The Brunei Civil War

There have been many written accounts by “scholars” about the Brunei Civil War. My wife and I decided to go back to the original account and tell that story.

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We begin with Sultan Abdul Kahar, who, in 1880, was considered the first Sultan.

The first Sultan (supreme head of the country), who had a large family, was Sultan Abdul Kahar who was on the throne.  He died after a long rein in 1577. The Spaniards first attacked Brunei under Don Francisco Lande in 1577 with the support of Pangiran Seri Lela.

The Spaniards returned in 1580 to replace Sri Lela on the throne, and it was probably on this occasion the Raja Sakam distinguished himself. The Spanish history says the Brunians were assisted by the Portuguese captain Pangiran Kestani. The Portuguese had carried on regular trade with Brunei since 1530, and they continued this to capture Malacca from the Dutch in 1691 and afterward from Macao. When the present Sultan (1880) was a young man, he remembered the Portuguese traders in Brunei. This would be at the end of the last century.

The Merhoum (an Arab from Algeria) had 42 sons, one of who became Sultan Saif ul Rejal. The Arab, Sultan Saif ul Rejal, ruled all the dependencies of Brunei up to Lesong (Luzon). The Spanish removed Saif ul Rejal, and they placed Seri Lela on the throne. The family of Sultan Kahar were taken to Suei (Pakistan).

The Merhoum Arabs can be traced throughout this essay.

Two of Seri Lela’s brothers became Bendaharas(a title given to those who serve the Sultan) and supported Sri Lela on the throne. One of these was Bendahara Sari, whose mother was a Javanese. The other was named Raja Sakam (Raja is a title that indicates a member of the blood royal) whose mother was a Bajau.

The Bajaus are a race having some settlements in the north and east of Brunei. They were formerly pirates. They call themselves orang sawa and say their ancestors came from the Straits of Malacca. Furthermore, they are bold and enterprising and young men and women have a wild look with large beautiful eyes.

Raja Sakam was very fierce, brave and when angry it appeared that fire was issuing from his mouth. None of the princes dare dispute his will. All the daughters of the rulers of Brunei were beautiful, and Raja Sakam made wives and concubines of them.

Pangiran Buong Manis(Pangiran is a title for those who are head of villages) who was formerly known as Pangiran Sri Lela, was a traitor to the Sultan. Pangiran Lela’s daughter, who was married, and was sitting next to her husband, was seized by Raja Sakam, and he made her his concubine. Therefore, when the Spanish made war, Seri Lela ran to them for help.

The sons of the Sultans were called Raja. The other nobles were called Pengiran. Raja Muda Hasin, who was murdered in 1847(?)was the last one called Rajah.

All the Rajahs, ministers and hulebalangs (warriors) fled, taking the Sultan with them. However, Rajah Sakam did not join them. He remained with the 1,000 men whom he had hired. The mercenaries constructed a fort at Pulau Ambok and fought the Spanish. The Spanish fled to Luzon. Rajah Sakam brought back the Sultan to Brunei and placed him on the throne.

 Rajah Sakam then sailed to Belahit searching for the traitor Pangiran Sri Lela and his brother Sri Retna. When he had killed them all, he returned to Brunei and strengthened the throne of his brother, Sultan Saif-ul Rejal. All 40 of his brothers became chutreias(?) of the Bendahara.   The Sultan went on a “pleasure party” to Labuan or Muara where they wore chemara kimkha (colours) of blue and gold to distinguish themselves as brothers of the Yang di Pertuan. (Sultan)

About this time, the Sultan’s wife became pregnant, and she gave birth to a mentally challenged child, who was a beautiful female. After this, his Majesty had two other daughters and two sons. One of the sons became Sultan Sha Brunei and the other Sultan Hasan, who succeeded the current Sultan.

As for the eldest sister of Sultan Hasan, who was mentally challenged, their father gave her the Bajaus of Marudu, Bajaus of Bangui and Bisayas of Mempalu of Lawas and Bakau areas for her to rule.

There was a Pangiran Mohamed Panjang of Kampong Pandei Kawat who was rich. He had three hundred followers and fell in love with the mentally challenged and presented her with three hundred people as a marriage gift. After this, he received the title of (Pangiran Bendahara Mohamed Pulau). He was the father of (Pangiran Bendahara Kahar who was the father of Bendahara Hamid), father of (Bendahara Abdul of Merhoum).Bendahara Abdul ruled (Merhoum Tumbang di Ramput). He seized the throne of the Kingdom of Brunei and governed under the name of Sultan Abdul Mubin. Therefore, we have the following lineage:

Mohammed followed by Kahar followed by Seri Lela (placed by the Spanish) followed by Hamid followed by Abdul who seized the throne.

