Abdul Samad of Selangor

Sultan of Selangor (r. 1857–1898)

For the building in Kuala Lumpur, see Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

Abdul Samad
عبد الصمد

Sultan of Selangor

The sultan in his eighties, c. 1890

4th Sultan of Selangor
Reign| 6 January 1857 – 6 February 1898
Predecessor| Muhammad Shah
Successor| Alauddin Sulaiman Shah

Born| 1804
Bukit Melawati, Selangor
Died| 6 February 1898 (aged 93-94)
Istana Bandar Temasha, Jugra, Selangor, FMS
Burial|

Makam Sultan Abdul Samad, Jugra, Banting, Selangor

Wives|

* Che Puan of Selangor
* Tengku Ampuan Raja Atfah Binti Al-Marhum Sultan Muhammad Shah
* Che Fatimah binti Haji Abdul Ghani

Issue|

* Raja Tipah
* Raja Munah
* Raja Muda Raja Musa
* Raja Abu Nusah
* Raja Arfah
* Raja Yaakub
* Raja Montel
* Raja Nong Shah
* Raja Mahmud
* Raja Daud
* Raja Abdul Kahar
* Raja Alfah

| Names

Raja Abdul Samad bin Raja Abdullah
Regnal name
Sultan Sir Abdul Samad ibni Almarhum
Raja Bendahara Raja Abdullah, KCMG
Posthumous name
Marhum Jugra
House| Royal Buginese Luwu
Opu Daeng Celak
Father| Ibrahim Shah of Selangor
Mother| Che Lipah
Religion| Sunni Islam

Sultan Sir Abdul Samad ibni Almarhum Raja Bendahara Raja Abdullah KCMG (Jawi: سلطان عبد الصمد ابن المرحوم راج عبد الله; born Raja Abdul Samad bin Raja Abdullah, 1804 – 6 February 1898) was the fourth Sultan of Selangor.

Raja Abdul Samad was born in 1804 at Bukit Melawati in Selangor to Raja Abdullah, the younger brother of Sultan Muhammad Shah of Selangor. He reigned for 41 years from 1857 until his death in 1898. His time on the throne saw the only civil war in Selangor, the establishment of Kuala Lumpur,[1][2] the introduction of the flag and coat of arms of Selangor[3] and the start of British involvement in Selangor state affairs.[4]

## Rise to the throne

[edit]

A struggle for power occurred towards the end of Sultan Muhammad Shah of Selangor's reign. His nephew, Raja Abdul Samad strengthened his position by marrying Muhammad's daughter, Raja Atfah in 1844 and was then made chief of the Selangor valley. During the 1850s, writings by Frank Swettenham mentioned that Abdul Samad murdered numerous men, and this was not refuted by Abdul Samad.[5]

Before becoming the Sultan of Selangor, Abdul Samad held the title of Tengku Panglima Raja and held authority over Langat.[6] Sultan Muhammad Shah, died on 6 January 1857 without appointing an heir. This started a dispute between the royal court and dignitaries of Selangor to choose the next sultan. Malay customs dictated that in choosing the next sultan the son of a royal wife takes precedence over the sons of other wives. This made Raja Mahmud the next legitimate heir but he was too young and was unable to rule. Sultan Muhammad's older and more competent sons, Raja Laut and Raja Sulaiman were sons of concubines, the Sultan's sons-in-law, Raja Jumaat and Raja Abdullah, were from the Riau branch of the family, hence they were all ineligible. This left Raja Abdul Samad as the strongest candidate.[4][7] Raja Jumaat and Raja Abdullah became convinced that they could become the power behind the throne if they supported Raja Abdul Samad to take the throne. With their patronage and the support of four other state dignitaries, a consensus was select Raja Abdul Samad as the sultan.[8]

Other sources state that Selangor went on for two years without a sultan until he was favoured[9] and that, unlike his predecessors, he was not formally installed by the Sultan of Perak.[7]

## Reign

[edit]

Following the successful establishment of the Ampang tin mines by Muhamad Shah, Sultan Abdul Samad used the tin ore to trade with the Straits Settlements. The mines in turn attracted even more Chinese miners[9] with the help of Raja Abdullah bin Raja Jaafar, one of his sons-in-law and Yap Ah Loy, a Chinese Kapitan.

In 1866, the Sultan gave Raja Abdullah the power and authority over Klang. This fueled the feud between Raja Abdullah and Raja Mahadi, who was the previous administrator of Klang. The dispute led to the Klang War. The Sultan appointed his son-in-law, Tengku Dhiauddin Zainal Rashid (a.k.a. Tengku Kudin), as vice yamtuan and arbitrator twice during the war; first on 26 June 1868 and again on 22 July 1871.[10][11][12] At the same time he handed over management of the entire state. He also provided Langat to Tengku Kudin to help him fund the handling of the war. Tengku Kudin in turn engaged the help of Pahang, mercenaries and Sir Andrew Clarke of the British Empire. This marked the first British involvement in local politics. The Sultan later handed over the ruling power of Klang to Tungku Kudin after the war was won in 1874. In 1878 Tengku Kudin stepped down from this post.[13][14][15]

Sultan Abdul Samad attended the First Malay Rulers Durbar held in Kuala Kangsar in 1897.

