Pen Moro: Historical Sulu

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Brunei's Pengiran Muda Tengah in Tawi-Tawi?

Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin,

Brunei's 25th Sultan and father of Pengiran Muda Tengah

Today, Tawi-Tawi has a reputation as a place for 'rest and recreation' for those seeking solace from fast-paced urban life or the conflict-ridden province to its north. It seems this is not just true today but has also a historical precedence.

I have encountered texts with Brunei royalty calling Tawi-Tawi their "home away from home". Take the story of Pengiran Mudah Tengah.

In 1889, Brunei's 25th ruler, Pengiran Temenggong Anak Hashim (regnal name Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqam al-Din and son of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II) appointed his eldest son Pengiran Muda Besar Omar Ali Saifuddin as the acting Sultan to give him the experience needed when he took over the throne.

When the appointment was carried out, Sultan Hashim's second son (Pengiran Muda Tengah) left Brunei and stayed in Sabah before moving on to Tawi-Tawi. Pengiran Muda Tengah did return to Brunei in 1903 or 1904 to assume the throne when his elder brother died of smallbox. Unfortunately, his reign was cut short because he himself succumb to the same disease in 1905 after a ruling for 2 years. He died at Istana Kampung Ayer, Brunei town, His younger brother, Pengiran Muda Bongsu ascended the throne.

What is very interesting to note here is the time spent by Pengiran Muda Tengah in Sabah and Tawi-Tawi between 1889 and 1903 is roughly 14 years. 14 years?! Maybe he spent a third of his time in Tawi-Tawi? While in Tawi-Tawi, where did he resided? Did he married a local lady? Was he merely a 'tourist', a royal visitor or did he actually participate in local polity? Did he left royal descendants in Tawi-Tawi? Who were these royal descendants now?

Sources:

Genealogy of "Sultan Hashim Jalil ul-Alam Akam ud-din ibni al-Marhum Sri Paduka Maulana Sultan Omar ‘Ali Saif ud-din II" (Royal Ark)
"Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin"
"History of Brunei"
Poultney Bigelow, "The Last of a Great Sultan". Harper's Monthly Magazine (October 1906)

Rozan Yunos, "Era of Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam", Brunei Times (7 December 2008)

Brave as a Tausug

Every time people hear that I am a Tausug, they immediately quipped, "ah the brave tribe!" They say it is difficult to challenge a Tausug. He will fight with all his might. It does not matter if he is alone. It is for being a lone fighter that Tausug were known for. Does "juramentado" rings a bell? A term coined by the Spaniards for a Tausug gone berserk. He does not give up even if he is already torn down a military tank.

He is Juramentado to the Castillan conquerors because they simply do not understand him and his honor. Juramentado manifests a pysche war between the Imperial Castillan spirit and the freedom-loving resisting spirit of the Tausug. To the locals in the Sulu Archipelago, it is "parrang sabil" or literally "war of perseverance". It is resorted to when the colonial occupation becomes unbearable, intolerable and mentally excruciating that you run out of patience, out of perseverance.... What the Spaniards can not defeat in the battlefield, they ridiculed in the theatrical play "Moro-moro" - a typical Spanish mental compensation.

Now where does this extreme bravery sprung from? They say it is in the very essence of a being a Tausug. It's in the veins like blood. The true wealth of a Tausug in his "martabbat" (honor). He does not go berserk for mundane things. He does so when his honor is trampled upon.

What are his honors - A Tausug honor is his family and his religion. No one should mess around with them. Not even joke about them. In their stead, the MNLF used the trinity of "hula'" (land), "bangsa" (people) and "agama" (religion).

But more than anything else, being brave does not implies he has no fear. He does have fear. But when he have enough of being fearful, his confidence is settled by his prayers and determination. When he has said his prayer and determined his altruism, a Tausug is brave to the core, brave to undertake the ultimate sacrifice.

The Tausug coffee

The aroma of brewing native coffee is simply irresistible....some even claims it's heavenly.

Tausug is a coffee-drinking culture - this is an understatement. From life to death, from daily chores to important social events, coffee has always enliven daily living and social gathering.