The Killing

The original cause was a massacre that a son of the Sultan had killed the son of a Bendahara and when the Bendahara saw that his son was killed he went to the palace with forty men and presented himself to the Sultan. The fully armed group went to the throne room, where the son was presenting himself to the Sultan.

The Sultan stated, “Oh Pangiran as to the killing of a person without cause, if my son be guilty, he must be killed for it”.

When the son of the Sultan heard these words, he fled to the interior of the palace.

The Prince, after escaping the vengeance of the Bendahara to the back of the palace and then by sea in a sampan, appears to have been, during the life of his father, Pangiran di Gelong. He was named Omar and appears to have been unpopular and insolvent and the insurrection of the Bendahara which was intended only against him, was supported by the Chief Nobility of his own house. His home was attacked and burned, and he then fled to his father’s house, chased by the Bendahara.

The Pangiran Bendahara asked the Sultan to disown his son. The Sultan replied, “how can I give you my son now that he has brought death onto the Palace?”

Upon hearing this, the Pangiran Bendahara chased after the son with his forty men. When the Pangiran Bendahara could not find him, he fell to killing the people in the Palace. The Sultan asked Pengiran what are you doing? One person committed a crime and you are killing others.

The Bendahara replied, the eyes of your slaves are blind. His majesty then said, kill me as well. The Bendahara replied “very well my lord, and he caught hold of the Sultan, lifted him up, carried him on the grass and there stabbed him with a keris.

The date of the death of the Raja is the only one in Brunei history. It is about 1655.

The murderer, who was the son of the Sultan, escaped to the sea. The other children of His Majesty remained in Brunei. One was named Hasan and the other was called Husin. There were also eight nephews, children of his brother Merhoum Tua.

All the insignia of Royalty, the crown from Johor and the kamanah (?)from China were taken by the Rajah who made himself king. He took the title Sultan Abdul Mubin, but he was not crowned. A son of Merhoum Tua, named Pangiran Bongsu became the Bendahara was made by the Sultan Abdul Mubin.

Sultan Abdul Mubin lived in Kawang Berbunga opposite Kota Baru where the Merhoum Tumbang di Rumputs palace once stood. The city of Brunei at the time was built on piles covering the extensive mud flats between the two royal residences.

Sometime after this, the Pengiran Bendahara went out to hunt. He wandered into the house of a Kedian Chief named Orang Kaya Imas. He said to himself, “All of these Rajas are without shame; their father has been murdered, and they seek no revenge. Furthermore, he spat on the ground and looked at the Pengiran Bendahara “Enter into the hut of your servant, a man of the woods.” The Pengiran went in and sugar cane, plantains, potatoes and yams were served to him.

The Kadeians are a race of people who differ in appearance and language from the people of Brunei and live in the country immediately surrounding the city. They appeared from ancient times to be dependent on the royal family. They are quiet and agricultural people professing Islam.

After the meal was over, the Orang Kaya asked the Bendahara what about the death of your father and are you not going to seek revenge? The Pengiran answered that we do not have power. The Orang Kaya replied that the people do not wish to obey a Raja who is not in line with the Yang di Pertuan. The Pengiran Bendahara said he would consider the matter. The Orang Kaya said very well. Meanwhile, the Orang Kaya posted guards and his army every night in case there was an uprising.

When he reached his house, the Pengiran Bendahara collected his relations and asked their opinions on the murder of their father. They replied, what can we do if we have no power? They then all agreed to support the Bendahara if such an event should proceed.

Meanwhile, Orang Kaya Imas went down every night to mengfijeok(?). This went on for two or three months. The Bendahara and he were ready. He then attended an audience with the Yang di Pertuan and said, how is it that we must keep watch when our people have no opportunity to go out for food? Brunei is a large city, and it is easy for thieves to come and steal and then get away. I think you should go to Pulau Chermin because the thieves must come by boat to get to the island.

The Sultan heard the advice and said, whatever is best, I shall do.  And so it was arranged, and the people moved to the island and built houses as well as a palace on Chermin. When they were finished, the Sultan moved to the island with only three of the six guns.