After a number of pirate attacks in Selangor, Andrew Clarke assigned Frank Swettenham as a live-in advisor to Sultan Abdul Samad in August 1874. Sultan Abdul Samad accepted James Guthrie Davidson as the first British Resident of Selangor in 1875. In October of the same year, Sultan Abdul Samad sent a letter to Andrew Clarke requesting for Selangor to be made a British protectorate.[16][17]

During his reign, the areas of Semenyih, Beranang and Broga came under Selangorean jurisdiction. Lukut however was handed to Dato' Kelana of Sungai Ujong on 30 July 1880.[18] The Sultan was awarded the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) conferring the title Sir. Jugra became the royal capital of Selangor when Sultan Abdul Samad built the Jugra Palace and moved there in 1875. The state capital was moved from Klang to Kuala Lumpur in 1880.

In 1893, he along with Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng, K. Thamboosamy and Loke Yew helped found the Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur. Sultan Abdul Samad was made one of the first two patrons of the school.[19]

Sultan Abdul Samad was a member of the Council of Rulers of the Federated Malay States, under the British colonial regime. The sultans of the four Federated Malay States of Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, and Pahang were represented at the first durbar, which convened in 1897 at Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

Sultan Abdul Samad interacted openly with his people as observers noted that he mingled by chatting in local markets, while taking his daily walks or while watching cockfights.[17]

## Death

[edit]

Sultan Abdul Samad died on 6 February 1898 at the age of 93 after reigning for 41 years. He was buried in the Sultan Abdul Samad Mausoleum in Bukit Jugra.[20] He had 12 children, 6 sons and 6 daughters from two wives.[21] Raja Muda Raja Musa, the heir apparent, died in 1884. Hence next in line was Raja Muda Raja Musa's eldest son, Raja Sulaiman Shah.

## Legacy

[edit]

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Sultan Abdul Samad Secondary School in Petaling Jaya, Sultan Abdul Samad Mosque in Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and the Sultan Abdul Samad Library in Universiti Putra Malaysia are named after him.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Kuala Lumpur History". Web Sawadee PCL. 2005. Archived from the original on 2 November 2004. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
2. ^ "Kuala Lumpur History". Asia Web Direct. 2009. Archived from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
3. ^ "Makna Bendera Negeri Selangor". Selangor State Government. 2008. Archived from the original on 18 May 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
4. ^ a b "Kemangkatan Sultan Muhammad Shah Selangor". National Archives of Malaysia. 10 April 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
5. ^ Seng, Alan Teh Leam (16 December 2018). "Let's learn more about one of Selangor's greatest rulers, Sultan Abdul Samad | New Straits Times". NST Online. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
6. ^ "Kemangkatan Sultan Abdul Samad Selangor". National Archives of Malaysia. 8 November 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
7. ^ a b "The History of Yap Ah Loy - The Death of Sultan Muhammad". Kongsi NetWorks. Tripod. 12 September 2000. Retrieved 26 June 2009.
8. ^ "Perlantikan Sultan Abdul Samad sebagai Sultan Selangor". National Archives of Malaysia. 7 November 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
9. ^ a b "Salasilah kesultanan Selangor mulai 1756". Selangor state government website. 2008. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
10. ^ "Sultan Abdul Samad memberi kuasa kepada menantunya Tengku Kudin". National Archives of Malaysia. 15 October 2008. Retrieved 25 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
11. ^ "Selangor Sultanate - the History". Irfan Nughoro. Melayu Online, Indonesia. 2008. Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
12. ^ "Perlantikan semula Tengku Kudin sebagai wakil Yamtuan Negeri Selangor". National Archives of Malaysia. 13 November 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
13. ^ "Tengku Kudin meninggal dunia". National Archives of Malaysia. 14 October 2008. Retrieved 25 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
14. ^ "Raja Mahadi Fort (Kota Raja Mahadi)". Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia. 2000. Archived from the original on 16 November 2003. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
15. ^ "Tengku Kudin menawan Kuala Selangor". National Archives of Malaysia. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
16. ^ "Perisytiharan Pentadbiran Inggeris di Selangor". National Archives of Malaysia. 3 December 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
17. ^ a b Andaya, B.W. (1984). A History of Malaysia. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-312-38121-9.
18. ^ "Surat persetujuan penyerahan Lukut kepada Sungai Ujong". National Archives of Malaysia. 7 October 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
19. ^ Suntharalingam, R. (28 March 1962). "A Short History of the Victoria Institution 1893-1961". Archived from the original on 4 June 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009.
20. ^ "Makam Sultan Abdul Samad". VisitSelangor.com. 14 April 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
21. ^ Megat Zaharuddin, M.I. (2002). "Database of Malay Nobility - Genealogy Data". Geocities. Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 25 June 2009.

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Regnal titles

Preceded by

Muhammad Shah

|  Sultan of Selangor
1859 - 6 February 1898  | Succeeded by

Sulaiman Musa

* v
* t
* e

Sultans of Selangor

* Sultan Salehuddin Shah (Raja Lumu) (1745–1778)
* Sultan Ibrahim Shah (Raja Ibrahim) (1778–1826)
* Sultan Muhammad Shah (Raja Muhammad) (1826–1857)
* Sultan Sir Abdul Samad (Raja Abdul Samad) (1857–1896)
* Sultan Sir Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah (Raja Sulaiman) (1896–1937)
* Sultan Sir Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al-Haj (Tengku Alam Shah) (1937–1942, 1945–1960)
* Sultan Musa Ghiatuddin Riayat Shah (Tengku Musaeddin) (1942–1945)
* Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (Tengku Abdul Aziz Shah) (1960–2001)
* Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah (Tengku Idris Shah) (2001–present)

*[KCMG]: Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
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