A Blue Plaque Proposal for Sultan Abu Bakar

 

A Blue Plaque proposal has been submitted to English Heritage to honour Sultan Abu Bakar ibni al-Marhum Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim (1833-1895) on Friday, 29 October 2021. The Sultan, informally known as "The Father of Modern Johor" stayed in a 5-storey terraced townhouse known as 22 Manchester Square, London, in 1866.

22 Manchester Square, Marylebone, London. Source: Wikipedia.

The submission was prompted by the discovery of the actual address which the Sultan stayed during his first visit to London.  During research which was personally requested by the late Sultan's great great grand daughter, HRH Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, the actual address of his place of abode during his 6-month stay, together with relevant dates of his itinerary came to light.

HRH Queen of Malaysia Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah Binti Almarhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj, great great grand daughter of Sultan Abu Bakar ibni Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim.

The Illustrated London News, 12 May 1866.

The Illustrated London News,
19 May 1866.

The Illustrated London News, 9 June 1866.

The Illustrated London News, 4 August 1866.

The Illustrated London News, 4 August 1866.

The Illustrated London News, 29 September 1866.

Sultan Abu Bakar was the first Malay ruler to travel to Europe. During his 1866 visit he met Queen Victoria, Prince Alfred, Princess Alexandra, Princess Helena, Princess Mary, Prince Teck, the Lord Mayor of London, and the 2nd Duke of Wellington. The Queen personally bestowed him Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India (KCSI) in September 1866. To commemorate his 1866 visit, the Johore Quadrilles was published by Robert Cocks & Co. There are 5 quadrilles in total, each based on several Malay melodies and arranged for the piano according to the standard conventions of European tonal harmony. It is believed to have been performed for Sultan Abu Bakar by Coote & Tinney's Band, the premier London dance orchestra, during the State Ball at Buckingham Palace held on 5 June 1866.

'Johore Quadrilles', published and sold to the public by Robert Cocks & Co. c. 1867. Source: Cambridge University Library.

The Illustrated London News, 9 June 1866.

Painting of the Ballroom at Buckingham Palace c. 1856. Source: Royal Collection Trust.

Sultan Abu Bakar made subsequent visits to London in 1868 (6 months), 1878 (3 months), 1885 (14 months), 1889 (18 months), 1893 (6 months) and 1895 (1 month).  In 1885, he sought legal recognition from Britain for a change in his legal state title of "Maharajah" to a regal title of "Sultan", and was proclaimed the following year.  Amongst the Sultan's personal gifts to Queen Victoria were two portraits of her Majesty painted by Tavernor Knott in 1868 & 1878, and a golden replica of Albert Memorial by James William Benson presented in 1887.

"Princess Beatrice of Battenberg; Queen Victoria" c. 1860-1870. One of the two paintings believed to have been commissioned by Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor, and painted by Tavernor Knott c. 1868.
Source: National Portrait Gallery, UK.

Replica of the Albert Memorial by J.W. Benson gifted by Sultan Abu Bakar to Queen Victoria c 1887.

On his last visit to London, he fell ill due to kidney complications. Hearing the news, Queen Victoria sent her personal physician, Dr. Douglas Powell, to take care of him. Unfortunately, he died on 4.6.1895 at Bailey's Hotel, South Kensington. The ritual involving bathing and shrouding of his remains was conducted by a Mufti from Ottoman Turkey; whereas the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II arranged for his remains to be repatriated to Johor. Queen Victoria ensured that funeral arrangements were in accordance to the Royal ceremonies and that it went smoothly; wherein the press reported that "the Queen is anxious that all respect shall be paid to the remains of the Sultan of Johore when they quit this country". As a sign of her last respects, Queen Victoria ordered that the remains of Sultan Abu Bakar to be lowered from the stairs of Westminster and carried by a funeral ship to P&O's S.S. Bombay which was berthed at the Royal Albert Dock. As the cortage passes the Tower of London minute-guns were fired. The flags at the Tower of London as well as those on ships along the 11-mile river journey were lowered half mast.

