Nineteenth century Johore : ruler and realm in transition

Abstract

This study deals with the rise of a Malay kingdom, the modern state of Johore, out of an old Malay empire which covered the southern part of the Malay Peninsula and the islands to the south at the beginning of the nineteenth century; with the efforts of the new dynasty to establish itself in the Malay world; and with the relations of the emerging state with the colonial power whose territory bordered upon it. The emergence of the new dynasty is discussed in terms of both the intimate connection which it established with the local authorities of the colonial power (the Government of the Straits Settlements) and the vitality of traditional Malay institutions. The political settlement which freed the new dynasty from the interference of the old imperial house is discussed in relation to the policies of the British Government and the ambitions of the princes and chiefs of the old empire. In the latter half of the century attention is focussed on the relationship between the new kingdom and the British power. The modus vivendi arrived at between the ruler of Johore and the Straits Government in the 1860s, which laid the foundations of administrative cooperation between the two territories in matters of common concern, and the ruler’s political ambitions on the Malay Peninsula are discussed. Finally, the continued independence of Johore throughout the period in which all the other Malay states net under Siamese suzerainty were brought under British administration is considered in relation to the nature in Johore, the nature of the Johore administration, and the personal relationship cf the ruler to the colonial power. Show more