A Tausug to the core starts his day with a sip of hot coffee, a cup to go with breakfast and another one before going for work. At work, in the office or the field, it is best to start with a cup, have a break with it and end the day with it. At noon, a cup of coffee after lunch will do the trick to soften the food.

At about 3 o'clock, all things come to a standstill for afternoon prayer and coffee break. The latter is better enjoyed with a serving of freshly baked local sweets like fried banana, wadjit, baulo and so on. I reckon even the sunset is best viewed with a coffee at hand.

Night conversation can go for hours, thanks largely to ready supply of hot kahawa. And a final sip before retiring to bed.

Kahawa (coffee), kahawa mapasu' (hot coffee)... this preponderance for coffee drinking evolved an industry of its own, from coffee growing, trading to coffee houses (kawahan). The entire town proper of Jolo is dotted by tens of these coffee houses. Every Tausug has a favorite place and a favorite time. Unfortunately, this is mostly the favorite of many, too. Early morning and afternoon breaks are usually pack by coffee drinkers.

Coffee houses serve more than just for coffee drinking and socialization, it is also a political forum where people discuss the events of the day in the comfort of their friends and acquaintances; and a place to discuss and often consumate business transaction. These coffee houses equalize the economic divide between the rich and the poor. Just like the mosque, it is a place for royals and commoners alike. Coffee drinking and the native sweets are what unite Tausugs from across the political divide.

The native coffee is unlike anything. Frequent drinkers can discern a locally brewed from a commercial one. There's an anecdotal distinction for this - 'kahawa' is for the locally brewed and 'kopi' or 'kape' is for the commercial one.

Tausug who have been out of the town for years yearn to go back just to savor this native 'kahawa'. It is not just for the brew, it is also the culture and history associated with it.

Pirates or privateers?

Foremost, let's put things in proper context. In those days, piracy and slavery were the order of the day. West to east, Piracy and slavery were economic means and political tools. Colonial powers have more blood in their hands because when they or their people practiced them they do so with atrocity within and outside their borders.
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The Spaniards call the Iranuns and the Bangingis "pirates" because the latters wreck havoc upon Spanish colonies in Mindanao and the Visayas. The friars cursed them as barbarians, the curse of the devil. These pirates were torn in the Spain's ambition of colonizing and christianizing the entire archipelago.

However, from the point of view of their own, these "pirates" were either part of the Sultan's navy protecting the sovereignty of the sultanate against the growing menace of Spanish Armada; or privateers authorized by the Sultan to attack enemy outputs and retaliate for prior attacks on Moro communities.

Throughout pre-colonial and early colonial periods in South East Asia, they commanded awe and fear. Either they are labeled as "pirates" or "privateers", among themselves they are the Bangingi of the Sultanate of Sulu and the Iranun of the Sultanate of Maguindanao, both feared and respected throughout the South China, Sulu and Sulawesi Seas. These seas were their playground of trade.

Today, the bravery and selflessness of these peoples are still respected and now part of the ancient lore handed from generation to generation. Just like their ancestors, they represent the "unconquered spirit" of the Moros.

Political Sketch of Historical Sulu

Note: This is a work in progress. Not to be cited.

Part 1: Pre-Rajanate Period

Part 2: Rajanate or Pre-Sultanate Period
2.1. The Beginning of the Eastern, Western and Native (Chinese: Dong) Kingdoms -We knew of these pre-sultanate kingdoms from the Ming Shi Lu or the (Chinese Ming Annals) as well as contacts and exchanges with Imperial China.
2.2. Diplomacy and Trade with Imperial China - Same source as above
2.3. Dimplomacy and Trade with other SEA States - There is an anecdote on the role of the Sulu Sultan in the preservation of the Javanese Pygmy Elephant, which was among the gifts sent to Sulu by a ruler from Java.
2.4. Influences of the Sri Vijaya Empire - No material encountered but possible connection existed.
2.5. Influences of the Madjapahit Empire - There is claim that Sulu maybe the Solot identified as part of this empire.

Note: Raja Baguinda is the last known pre-sultanate ruler whose daughter Paramisuli married Sayyid Abubakar (Shariful Hashim), the first Sulu Sultan.

