Omar Ali Saifuddin II

Omar Ali Saifuddin II (3 February 1799 – 20 November 1852) was the 23rd Sultan of Brunei, then known as the Bruneian Empire. During his reign, Western powers such as Great Britain and the United States visited the country. His reign saw the British adventurer James Brooke becoming the "White Rajah" of Sarawak.

Omar Ali Saifuddin II II عمر علي سيف الدين
23rd Sultan of Brunei
Reign	1829–1852
Coronation	1830
Predecessor	Muhammad Alam
Successor	Abdul Momin
Born	3 February 1799 Brunei Town, Bruneian Empire
Died	20 November 1852 (aged 53) Brunei Town, Bruneian Empire
Burial	Kubah Makam Di Raja, Brunei Town, Brunei
Spouse	Tuan Zaidah Pengiran Sandalam
Issue Detail	Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin Pengiran Pemancha Sahibul Rae' Wal Mashuarah Pengiran Anak Mohammad Salleh Pengiran Anak Matalam Pengiran Anak Metassan Pengiran Anak Zubaidah Pengiran Anak Mariam Pengiran Anak Saleha Pengiran Anak Siti Munggu
House	Bolkiah
Father	Muhammad Jamalul Alam I
Mother	Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Noralam
Religion	Sunni Islam

Background

Saifuddin was the son of Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam I and Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Nur Alam. He was the grandson of two Sultans of Brunei, Muhammad Tajuddin and Muhammad Kanzul Alam.

Succession to the throne

When his father died in 1804, he was still a minor. Therefore, his grandfather, Paduka Seri Bega'wan Muhammad Tajuddin ascended the throne for the second time. Due to the advanced age of Sultan Muhammad Tajuddin, his younger brother, Pengiran Di-Gadong Pengiran Muda Muhammad Kanzul Alam acted as regent. When Sultan Muhammad Tajuddin died in 1807, the regent became the 21st Sultan of Brunei and was known as Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam. Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam then appointed his own son, Pengiran Anak Muhammad Alam as heir to the throne of Brunei.

In 1825, when Pengiran Muda Omar Ali Saifuddin had come of age, he asserted his claim to the throne. Pengiran Muda Omar Ali Saifuddin was supported by most nobles as he was the rightful heir according to Brunei’s royal traditions. The Kris Si Naga was in the possession of his mother, thus strengthened his claim. To end the succession crisis, Sultan Muhammad Alam stepped down from the throne and was sentenced to death. In 1828, Pengiran Muda Omar Ali Saifuddin ascended the throne as the 23rd Sultan of Brunei, taking the title Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II.

Reign

During Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II’s reign, he tried to establish absolute control over Sarawak (present day Kuching). Before this, only the Pengirans who acted on behalf of the Sultan, were in charge in Kuching collecting taxes and revenues from the local people. Especially after the discovery of antimony ore in Sarawak, the Sultan became more ambitious in gaining control of the economy of Sarawak. The Governor of Sarawak at that time, Pengiran Indera Mahkota Mohammad Salleh, also used forced labour to run the antimony mines. A disturbance occurred in Sarawak where an uprising against Brunei rule led by Datu Patinggi Ali, who was one of the ruling chiefs in Sarawak.

James Brooke

At the time of chaotic situation in Sarawak, a British explorer, James Brooke, came to Sarawak. Brooke came to Sarawak from Singapore as he had heard about Sarawak's economic potentials. Also, at this time, Brooke met the Prime Minister (Bandahara) Pengiran Muda Hashim, who was the uncle of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II, and the two became close friends. Pengiran Muda Hashim asked for Brooke's assistance to help him to suppress the disturbances in Sarawak, in return, Pengiran Muda Hashim ensured the appointment of Brooke as the new Governor of Sarawak, after the current Governor Raja Pengiran Indera Mahkota had been deposed. There is no clear reason why Brooke later accepted Pengiran Muda Hashim's offer.

After the disturbances in Sarawak successfully quelled, James Brooke met Pengiran Muda Hashim in Kuching to ensure his promises were kept. Pengiran Muda Hashim agreed to honour his promise. In 1842, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II confirmed the appointment of James Brooke as the Governor of Sarawak in a treaty. The treaty officially recognised James Brooke as the Raja of Sarawak and the Sultan had to cede Sarawak to James Brooke. The ceding of Kuching to Brooke marked the beginning of further cessation of territories to James Brooke and later, the British North Borneo Company.

James Brooke, the "White Rajah" of Sarawak.

In the same year, His Highness ceded Labuan to the British under the Treaty of Labuan.

Diplomatic relationship with the United States

In 1847, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II signed the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce with the British and in 1850, he signed a similar treaty with the United States.

Death

In the 1850's, Saifuddin's health began rapidly deteriorating. The Sultan chose to distance himself from ruling the state but he never abdicated the Throne. At the moment, his son-in-law Abdul Momin was appointed a regent.

Omar Ali Saifuddin II died in 1852 and was succeeded by his son-in-law, Sultan Abdul Momin as the 24th Sultan of Brunei. He was buried at Kubah Makam Di Raja or the Bukit Penggal Royal Mausoleum, Bandar Seri Begawan.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Omar Ali Saifuddin II

16. Muhammad Alauddin 8. Omar Ali Saifuddin I 17. Pengiran Anak Sharbanun 4. Muhammad Tajuddin 18. Hussin Kamaluddin 9. Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Noralam 19. Pengiran Isteri 2. Muhammad Jamalul Alam I 20. Hussin Kamaluddin (= 18) 10. Pengiran Di-Gadong Pengiran Anak Abdul 21. Pengiran Isteri (= 19) 5. Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Bulan 1. Omar Ali Saifuddin II 24. Muhammad Alauddin (= 16) 12. Omar Ali Saifuddin I (= 8) 25. Pengiran Anak Sharbanun (= 17) 6. Muhammad Kanzul Alam 26. Hussin Kamaluddin (= 18) 13. Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Putri 27. Pengiran Isteri (= 19) 3. Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Noralam 28. Muhammad Alauddin (= 16) 14. Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Kassim 7. Pengiran Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha 30. Hussin Kamaluddin (= 18) 15. Pengiran Isteri Pengiran Anak Bungsu 31. Pengiran Isteri (= 19)

References