While the Raja was moving, the Pengiran Bendahara prevented people from moving onto the island. He ordered the people to repair the forts at Pulau Ambot. The Sultan was waiting for the Bendahara to move into their new quarters, but they did not come. The Pengiran di Gedong was sent to ask why.

Pulau Ambok is an island about 1.2 kilometres below the present town of Brunei and just about at the site of the ancient city.

The Orang Kaya di Gedong is the chief of the mentris as they are called in Brunei. They are the chief officers of the Sultans and Wazirs and are NOT of noble birth, being taken from the trading classes of the community. They are selected for their intelligence and have great influence over the politics of the country.

The Pangiran Bendahara replied, “The reason for us not coming is that we intend to be revenged for the death of the late Sultan.” The Pengiran di Gedong informed the Sultan of the answer, and when the Sultan heard this he “was furious like blazing fire” and war began.

The people of Brunei made Pangiran Bendahara Sultan Muaddin. So there were two Sultans, one at Chermin and one at Brunei. The Sultan of Brunei was supported by the people of the territory to the west, and the island of the Raja was supported by territories to the north. The war lasted for twelve years.

 Dissension broke out among the people of Brunei, and they insisted on peace. As soon as they had sorted things out, the Brunei’s went to war again. The people on the island were beaten, and they fled to Kinarut where they were followed by the Bruneians and the war continued there. Sultan Abdul Mubin returned to Pulau Chermin and recommenced the war.

Soon after the break out of the war, Sultan Muaddin found the old town of Brunei was too near the island from which attacks were frequently made. He went to Kuala Tupasik which is the uppermost part the present site of the town on the left bank of the river.

Meanwhile, in Brunei, famine soon appeared because all trade was prevented from coming up the river by the people of the island. Sultan Muaddin sent a letter to the Batara of Soolook (Sulu) asking for assistance, and he came with five boats. Upon arriving, he had an audience with Sultan Abdul Mubin. The Raja of the island did not know that the Batara of Soolook would support Sultan Muaddin. Batara Soo Look stated he had come because he heard there was fighting and people of Islam should not engage in warfare with each other. The Raja of the island said this war was not of our seeking and the Pengiran had brought it about. The Batara of Soolook said I will go to Brunei and see Sultan Muaddin. The Sultan of the island, Abdul Mudin, said he was anxious for peace.

The Commander of the Soolook fleet of 40 boats was Bendahara Taiting. The brother of the Sultan of Soolook was said to have accompanied him.

The Batara of Soolokk met with Sultan Muaddin and after feasting and drinking, the Sultan asked for assistance to destroy his enemies. He promised that the land from the North to as far west, Kirmani, would belong to Soolook.

The Batara of Soolook accepted this with delight, and the people of Brunei all got ready to attack the island. They placed their forces on Bukit Chicana and Didaliton and the Batara of Soolook took possession of the island of Kayang Arang and carried on the war.

The Soolooks wanted the support of the Brunei Sultan because he offered islands close to the Soolook homeland in exchange for assistance. They say the Soolooks did all the fighting, while the Brunei people just looked on. The present sultan of Brunei (1880) disputes this account.

The people of the island fired down on top of them. Fearing defeat, the Sultan of the island destroyed the insignia of royalty as the crown from Johore and the kamanah (?) from China were rammed into a cannon, and he fired them out to sea. 

Pangiran Kawat attacked the island and killed the men and women of the Sultan. The Sultan was garrotted in the mosque. About half the Pengiran on the island surrendered and became prisoners. Those that remained on the island are now (1881) called Raja Raja Pulau.

Sultan Muaddin returned to Brunei carrying captives of the island, while the Batara of Soolook returned to Soolook carrying his captives and his plunder, which included guns and royal guns.

The war lasted about 12 years. During the greater part of the time, Sultan Abdul Mubin resided at Kinarut. The four Pengiran were killed in operations against him. The Pangiran Kasuma whose sympathies and relationships were with the Island, says peace was made three times and broken by the Brunians Pengiran and the usurper had come back to the island three times before the final catastrophe.

From: author unknown (although Hugh Low claims credit for it) History of the Sultans of Brunei and of their descent from Sultan Abdul Kahar to Sultan Abdul Jalil ul Jebar:1880 manuscript. https://www.facebook.com/groups/461558781861220/permalink/973054247378335

Courtesy of Veronica Chang Scmidt