During his lifetime, the Sultan took charge of the development of Johor's infrastructure, administrative system, military and civil service, all of which were modelled closely along Western lines. To some extent the friendly relationship between the Sultan and Queen Victoria initiated by this 1866 visit helped the process of modernization of Johor.

A Blue Plaque by English Heritage is a permanent sign installed in a public place in London to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, or event on the site, serving as a historical marker.  There are now over 900 plaques in London commemorating both individuals and events. The criteria for eligibility states that the famous person must have been dead for 20 years or have passed the centenary of their birth, be eminent within their profession and made an outstanding contribution to society.

Personally, this area of London brings plenty of fond memories as I stayed at 61 Castletown Road, West Kensington for a year in 1994-95 during my Barrister-at-law course at Holborn College and dining attendances at Lincoln's Inn. On top of museums and galleries, it was exciting to see Blue Plaques around the area. My earliest trip to London was with my parents in 1986; the second one was with my university classmates back in 1992. 

Joseph Chioh Hock Hua, Dr. Mohd. Bahrin Othman & Yusrin Faidz Yusoff at Victoria Embankment, near Middle Temple Gardens, London c. 1992.

Further, the budget for the Sultan's first visit to London was drawn up by my ancestors. My great great great maternal grand uncle, Mohd. Yahya bin Abdullah, was 'tukang wang' (treasurer) to Temenggong Abu Bakar (as he then was). He died with about 30 others in an explosion on board Abu Bakar's newly acquired iron paddle-steamer 'Johore' in Singapore waters on 15.4.1865. The incident, which occured a year prior to Abu Bakar's first visit to London was also reported in the Illustrated London News. His position as treasurer was filled by his younger brother Mohd. Salleh bin Abdullah. At that time, the siblings including Mohd. Yusof and Mohd. Ariff were closed to Abu Bakar as their elder sister, Mariam (Gedong) binti Abdullah was married to Abu Bakar's father, Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim.

"Blowing-up of the Johore, iron paddle-steamer, off Singapore" by John Lawrence Kirby.
(The Illustrated London News, 10 June 1865)

Back to the proposal in question, in an e-mail correspondence with Howard Spencer of English Heritage, I was informed that the process which includes further research would take about a year, and that I would be duly informed of the panel’s decision. Mr. Spencer also highlighted that the award of a Blue Plaque is a highly competitive one wherein only around a fifth of proposals received make the shortlist.

References:

1. Abdullah, A. Rahman Tang. 2011. Sultan Abu Bakar’s foreign guests and travels abroad, 1860s –1895: fact and fiction in early Malay historical accounts. Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 84(1): 1–22.
2. Abu Bakar of Johor. Wikipedia. Extracted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Bakar_of_Johor
3. Gullick, J. M. (1992). Rulers and Residents Influence and Power in the Malay States 1870-1920. Singapore : Oxford University Press.
4. Johore Quadrilles, Arranged by the Composer of the Singapore Schottische, Polka &c. and Dedicated to His Highness the Maharajah of Johore, K. C. S. I. [1867]. London: Robert Cocks & Co.
5. Muhammad Said bin Hj. Sulaiman. 1940. Hikayat Johor dan Tawarikh al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar. Singapura : Malaya Publishing House.
6. The Illustrated London News, Vol. 46, January-June 1865.
7. The Illustrated London News, Vol. 48, January-June 1866.
8. The Illustrated London News, Vol. 49, July-December 1866.
9. The Illustrated London News, Vol. 73, July-December 1878.
10. Trocki, Carl A. 2007. Prince of Pirates: the Temenggongs and the Development of Johor and Singapore, 1784–1885. 2nd edn. Singapore: NUS Press.
11. Yusoff, Y.F. 2020. Tragedi Kapal Johore. Historybuff. 12.10.2020. Extracted from: https://yusrinfaidz.blogspot.com/2020/10/tragedi-letupan-kapal-johore-1865.html
12. Yusoff, Y.F. 2021. Victoria & Abu Bakar. Historybuff. 4.6.2021. Extracted from: https://yusrinfaidz.blogspot.com/2021/06/victoria-abu-bakar.html

