed to escape to Minangkabau and gave birth to Raja Kechil. Less than two decades later in 1717, Raja Kechil would assemble a fleet from Minangkabau and succeed temporarily in ousting Sultan Abdul Jalil's successor Sultan Sulaiman and gain the Johor Sultanate, basing his legitimacy on the claim that he was the post-humous son of Sultan Mahmud Shah II. However, Bugis
Bugis
The Bugis are the most numerous of the three major linguistic and ethnic groups of South Sulawesi, the southwestern province of Sulawesi, Indonesia's third largest island. Although many Bugis live in the large port cities of Makassar and Parepare, the majority are farmers who grow wet rice on the...
mercenaries that assisted him in this campaign changed sides and he was eventually forced to flee to Siak
Siak
Siak may refer to:*Asiagh , a gotra/clan of Jats found in India.*Eric Low Siak Meng, a Singaporean Chinese politician.*Siak Regency, a regency of Riau, Indonesia.*Siak River, a river in Sumatra, Indonesia....
, where he founded a new Sultanate.