Part 3: Sultanate Period
3.1. The Establishment of the Sulu Sultanate
3.2. Shariful Hashim Dynasty - Father to son succession
3.3. Brunei Interlude - claims that Sulu Sultan Maharajah di Rajah or Amirul Umara is Brunei's Sultan Bolkiah
3.4. Pangiran Bongsu Adipati Dynasty -
3.5. Kiram Dynasty -

Part 4: Post-Sultanate Period
4.1. American Colonialism
4.2. Japanese Colonialism
4.3. Filipino Colonialism

Liberation Fronts and the Sultanate

The secessionist movement in Moroland was largely fueled by Moro leftists and religionists in the 70s. The Jabidah Massacre was just a trigger. Martial Law further inflamed the movement.

While both the Moro leftist and religionists recognize and point to the sultanate as historical basis for the secession; both leftists and religionists were in no mood to revive it as advocated by the royalists. The leftists do not recognize class segregation and domination of one royal family and the privilege of one family to reign/rule a country. The religionists abhors any form of politics and governance beyond the four rightly-guided caliphs and supports theocracy, a government, naturally, ruled by them.

Middle East politics and support somehow defined their position. The leftists like to point to Khadafi's Libya, Mubarak's Egypt, Saddam's Iraq and Assad's Syria as ideal set-up for their cause. In Libya, Egypt and Iraq, monarchy was abolished. The religionists see the Saudi model of Wahhabi ulama as their ideal. The unique role as head of the faith was wrestled by the foreign-trained ulama from the Sulu Sultan who was traditionally the leader of the faithfuls.

Therefore, all the moves that were taken that appear to support the sultanate was a tactical move to gain credence for the revolution. The consumated MNLF-GRP peace process and the on-going MILF-GPH peace process involved no Sultan nor is there any that favors the return of the sultanate.

The end of sovereignty?

The End of Sovereign Sultanate

The death of Sultan Jamalul Kiram II, without a male heir and the Bates Treaty, effectively ended Sulu's sovereignty. After him, came the period (to this date) of succession of pretenders from competing royal houses largely between the royal bastions of Maimbung and Patikul, all ineffective in quelling the growing civil government established under American imperialism and eventual inclusion of the sultanate into the current Philippine polity.

Post-Sultanate Period

This succession of pretenders can be regarded as Post-Sultanate Period. To this day, pretenders try to outsmart each other, even going to lambasting and demeaning each other's claims. they have forgotten the fact that the revival of this once mighty sultanate depends primarily on their coalescence.

Some have also introduced innovations based on their own viewpoints, such as "Islamizing" or casting the Sultanate as truly Islamic; "modernizing" it by adopting English title like "King" and, with heralds and chivalric orders; adding new selection criteria; or awarding the "datu" titles to non-royals (especially foreigners) in exchange for moral and monetary support.

Sabah claim, or more properly the North Borneo claim, continues to be another rallying point for royalists. Aside from territorial claim, there is a corollary issue or allegation about mounting or hidden wealth (a combination of cash and golds running into the trillion) deposited somewhere that can only be claimed by a true heir.

Maharajah Upo, the Sultan of "Solot"?

After Shariful Hashim, his two sons and Sultan Bolkiah as overlord (?), the throne of the Sulu sultanate passed on to Maharajah Upo, grandson of the first sultan.

Upon Maharajah Upo's ascension in 1527, he assumed the regnal name Sultan Mu-izz ul-Mutawadi-in and reigned up to 1548 or for twenty-one (21) years.

What is not sure about Maharajah Upo's lineage is whether he is the son of Kamaluddin or Alauddin. Accordingly, there are some genealogies suggesting he succeeded Kamaluddin, thus blurring the reign of two previous sultans, and may confirm that he is the son of Kamaluddin.

If he was the son of Kamaluddin, and factoring in the reigns of the two previous sultans, then he ascended the throne based on lateral succession of older to younger sibling. If the two previous reigns will not be factored in, his succession confirms patrilineal descent as a requisite for succession.