Warkah Sultan Mahmud III

 

Ada beberapa warkah abad ke-18 dari Nusantara yang disimpan di arkib Belanda. Antara yang menarik adalah warkah dari Sultan Mahmud Riayat Syah ibni al-Marhum Sultan Abdul Jalil Syah (Sultan Mahmud III) (1756-1811) yang bertarikh 11 Ramadan 1210H iaitu 20 Mac 1796. Baginda adalah merupakan Sultan yang memerintah jajahan takluk Riau-Lingga (1761-1811), Pahang (1761-1811), dan Johor (1770-1811) (Gambar 1).

Gambar 1: Sultan Mahmud Riayat Syah ibni al-Marhum Sultan Abdul Jalil Syah (Sultan Mahmud III) (1756-1811).
Sumber: Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, Direktorat Jenderal Kebudayaan, Indonesia.

Gambar 2: Bahagian atas dalam warkah Sultan Mahmud III.
Sumber: Leiden University Libraries.

Gambar 3: Cap Mohor Sultan Mahmud III.
Sumber: Leiden University Libraries.

Gambar 4: Kandungan Warkah Sultan Mahmud III.
 Sumber: Leiden University Libraries.

Ketika warkah ini dimaktub, Inggeris yang mentadbir Melaka bagi pihak Belanda semasa Perang Napoleon baru sahaja mengembalikan semula wilayah takluk Sultan Mahmud III kepada baginda (Gambar 2-4).  Warkah ini diutus kepada Gabenor Jeneral Belanda iaitu Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten (1755-1801) (Gambar 5) dan tiba di Betawi (Jakarta) pada 25 April 1796. Secara ringkasnya, ia mengandungi kenyataan Sultan Mahmud III bahawa baginda baru sahaja dimaklumkan oleh pihak Inggeris bahawa baginda dan kerajaan baginda telah diserahkan kepada Belanda; di mana baginda memohon bekalan senjata dan peluru dari Belanda untuk dihantar ke Riau.

Gambar 5: Gabenor Jeneral Belanda, Pieter Gerardus van Overstraten (1755-1801).
Sumber: Wikipedia.

Seperti yang kita maklum Sultan Mahmud III telah membuka Lingga dan menjadikannya pusat pemerintahan Johor-Riau-Lingga-Pahang. Pada 1782 Sultan Mahmud III dan Yang Dipertuan Muda IV Raja Haji Fisabillilah memerangi Belanda di Riau-Lingga. Perang Riau I tersebut berlangsung dari 1782 sehingga 1784. Tentera Riau-Lingga berhasil mengalahkan Belanda di Tanjungpinang dan sekitarnya dalam suatu peperangan yang sangat dahsyat sehingga mengorbankan ramai tentera Belanda. Dalam peperangan tersebut tentera Riau-Lingga berjaya meletupkan kapal-kapal milik Belanda.

Seperti yang dibuktikan dalam warkah ini, dengan campur tangan penjajah dan musuh-musuh politik dalaman maka akhirnya jajahan takluk Sultan Mahmud III mengecil hanya untuk berkuasa di Riau-Lingga sahaja; di mana baginda akhirnya akur di bawah naungan kuasa Belanda. Manakala jajahan Johor-Pahang bernaung pula di bawah kuasa Inggeris. Akibat daripada perpecahan itu juga, pentadbiran kerajaan Sultan Mahmud III dibahagi kepada tiga negeri dan diperintah oleh pemerintah yang berlainan, iaitu Singapura diperintah Bendahara, Riau diperintah Yamtuan Muda dan Lingga diperintah Sultan. 

