Abdullah al-Muʽtassim Billah Shah of Pahang facts for kids

Sultan Abdullah Al-Mu'tassim Billah Shah (born 12 October 1874 – died 22 June 1932) was the third modern Sultan of Pahang. He ruled from 1917 to 1932. His full name means "He who seeks refuge in God."

Early Life of Sultan Abdullah

Sultan Abdullah was born on 12 October 1874. His birthplace was the Royal Palace in Pekan Lama. He was the third son of Sultan Ahmad Muʽazzam. His mother was Cik Kusuma Sokma binti Tok Minal Daeng Koro. He also had a stepbrother named Mahmud Shah II.

Sultan Abdullah's Reign

During Sultan Abdullah's time as ruler, Pahang saw many important changes. The British government introduced new rules. These rules aimed to make the Malay states more modern. This led to the creation of the Federated Malay States in 1896. A group called the Federal Council was also set up in 1909.

Challenges with the Federal Council

Sultan Abdullah was not happy with how much power the city of Kuala Lumpur had. He felt that Kuala Lumpur controlled too many things. He believed some matters should only be decided by Pahang. However, he had to agree to these demands. This was because Pahang needed money from the Federated Malay States. States like Perak and Selangor were very rich.

Efforts to Give Power Back to States

Later, a governor named Sir Laurence Guillemard tried to help. He worked to give more power back to the individual states. This meant less power would be held by Kuala Lumpur. Sadly, Sultan Abdullah did not live to see these plans finished. His successor also did not, as the Japanese invaded Malaya later on.

Important Reforms and Changes

Sultan Abdullah's rule brought other big changes. One important reform was ending the corvée system. This system made people work for free. It was common in Pahang. From 1919, large areas of land were set aside for Malays. This was to make sure local Malays always had land. Also, in 1919, a law called the Sultanate Lands Enactment was passed. This law gave the Sultan the right to manage certain lands. It also allowed him to control who could rent or use these areas.

New Titles and Rules for Succession

In 1930, a new royal title was created: Tengku Mahkota. This title means 'crown prince'. Other new Malay titles were also introduced. Rules for who would become the next ruler were also set. These rules were based on family lineage. In 1932, his son, Tengku Abu Bakar, became the first Tengku Mahkota of Pahang. He was 20 years old at the time.

Sultan Abdullah's Family Life

Sultan Abdullah had several wives. His first wife was known as Che' Endut. His second wife was Che Kalsum binti Tun Abdullah. She later became the Sultanah of Pahang, which is a very important royal title. Their first son was Abu Bakar. He later became the next Sultan. Sultan Abdullah's third wife was Cik Wan Chantik binti Wan Muhammad Amin. In total, Sultan Abdullah had ten sons and seven daughters.

Death and Who Ruled Next

By 1931, Sultan Abdullah's health started to get worse. But he still attended the Durbar in August of that year. He passed away on 22 June 1932. He died at the Istana Kuning in Pekan. He was buried at the Royal Cemetery in Kuala Pahang. His second son, Tengku Mahkota Abu Bakar, became the next Sultan.