For all the sultans, more or less, we know their names, a little of their genealogy and their succession. We do have scant information about their accomplishment and the circumstances surrounding their reign. It is possible to reconstruct circumstantial events falling within each reign from other colonial and neighboring sources?

For example the year 1527, the beginning of Sultan Muizz-Mutawaddin's reign, is the date considered as the decline of the once mighty Madjapahit Empire, considered one of the greatest SE Asian empires.

In Nagarakretagama (Nagarakrtagama) the Javanese eulogy to Hayam Wuruk, the Majapahit ruler, mentioned were made about the extend of its influence. Specific geographic areas were mentioned as either direct territory or within its sphere of influence. Is Sulu sultanate the same as the country of "Solot" mentioned in Canto 14 as Madjapahit vassal states together with Sedu (Sarawak), Barune (Brunei), Saludung (Luzon), Pahang , Kelantan, and Trengganu, Johor, Tumasik (today's Singapore), Kelang (Klang valley) and Kedah?

Source:

King of Kings, Lord of Lords - Sulu's 4th Sultan

The tomb of Sultan Bolkiah at Kota Batu.
Interestingly, Kota Batu is the old capital of Brunei.

My argument is based on the claim that Sultan Amirul Umara may have been Brunei's Sultan Bolkiah. During his time, Brunei reached its golden age, the height of its empire. An empire, a number of neighboring states came under her influence earning him the monicker "the singing admiral". In effect, the states continue to exist but subject to Sultan Bolkiah's overlordship.

I have argued that Sultan Alauddin, the 3rd sultan, reigned under the tutelage of Sultan Amirul Umara, the 4th sultan. The succession squabble of Alauddin with his Kamaluddin (2nd sultan) may not hold true because of this overlordship of Nakhoda Ragam or Sultan Bolkiah (allegedly Sulu's Sultan Amirul Umara).

In certain Sulu genealogies, the title of Amirul Umara is often interchange with Maharajah di Rajah. Both titles denotes an overlord, lord of lords, which is what Sultan Bolkiah at the height of Brunei's golden age, and with an empire covering large part of Borneo, the islands of Palawan up to Selurong (Luzon) and as far as Sulu to the east.

Sultan Amirul Umara became sultan in 1485 upon the abdication of his father.

Genealogy

Sultan Bolkiah's father is Sultan Sulaiman, Brunei's 5th sultan.
He is a grandson of the revered and pious Sharif Ali Berkat, Brunei's 4th sultan. Sharif Ali is said to be an Arab who married Puteri Ratna Kesuma, the daughter of Sultan Ahmad (Brunei's 3rd Sultan).
In 1530, Sultan Bolkiah abdicated in favor of his son, Sultan Abdul-Kahar.

Source:
Sultan Bolkiah, 5th Sultan of Brunei
My Brunei Darussalam - Sultan Bolkiah's Tomb
Naima Talib's A Resilient Monarchy, New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies 4, 2 (December, 2002): 134-147.
Sultans of Brunei

Alauddin, the 3rd Sulu Sultan at the time of Brunei's Golden Age

Between the clear reigns of the Sultan Kamaluddin (1480-1505) and the Sultan Amir ul-Umara (1505-1527) is Alauddin, brother of the former and the other son of Shariful Hashim.

It is not clear why he was not mention in the Saleeby's "Genealogy of Sulu" as in other tarsilas (genealogies) and khutabah (Friday sermon where a prayer for the ruling sultan is invoked) mention him as successor to his brother. Was there some sort of succession squabble between siblings or overpowered by some foreign power, we are tempted to ask.

He may have exercise political power over some areas. What is generally accepted about him is that he may have ruled but did not reigned, as he was not crown "sultan". Nonetheless, in Majul's analysis, he is placed as the 3rd sultan although the period of his rule is not placed. This is also the accepted placement among royal genealogies by today's claimant families.

If indeed this succession squabble is true, this is the first instance and will repeat itself through the centuries of the existence of this sultanate; and foreteld the present generation of succession squabble over what is now largely a titular throne.

There is another possible explanation and this is to take into consideration the person of the 4th Sultan known as Amir ul Umara (1505-1527). There is a claim that this person and Brunei's 5th or 6th Sultan Bolkiah are one and the same. If this is true, is it also possible that this period was actually the reign of Sultan Alauddin. Only this time, Sulu is subject to a powerful neighbor?