Kemangkatan Sultan Mahmud III pada 12 Januari 1811 pula mengakibatkan perebutan kuasa antara Tengku Hussein (1776-1835) dengan adinda tirinya, Tengku Abdul Rahman (1780-1832).  Ini memberi peluang kepada Stamford Raffles untuk mengambil kesempatan memihak kepada Tengku Hussein yang ketika itu disokong Temenggong Abdul Rahman (1755-1825). Percaturan ini membolehkan pusat perdagangan Inggeris didirikan di Singapura pada tahun 1819. Ini disusuli dua perjanjian pada tahun 1823 dan 1824, di mana Singapura akhirnya diserahkan secara rasmi kepada Inggeris.

Sumber:

1. Abdul Hamid, Ahmad Sarji, 2011. The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, 16 - The Rulers of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Editions Didier Millet.
2. Leiden University Libraries, Amsterdam.
3. Trcocki, Carl A., 2007. Prince of Pirates: The Temenggongs and the Development of Johor and Singapore. Singapura: NUS Press.

Istana Bergerak Kesultanan Melaka

Gambar Hiasan: Bandar London yang digerakkan tenaga wap dalam filem fiksyen sains 'Mortal Engines', 2018. Sumber: Universal Pictures.

Hari ini genap 510 tahun kejatuhan Kesultanan Melayu Melaka. Pada 15 Ogos 1511, ianya tumbang ke tangan Portugis yang pada mulanya hadir dengan niat untuk berdagang. Tiada syak lagi bahawa Portugis mempunyai maklumat awal tentang apa yang berlaku di Melaka kerana tarikh serangan yang dipilih sememangnya amat strategik. Selain dari ketiadaan Hang Tuah dan armada Melaka, penduduk Melaka sekitar Julai 1511 dalam 'mood' persiapan untuk berpesta. Pesta yang dimaksudkan adalah Istiadat Perkahwinan Diraja antara Sultan Pahang ke-4 iaitu Sultan Mansur Shah I (r. 1497-1519) dengan puteri Sultan Mahmud Shah.  

Walaupun peristiwa perkahwinan di Melaka ini tidak diriwayatkan dalam Sulalatus Salatin (Sejarah Melayu), dari rekod salasilah, puteri Sultan Melaka ini adalah hasil perkahwinan Sultan Mahmud Shah dengan Puteri Unang Kening, puteri sulung Raja Kelantan iaitu Sultan Mansur Shah ibni al-Marhum Sultan Iskandar Shah. Tidak dapat dipastikan nama puteri Sultan Melaka tersebut. Apa yang diketahui, baginda adalah saudara seibu sebapa dengan Sultan Perak Pertama iaitu Sultan Muzaffar Riayat Shah I ibni al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Shah (r. 1528-1549). Catatan Bustan al-Salatin ada memberikan nama puteri Melaka tersebut iaitu Raja Dewi. Akan tetapi menurut Bustan al-Salatin puteri Raja Dewi ini dinikahkan dengan Raja Jenal iaitu putera Sultan Pahang bernama Sultan Abdul-Jamal (Abdul Jamil Shah?).

Menurut Richard James Wilkinson (1932), Perkahwinan Diraja Melaka - Pahang ini penting kerana ianya berjaya menjalin semula pertalian antara kedua-dua negeri yang retak akibat persengketaan yang berlaku sebelum itu. Menurut Wilkinson juga, Sultan Melaka ketika itu mempunyai sumber kewangan yang banyak hasil dari rampasan harta Bendahara Seri Maharaja Tun Mutahir yang dihukum bunuh sekitar 1510.

Istiadat Perkahwinan Diraja dimulakan dengan Istiadat Meletak Kerja sekitar Jun 1511 di mana sebahagian rakyat jelata bersama tenaga kerja Istana berkumpul dan bersedia untuk melaksanakan segala persiapan bagi upacara menyambut pengantin lelaki yang bakal diadakan. Istiadat ini dirancang untuk dijalankan secara besar-besaran di mana terdapat rekod Portugis yang menceritakan kekaguman mereka tentang persiapan dan terutamanya keindahan kenaikan Diraja bersalut emas yang disediakan bagi perarakan ketibaan pengantin lelaki. Malangnya, usaha gotong-royong ini terhenti apabila Portugis mula membedil Melaka pada pertengahan Julai 1511. 

