Raja (also Pengiran) Muda Hashim was the uncle of the Sultan
of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1828-1852).
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| Fig 1: Picture of Raja Muda Hashim |
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Fig 2: Brunei royal genealogy
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On the subject of royal succession, let me quote from Frank
Marryat's book Borneo & the Indian Archipelago: "At the death of the
late sultan, Muda Hassan (sic) was the heir-apparent to the throne, but he
resigned in favour of his nephew, retaining the office of prime minister, which
office he had held during the former reign, not only to the satisfaction of the
sultan, but also of the people, with whom he was deservedly a great
favourite."
Around 1835, the Sultan sent Muda Hashim to Sarawak to
restore order there. Sarawak had been a loosely governed territory under the
control of the Brunei in the early 19th century. At that time, an anti-Brunei
force of Malays and Bidayuhs led by Datu Patinggi Ali was revolting against
Pengiran Indera Mahkota, the Brunei-appointed Malay governor of Sarawak.. By
various accounts, Mahkota was a harsh man, forcing the locals to work like
slaves to extract antimony from the mines in Sarawak. Hence the uprising.
However even after Raja Muda Hashim’s arrival in Sarawak,
very little happened for a few years, with both sides not making much progress.
Also it appears that Muda Hashim and Mahkota didn't see eye to eye, and a
certain tension developed between them.
When the English adventurer James Brooke reached Singapore
on his Far East voyage, he heard that the ruler of Sarawak, Raja Muda Hashim
had shown that he was friendly to Europeans. Earlier on the Raja Muda had been
hospitable to some British sailors shipwrecked on the coastal waters of Sarawak
and even sent them back to Singapore. James Brooke was curious to see what the
fabled Borneo was really like. Besides Mr Bonham, the British Governor of
Singapore wanted James to give a letter of thanks and some presents to Raja
Muda Hashim for his kind treatment of the sailors.
And so it was on 15 August 1839 that James Brooke in his
schooner “The Royalist” sailed up the Sarawak River, and anchored off Kuching.
Raja Muda Hashim gave him a friendly welcome. As one writer
described Muda Hashim and the first meeting: "His appearance was not
imposing but his manners were a pattern of courtesy and he maintained a certain
shabby dignity. He returned the Royalist's
salute of 21 guns with a salute of 17 and received his visitor with some
pomp in the palm-leaf shed which went by the name of audience hall" All in all their meetings were amicable
enough and Muda Hashim did request his
help in quelling the rebels but James Brooke declined, not wanting to get
involved. He departed after a short stay.
James Brooke then spent a year cruising in the Archipelago
and had decided to return to England. But before he did so, he thought he would
first pay another visit to Kuching. In
August 1840, he landed in Sarawak again and found that the fighting was
still continuing. This time when Raja Muda Hashim asked again, he agreed to
assist.
With his powerful cannons and superior military tactics, Brooke
was able to quell the rebellion. In reward for his success, Muda Hashim signed
a treaty on 24 September 1841 surrendering territory from the westernmost tip
of Sarawak, Tanjung Dato, to the Samarahan river to Brooke and bestowing on him the title of
Governor of Sarawak.
This appointment was made official on 18 September 1842 by
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II. In return
Brooke promised to pay the Sultan an annual tribute of $2,500, to preserve the
customs and religion of the people in Sarawak and not to separate Sarawak from
Brunei without the Sultan's consent. It was a big political mistake on the
Sultan’s part to appoint Brooke but the Englishman had the backing of the
British Navy.
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Fig 3: Artist impression of James Brooke at the court of
the Sultan of Brunei
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In 1844 Pengiran Muda Hashim returned from Sarawak to
Brunei, accompanied by James Brooke and a British naval captain, Sir Edward
Blecher. While in Sarawak, Muda Hashim had lost his high status at home due to
a palace coup in Brunei. His opponent Pengiran Usop has become Bendahara in his
absence.
In that visit, Brooke and the British Naval Forces were able
to re-install Pengiran Muda Hashim as the new Bendahara. Muda Hashim also
secured official recognition to become the next Sultan of Brunei. This upset
the chances of Pengiran Temenggong Pengiran Anak Hashim, the son of Sultan Omar
Ali Saifuddin II, who then plotted to kill Muda Hashim.