As claimed in their tarsila Brunei reached the zenith of its political power under Sultan Bolkiah (1485–1521), who oversaw an empire from Borneo to as far as Manila in the Philippines. In effect, Sultan Bolkiah was an overlord over several sultanates in the region. This overlord status is referred to in Sanskrit/Malay as "Maharajah di-Rajah" and in Arabic as "Amir ul-Umara", a lord having power or supremacy over other lords. Do this implies that the reign of Sultan Alauddin is actually the period corresponding to the overlordship of Sultan Bolkiah?

Because of the overlord status of Sultan Bolkiah, this is probably a reason why he took a Bajau princess from Sabah and a princess from Sulu as among his wives, to gain acceptance for his overlordship in this part of the Sulu Sea.

Together with his brother the 2nd sultan, Alauddin boasts a powerhouse ancestry that will never be repeated in Sulu history again - Shariful Hashim, founder of the sultanate, as their father; Paramisuli, a raja's daughter, as their mother and Rajah Baguinda, Sulu's only known rajah, as their maternal grandfather!

Sources:

Kamaluddin, Sulu's 2nd Sultan

Sultan Shariful Hashim reigned for 30 years until his death in 1480. He was succeeded by one of his sons, Kamaluddin.

Genealogically and following conventional facts, Kamaluddin is half Arab from his father side, one-fourth Sumatran from his maternal grandfather, Rajah Baguinda, and one-fourth Buranon or Tausug, assuming his maternal grandfather married a local lady. Cesar Majul claims this is so in his "Analysis of the Genealogy of Sulu". With 1/4 local Buranun or Tausug blood, how do we position this dynasty - local or foreign?

Politically, like his father, little is known about his reign. He reigns for a quarter of a decade from 1480 to 1505,

Also, there is speculation that there was a dynastic or succession controversy between his rule and that of his brother, Alauddin or Alawaddin, primarily because their reigns overlap. In the Saleeby's "Genealogy of Sulu", Alauddin is not included, although other tarsilas (genealogies) and khutabah (Friday sermon where a prayer for the ruling sultan is invoked) mention him as successor to his brother.

While we have scant information about his reign, we do have access to data during this period from Indo-Malay, Chinese and other sources providing us a glimpse of SE Asia during the Sultan Kamaluddin's reign. This is something of research interest.

On a personal note, I say he is one interesting historical figure in Sulu history. Together with his brother Alauddin, they boast a powerhouse ancestry that will never be repeated in history again - Shariful Hashim, founder of the sultanate, as their father; Paramisuli, a raja's daughter, as their mother and Rajah Baguinda, Sulu's most popular rajah, as their maternal grandfather!

Source:

The beginning of a sultanate

15th century Sulu saw the beginning of a sultanate with Sayyid Abubakar as its first sultan. It is important to note that the establishment of this sultanate is just one stage in the evolution of Sulu polity. When he arrived at Buansa, a prior polity exists in the area. In the Chinese Ming Annals we find reference to three not one polity in the Sulu Archipelago - a western kingdom, an eastern kingdom and a kingdom of the "dong" as the Chinese would refer to the indigenous population. When Sayyid Abubakar came, we encountered the last of these rulers, Rajah Baguinda. Sayyid Abubakar married Baguinda's daughter, Paramisuli (I contend "paramisuli' is not a personal name but a royal title as this is common among Malay female nobility. This is subject of another article).

There is a lot to clarify in between these two polities (rajaship, sultanate), for example, was power handed by Rajah Baguinda to Sayyid Abubakar peacefully (voluntarily) or upon marriage, or was there a war of sort resulting to Sayyid Abubakar's hegemony? The transition from rajaship to sultanate is another area for further research.

Sayyid Abubakar assumed the regnal name Shariful Hashim. He was styled as "Sri Paduka Mahasari" and this reflects Sanskrit (Hindu/Buddhist) influence; as well as "Maulana Shariful Hashim" connecting him with growing Islamic influence in Southeast Asia. Was the term "Sri Paduka Mahasari Maulana" coined during his lifetime or a later attribution? He is said to have ruled from Buansa for 30 years between 1450 and 1480 and was buried in one of the slopes of Bud (Mount) Tumangtangis.