Terdapat kekeliruan yang menghasilkan andaian bahawa kenaikan Diraja tersebut adalah sebesar Istana Melaka iaitu Istana Mahligai Hawa Nafsu. Ada juga yang beranggapan bahawa, seperti fiksyen sains 'Mortal Engines', Istana bergerak ini berkeupayaan meredah hutan belantara dan bukit bukau dari Pahang ke Melaka. Kesilapan ini mungkin berpunca dari terjemahan catatan Fernão Lopes de Castanheda (1500-1559) yang menyatakan bahawa setiap satu dari 30 rodanya sebesar sebuah bilik. Apa yang jelas Fernão Lopes de Castanheda tersebut hanya berumur 11 tahun pada 1511.  Menurut Rui Manuel Loureiro (2008) pula, Fernão Lopes de Castanheda tidak pernah ke Melaka, dan hanya berpandukan cerita-cerita dari laskar Portugis Melaka semasa beliau di India. Dengan itu mungkin maklumat yang diterimanya silap. Juga terdapat kemungkinan teks asal beliau gagal dialih-bahasa dengan sebaiknya oleh pengkaji sejarah.

Jika dikaji, sumber asal tentang kewujudan kenaikan Diraja ini adalah berdasarkan catatan ketua armada Portugis iaitu Alfonso de Albuquerque dalam Comentários de Afonso de Albuquerque (The commentaries of Afonso Dalboquerque). Saya petik terjemahan Inggeris catatan tersebut:-

"Here was burnt a wooden house, of very large size and very well built with joiners' work, about thirty palms breadth solid timber, all inlaid with gold, built up on thirty wheels, every one of which was as large as a hogshead, and it had a spire, which was the finishing-point of the building, of great height, covered with silken flags, and the whole of it hung with very rich silken stuffs, for it had been prepared for the reception of the king of Pão (Pahang) and his bride, the daughter of the king of Malacca, who were to make their entry through the city with great blowings of trumpets and festivities ; and in the houses of the king, and the other houses round about, which were burned, there was consumed by fire a great store of merchandise and other things of great price, which the king had in his palace."

Hiasan hadapan bagi 'Comentários de Afonso de Albuquerque (The commentaries of Afonso Dalboquerque)' yang disusun Afonso Brás de Albuquerque di Lisbon, 1557.

Jadi menurut catatan Alfonso de Albuquerque sendiri (yang disusun oleh anaknya, Afonso Bras de Albuquerque), saiz lebar struktur kenaikan Diraja tersebut adalah 30 "palm" dan ianya mempunyai 30 roda setiap satu sebesar "hogshead".  Unit kiraan "Palm" iaitu "palmo de craveira" adalah jarak antara ibu jari ke jari kelingking iaitu 9 inci. Jadi lebarnya 270 inci (30 x 9in) iaitu 22 kaki 6 inci. Manakala "hogshead" adalah unit kiraan lama Portugis iaitu saiz tong khamar (barril de vinho / wine barrel) 52 gelen yang mempunyai diameter 28 inci. Secara logik ianya tidak mungkin bersaiz bilik kerana sesebuah bilik berbeza-beza dimensi dan tidak universal untuk dijadikan piawai ukuran. Jadi seperti yang pernah digambarkan Pieter Van Der Aa (1706), kemungkinan besar saiz kenaikan Diraja tersebut adalah seluas sebuah rumah teres moden kini iaitu lebih kurang 23 kaki x 90 kaki.

Lakaran bertajuk "Royal carriage of thirty wheels pulled by twelve Elephants" oleh Pieter Van Der Aa (1706).