James Brooke needed someone in Brunei that he could rely on
and Pengiran Muda Hashim seemed to be the one. The British also managed to get
Brunei to destroy the defensive forts on Pulau Cermin and along the Brunei
River as well as an agreement to give Labuan to the British.
When Pengiran Muda Hashim and his family were eventually
murdered in 1846, the British navy under Rear Admiral Thomas Cochrane came and
occupied Brunei Town, setting part of it ablaze and even forcing Sultan Omar
Ali Saifuddin II to flee to Damuan.
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| Fig 4: Brunei Town under attack in 1846 |
To end the occupation, Brunei had to recognize James Brooke
as the Rajah of Sarawak and ruled without interference, free to appoint his own
successor and he was no longer the Sultan’s representative in Sarawak. The
Island of Labuan was also surrendered.
James Brooke was subsequently knighted and appointed as the
first British Governor of Labuan in 1847.
In the city of Kuching, there is a road called Jalan Muda
Hashim, in memory of Raja Muda Hashim. I think it is appropriate as this
gentleman played a significant, albeit inadvertent, role in shepherding in the
Brooke dynasty which lasted a hundred years, and brought
Discussion :
AnonymousDecember 28, 2011 at 10:25 PM
Who was Badrudin? I thought he was a friend of James Brooke?
Reply
Website JagaDecember 29, 2011 at 11:14 AM
@Anon - Badrudin was Muda Hashim's brother. I'm not sure why
he was not featured in the family tree. My suspicion is that he is not an
offspring of the "official" wife.
Reply
Senior LibrarianDecember 29, 2011 at 7:08 PM
Badrudin was also killed during the attack on Raja Muda
Hashim and his family.
Reply
AnonymousDecember 30, 2011 at 9:20 AM
Pengeran Badrudin was James Brooke's favourite ... some
people even question how close they were.
Reply
vivienatengDecember 30, 2011 at 10:43 AM
Raja Muda Hashim and Badruddin are brothers with from same
father, Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam. They might be 12 altogether. Two other
brothers survived the massacre.
Reply
AnonymousMarch 12, 2012 at 6:03 PM
Prior to the massacre of the Raja Muda Hashim, Sarawak not
yet an independent state. James Brooke took the opportunity to attack Brunei
and leveled the capital to the ground. The Sultan fled and was brought back to
sign off Sarawak to James Brooke. That is why the founding of Sarawak should be
in 1846 not 1841. -Desmond Leong
Reply
AnonymousSeptember 22, 2012 at 1:36 AM
Does anyone know who are the sons and daughters of Pengiran
Muda Hashim?? I understand he was murdered with his family, however it came to
my knowledge that some of his sons managed to survive. Can anyone clarify this.
Thank you.
Reply
Replies
AnonymousDecember 22, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Pengiran Muda Damit Tajuddin ibni Pengiran Muda Hashim. But
I wonder where could I read more about Pengiran Muda Hashim while he was in
Sarawak apart from similar stories above. such as, did he ever had businessess,
lands, houses, who was his personal assistant etc etc in Sarawak?
thank you.
antonio ximenezApril 2, 2013 at 12:11 AM
From what I have heard, many of the descendants of Pangiran
Muda Hashim and maybe Pangiran Muda Hashim himself ran away to a district in
Sabah called Tempasok which is now known as Kota Belud.
antonio ximenezApril 2, 2013 at 12:16 AM
From what I have heard, most of Pangiran Muda Hshim's
descendant and most probably Pangiran Muda Hashim himself moved to a district
in Sabah called Tempasok, what is now known as Kota Belud.
Thank you
Reply
Nur-Satri PH HashimDecember 25, 2012 at 5:36 PM
Pengiran Muda Damit Tajuddin Ibni Pengiran Muda Hashim. I
wonder if there are senior/elderly in Sarawak knows about Pengiran Muda
Hashim's life while he was in Sarawak such as, where he used to live? What he
loves to eat? What was his favourite hobby? Where was his office? Etc.
Reply
AnonymousJanuary 10, 2013 at 11:53 PM
Is there anyone knows all Raja Muda Hashim family especially
his sons? Whos is his other family that survive the murdered plot????? Please
this is important history.Please help me find the family of Muda Hashim?