The Johor (more aptly, Malacca) connection of both Rajah Baguinda and Sayyid Abubakar is another subject of future research.

Modern historians claim 1457 as the date of the establishment of the Sulu Sultanate. The National Historical Commission of the Philippines disambiguate the date by "around 1450", or simply 1450s for uncertainty. On the other hand, independent Muslim studies marked the day to a more exact date November 17, 1405 (24th of Jumada al-Awwal, 808 AH).

He was succeeded by his son, Kamaluddin, who reigned for about 25 years between 1480 and 1505. Another son, Alauddin, is recognized as the 3rd sultan. However, his reign appear to conflict with his brother. One Sulu tarsila (genealogy) suggests that although he made have exercise political power, he was not proclaimed sultan.

Source:

Adib Majul, Cesar (1999). Muslims in the Philippines. University of the Philippines Press. ISBN 9715421881.
"The Sulu Sultanate". Moro National Liberation Front. Retrieved 2008-07-30.

Sayyid Abubakar came from where?

There are two claims explaining Sayyid Abubakar's roots.

The first claims he is from Johor. If we cross-reference this with the history of Johor, we will note that Modern Johor was established in 1528 much later than or 76 years after the establishment of the Sulu sultanate. therefore, he can't be a Johorean noble.

The second claims that he is from Malacca. Please note that Sayyid Abubakar established the sultanate in Sulu in 1450. Cross-referencing with the history of Malacca reveals that prior to 1409, Malacca (then known as Malaccawas) was a Hindu kingdom ruled by a Sri Vijayan prince, Parameswara. It became a Muslim sultanate when Parameswara converted to Islam, married a Pasai princess and assumed the title Sultan Iskandar Shah. Therefore the "sayyid" lineage all the way to Hadramaut and to the Prophet's family is very nil.

One possible explanation maybe to cut Sayyid Abubakar's Malay lineage and link him directly either to Muslim trading families from Gujarat in India or Hadramaut in Yemen. This is possible as Islamic infusion into Southeast Asia started by the end of the 13th century.

Another is to connect him to other emerging Muslim powers in the region. We have already discounted the Malacca sultanate, the second Muslim power. So this leaves us with the first Muslim power of Aceh in northern Sumatra, and the third Muslim power of Demak. Still the chronology is a bit conflicting. For example Demak sultanate was established three years later (1457) than Sulu.

Maybe he is from Pasai (also known as Samudera, Samudera-Pasai, Samudra, Samandara) in northern Sumatra, which is another possible explanation. Pasai was in existence between 13th and 15th century. In 1267, its Hindu king Merah Silu converted to Islam as Sultan Malik ul Salih. Again, this conflicts with the "sayyid" claim.

Or maybe he just came closer to home. How about Brunei?

The Lahad Datu iceberg

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Rajah Baguinda - A Sumatran Prince?

Rajah Baguinda tomb at Bud Datu (Prince Mount), Indanan, Sulu.
For photo source, please click here ...

Raja Baguinda, the pre-sultanate head in Sulu, is said to be of Malaccan origin. However, there is another version claiming Sumatran origin. This Sumatran roots is the subject of this article.

Sumatra is a huge Indonesian island in the Northwest facing the famous Strait of Malacca to the east and the vast Indian Ocean to the west. Its peoples are as diverse as its natural flora and fauna, and as rich as its history. Politically and historically, Sumatra is dotted by princely states intermittently at war and at peace with each other. From time to time, one kingdom consolidates enough power to rule over the island and the islands beyond.

Kantoli was one of the earliest known kingdoms to have rule a large portion of the southern region in the 5th century. Between the 7th and 9th centuries, the Buddhist monarchy of Sri Vijaya centered around Palembang was master of the island as well as significant portion of the SE Asia. At the same time, it was subject to invasion from southern India by the Chola Dynasty and from the south by Javanese kingdoms. From the south first came the Singhasari and subsequently Majapahit, a Hindu kingdom like Sri Vijaya eventually became a regional power. At the same time Islam made its way to Sumatra through Arabs and Indian traders in the 6th and 7th centuries AD.

