The Sultan of Terengganu

The Sultanate of Terengganu is established around 1725 by Sultan Zainal Abidin I. He is the younger son to Bendahara Tun Habib Abd Majid bin Mat Ali, Dato Bendahara Sri Maharaja Padang Saujana of Johor. Terengganu Royal Family is one of the junior branch families of the Johorean House of Bendahara. Officially, the Sultan of Terengganu is styled as :-

Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan dan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Terengganu Darul Iman

HRH Sultan and the Head of State of Terengganu

Below is the list of the Sultan of Terengganu since 1881.


SULTAN ZAINAL ABIDIN MUAZZAM SHAH III
(1881 - 1918)

HRH Sultan Zainal Abidin III is the 11th Sultan of Terengganu. He was born on 12th April 1866. He is the eldest son of Sultan Ahmad Muazzam Shah II by his first wife, Tengku Ampuan Besar Kulsum. He was installed as the Yang di-Pertuan Muda of Terengganu (Crown Prince of Terengganu) on 15th January 1877. He succeeded the Terengganuan throne upon the death of his father on 18th December 1881 and officially crowned at Kuala Terengganu on 10th April 1882.

In 1909, Terengganu was transferred to British Protection under the terms of Aglo-Siamese Treaty. Sultan Zainal Abidin rejected the treaty as he considered Terengganu as a sovereign and free nation and not a Siamese Territory. Nevertheless, he entered into an agreement with British at Singapore in 1910. In 1911, he introduced the first state constitution, the Undang-undang Tuboh Negeri Terengganu. He ruled Terengganu for 37 years. He died at Kuala Terengganu on 26th November 1918.


SULTAN MUHAMMAD MUAZZAM SHAH II
(1918 - 1920)

HRH Sultan Muhammad II is the 12th Sultan of Terengganu. He was born on 7th September 1888. He is the third son of Sultan Zainal Abidin III by his second wife, Che Kulsum bt Hj Daud. He was installed as the Yang di-Pertuan Muda of Terengganu (Crown Prince) in 1889. He succeeded the throne upon the death of his father on 26th November 1918. He ruled Terengganu for 2 years. He abdicated the throne in favor of his younger brother on 20th May 1920. He settled in Singapore and continues to receive allowances as a ruler. He died at Istana Gong Kapas, Kuala Terengganu on 11th April 1956.


SULTAN SULAIMAN BADRUL ALAM SHAH
(1920 - 1942)

HRH Sultan Sulaiman is the 13th Sultan of Terengganu. He was born on 1st December 1895. He is the fourth son of Sultan Zainal Abidin III by his third wife, Che Aisha binti Ismail. He later received the title as Tengku Muda and the first-in line to the throne. He was proclaimed as the Sultan of Terengganu on the abdication of his elder brother at Kuala Terengganu on 20th May 1920. He was officially crowned on 3rd March 1921 at Kuala Terengganu. He ruled Terengganu for 22 years. He died from blood poisoning at Istana Timur, Padang Sri Negara on 25th September 1942.


SULTAN ALI SHAH
(1942 - 1945)

HRH Sultan Ali is the 14th Sultan of Terengganu. He was born on 24th January 1914. He is the eldest son of Sultan Sulaiman by his wife, Tengku Ampuan Besar Mariam. He was installed as the Sultan of Terengganu by the Japanese Administration on 25th September 1942. On 18th October 1943, Terengganu was transferred to Siam. He ruled Terengganu for 3 years before been deposed by British Military Administration on 29th September 1945.

On 5th November 1945, the Terengganu State Council consist of 13 members announced the dismissal of Sultan Ali. The succession dispute case has been forwarded to the court where Sultan Ali lost his claimed. He continued to dispute his dismissal until his death on 17th May 1996.


SULTAN ISMAIL NASIRUDDIN SHAH
(1945 - 1979)

HRH Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah is the 15th Sultan of Terengganu. He was born on 24th January 1907. He is the fifth son to Sultan Zainal Abidin III by his fourth wife, Che Maimunah. He succeeded the throne after the deposition of his nephew, Sultan Ali on 29th September 1945. He was installed at Istana Maziah on 16th December 1945. He was officially crowned on 6th June 1949. Terengganu became a member of Federation of Malaya in 1957. He was elected as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 21st September 1960. Terengganu later join to form the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. He served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (The Supreme Ruler) of Malaysia from 1965 until 1970.

He returned to ruled Terengganu on 20th September 1970. He ruled Terengganu for 34 years. He died at Istana Badariah, Kuala Terengganu on 20th September 1979.


SULTAN MAHMUD AL-MUKTAFI BILLAH SHAH
(1979 - 1998)

HRH Sultan Mahmud is the 16th Sultan of Terengganu. He was born on 29th April 1930. He is the eldest son of Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah by his first wife, Tengku Zaharah binti Tengku Umar. He was appointed as the heir-apparent of the throne with the title Tengku Sri Paduka Raja. He served as the Regent of Terengganu (Pemangku Raja Terengganu) from 1965 – 1970. He was proclaimed as the Sultan of Terengganu on the death of his father on 21st September 1979. He was officially crowned on 21st March 1980. He ruled Terengganu for 19 years. He died at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore on 14th May 1998.


SULTAN MIZAN ZAINAL ABIDIN AL-WATHIQU BILLAH
(1998 - present)

HRH Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin is the 17th Sultan of Terengganu. He was born on 22nd January 1962. He is the eldest son of Sultan Mahmud by his second wife, Sharifa Nong Fatimah binti Sayyid Abdullah. He was appointed as the Heir apparent with the title Yang di-Pertuan Muda on 6th November 1979. He was proclaimed as the Sultan of Terengganu on the death of his father on 16th May 1998. He was installed on 26th May 1998 and officially crowned on 4th March 1999.

He is elected as the Deputy Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 26th April 1999. He is installed as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (The Supreme Ruler of Malaysia) on 13th December 2006 and served for full five-year term until 12th December 2011. He returned to rule Terengganu and currently is the sovereign of Terengganu Darul Iman.