Dari deskripsi yang diberi Alfonso de Albuquerque, kita ketahui bahawa kenaikan Diraja tersebut dihiasi dengan pelbagai jenis panji sutera yang berwarna-warni. Jika kita rujuk kepada arkib Jabatan Adat Istiadat Negara Brunei Darussalam tentang kenaikan Diraja yang pernah digunakan Kesultanan Brunei, mungkin kita dapat menggambarkan jenis-jenis panji, struktur mahligai, dan alat kebesaran yang disusun diatas struktur kenaikan Diraja Melaka tersebut.  Alat perhiasan Diraja Brunei samada bagi kenaikan darat mahupun kenaikan laut terbahagi kepada dua jenis.  Pertama adalah hiasan menengah (di bahagian tengah) yang terdiri dari Tunggul Charok, Sandaran, Ula-Ula Besar dan Sumbu Layang, Payong Haram, Payong Ubor-Ubor Tiga Tingkat, Cogan Ugama, Cogan Istiadat (Cogan Diraja), Mahligai, Payong Tinggi, Alam Bernaga (Alam Besar), Pisang-Pisang, dan Tunggul Buritan.  Kedua, hiasan di bahagian sisi kenaikan yang terdiri dari Payong Ubor-Ubor, Ambal, Tunggul Kawan, Dadap (yang diatur menurut susunan warna yang bermula dari warna kuning hingga ke warna merah-jambu), Rawai Lidah, dan Sapu-Sapu Ayeng.

Alat-Alat Perhiasan Diraja.
Sumber: Jabatan Adat Istiadat Negara Brunei Darussalam.

Alat-Alat Perhiasan Diraja.
Sumber: Jabatan Adat Istiadat Negara Brunei Darussalam.

Kedua-dua jenis perhiasan Diraja ini adalah alat utama yang dipasang sebelum diadakan majlis-majlis yang beristiadat seperti Istiadat Berpuspa, Istiadat Perkahwinan Diraja, Istiadat Bertindik dan Berkhatan Diraja, Istiadat Mengarak Wazir, dan mana-mana jua istiadat yang disifatkan penting. Sebahagian dari alat-alat perhiasan Diraja ini juga diatur di sepanjang jalan yang menuju ke Istana atau di mana jua tempat mengadakan majlis-majlis beristiadat.

Jadi bukan sekadar hiasan, panji-panji sutera yang disaksikan Alfonso de Albuquerque sejurus kejatuhan Kesultanan Melaka ini adalah sebahagian dari alat kelengkapan dan perhiasan khusus yang melambangkan kebesaran dan kekuasaan institusi Kesultanan Melaka itu sendiri. Malang sekali semuanya itu telah musnah, termasuklah segala khazanah ilmu, naskhah buku-buku, peta-peta, perutusan-perutusan, tulisan di daun-daun lontar dan sebagainya yang turut dijilat api bersama hadiah-hadiah diplomatik dan artifak-artifak sejarah peradaban Melayu yang disimpan di Istana Melaka.

Sumber:

1. Alat-Alat Perhiasan Diraja. Jabatan Adat Istiasat Negara. Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Brunei Darussalam. Diekstrak dari: http://www.adat-istiadat.gov.bn/SitePages/Alat-Alat%20Perhiasan%20Diraja.aspx
2. Di Manakah Hang Tuah Ketika Melaka Diserang Portugis? Historybuff. 15.11.2019. Diekstrak dari https://yusrinfaidz.blogspot.com/2019/11/di-manakah-hang-tuah-ketika-melaka.html
3. Fernão Lopes de Castanheda, 1551. História do descobrimento e conquista da India pelos portugueses (History of the Discovery and Conquest of India by the Portuguese).
4. Pieter Van der Aa, 1706-1708. Naaukeurige versameling der gedenk-waardigste zee en land-reysen na Oost en West-Indiën. Leyden.
5. Richard James Wilkinson, 1932. The Early Sultans of Pahang. Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Vol. 10, No. 1 (113) (Jan. 1932). pp 45-54.
6. Rui Manuel Loureiro, 2008. Historical Notes On The Portuguese Fortress In Malacca (1511-1641). Revista de Cultura Vol 28, 2008, pp. 78-96.
7. Walter de Gray Birch, 1875. The Commentaries of the Great Afonso Dalboquerque, Second Viceroy of India.