By the late 13th century, King Merah Silu of the Samudra kingdom (also known as the kingdom of Pasai, Samudera ot Samudera-Pasai) converted to Islam and adopted the name Malik ul Salih in 1267. Italian traveler Marco Polo visited the island in 1292 and Arab explorer Ibn Battuta visited twice during 1345-1346. Samudra was succeeded by the powerful Aceh Sultanate, which survived to the 20th century. The Sultanate of Aceh was established with the conversion of its ruler to Islam as Ali Mughayat Syah by mid-15th century.

In relation to Rajah Baguinda, what is of interest to us is the period between late 14th and early 15th century, covering roughly the period when Pasai was overlord of Sumatra. Did he (Rajah Baguinda) came from the ruling Pasai dynasty, or was he from one of its tributary states? Aceh and later dynasties is out of the picture as well as those outside the island of Sumatra.

A similar claim says, he is from Minangkabau (earlier Minangkabwa). This is possible as it is a highland region in Western Sumatra. A Minangkabau kingdom around Pagayurung with ties to both the Singhasari and Majapahit kingdoms of Java, is believed to have ruled between 1347 and 1375, most likely to control the local gold trade.

What is interesting to note here is the establishment of a royal system. This royal system seems to have involved conflict and violence, eventually leading to a division of villages into one of two systems of tradition, Bodi Caniago and Koto Piliang, the later having overt allegiances to royalty. By the 16th century, royal power had been split into three recognized reigning kings. They were the King of the World (Raja Alam), the King of Adat (Raja Adat), and the King of Religion (Raja Ibadat), and collectively they were known as the Kings of the Three Seats (Rajo Tigo Selo). The Minangkabau kings were charismatic or magical figures who received a percentage of gold mining and trading profits, but did not have much authority over the conduct of village affairs.

Is Rajah Baguinda from this evolved Minangkabau royal system? Was his travel to Sulu intended or was he just a wayward traveler? We must remember that Minangkabau has a unique matrilineal descent. Was this unique descent the reason for allowing his daughter's husband, Sayyid Abubakar, to become Sulu's first sultan in his stead?

Since most of these Sumatran dynasties are converts from Hinduism/Buddhism to Islam, connecting him to the Prophet's genealogy is nil. This is similar to the Banu Hashim attribution of Shariful Hashim; unless it is proven that his father was an Arab trader of Hashimi descent who married a royal lady.

What's in a name. Another interesting part is the name itself "Rajah Baguinda". Certainly, the title of "rajah" speaks highly of pre-Islamic influence. In the same line as the title of "rajah", "baguinda" is also honorific, not a personal name and commonly appended to royal titles, i.e. several Malay sultans including the Sultan of Brunei is also titled as "Paduka Seri Baginda". While we are certain "rajah" is a title, is "baguinda" his personal name or an extension of his title to mean a "a great king" or a "strong prince"?

Sources:

Historical Sulu

Historical Sulu is a look into the past of Sulu as a polity. Often associated with the establishment of the Sulu Sultanate by the 15th century; we believe the pre-sultanate and pre-Islamic past and its wealth of non-political entities are also as interesting and worth researching.

Geographically, Historical Sulu represents not only the current Province of Sulu, but the whole breath, width and depth of the Sulu Archipelago, Zamboanga Peninsula, North Borneo (now Malaysian Sabah) and Palawan and the Sulu Sea.

Beyond historical narratives, peoples and cultures, Historical Sulu is also about its unique geography, from the millions of years ago when Sulu Archipelago was one huge island to the climate change and disaster risk of the current geographies. It also about the region's flora and fauna, many are endemic and endangered.

It is also about traditional diplomacy and trades with sovereign states, old and new, around Equator Asia and with SE Asia, Mainland China, and the rest of the world.

It also about the painful period of Western colonialism which show the demise of sovereign Sulu and to what royalists and independent advocates as continuing Filipino colonialism or Manila Imperialism.