Reply
Replies
AnonymousApril 2, 2013 at 12:33 AM
Pangiran Muda Chuchu Damit and his uncle Pangiran Muda
Muhammad were the survivors of the murder plot. Thought to have gone on hiding
in a district of Sabah.
Reply
rovdyrdreamsJanuary 14, 2013 at 8:11 PM
What does the title Muda? Which is equivalent to an
explanation?
Reply
vivienatengJanuary 16, 2013 at 2:23 PM
Nur-Satri PH Hashim:-
there is a jalan muda hashim in kuching adjacent to Satok.
Jalan Badruddin named after Rajah Muda's brother. he is said to be a closed
friend of James Brooke. There are a lot of descendants of Rajah Muda Hashim but
unfortunately they do not wish to reunite.
wasalam
Reply
Replies
AnonymousApril 2, 2013 at 12:37 AM
You say there are alot of descendants? Where?
Didn't most of his descendants excep for 1 of his sons die
in the murder plot?
Reply
RomaJuly 4, 2013 at 6:58 PM
am from sabah,Pg Muda damit Tajudin owns a tulin land at
Putatan,Kota Kinabalu.Some local history believe that Pg Muda hashyim survived
and managed to flee to Sabah,some claimd that he was buried at Kota Belud
Reply
RomaJuly 4, 2013 at 6:58 PM
am from sabah,Pg Muda damit Tajudin owns a tulin land at
Putatan,Kota Kinabalu.Some local history believe that Pg Muda hashyim survived
and managed to flee to Sabah,some claimd that he was buried at Kota Belud
Reply
RomaJuly 4, 2013 at 7:01 PM
Some believe that Pg Muda hashyim survived and managed to
flee to Sabah,His son Pg Damit Tajudin was the owner of tanah tulin at Putatan
those days.Some claimed that Pg Muda Hashyim grave can be found at Kota
Belud.Ned further research
Source : Story of Sarawak
I heard that Raja Muda Hashim was sent to govern Tempasuk (Kota Belud) in those days and subsequently was murdered on his return to Brunei. He left one of his sons, Salleh, in Tempasuk. One of Salleh's sons was Andersi, my great grand father.
ReplyDeleteRaja Muda Hashim is still part of my research subject will publish more details once i got all the facts.. yes there are some stories about the survival of Raja Muda Hashim and childrens
DeleteAccording to our Salsila..There were two had survived during dark day in Brunie in 1840. it's either Himself Mudah Hashim or His Children..Raja P S and Dayang Lahama. Raja PS married to Ayang Kanun daughter's local Chieftain. His Children pawned His belt to Sultan of Sulu reign of S Azam.
DeleteSalam. One of Raja Muda Hashim brother was my moyang, and lately change his name bcoze of SOAS2 n Pg Usop. Fortunetly, my moyang family were safe and settledown around Kimanis Bay
DeleteTwo of His Pg Mudah Hashim children whos survived and escaped to Tawi Tawi. Pg Raja Muda married there local Chieftain's daughter and have five Children are Pg Ulma, Pg Atld, Ftma Salam, Intan Pinhong, aMas Mera. I among the 7 generation great grand children from Pg RaUlma bin Raja Muda pg.S. while His sister Dayang Lahama married to other district..Salamu alaykum..Thanks..
ReplyDeleteRaja Muda Hashim
ReplyDeleteHave Son Pengiran Salleh@Sali and marred to Dagangan Bte Datu Amir Bahar.Pengiran Salleh@Sali was Miraja Dinda@Raja Muda run to Pandassan(Tempassuk)after Datu Rambangan take over the some area in Tempassuk from Datu Komedal(The last Sultan sa Tebuk)
#Dayangan binti Datu Amir Bahar
ReplyDeleteI am a Dayangku and direct descendant of Pengiran Anak Damit Kuntat @ Tajuddin bin Pengiran Muda Hashim. He was not Pengiran Muda, but Pengiran Anak. We humbly live in Brunei, not in Sabah. He was really close to the late SOAS III and the late sultan called my moyang as ‘bapa’ as SOAS III respect Pg Anak Damit a lot. (My family still keep their pics, also a pic of them with sultan hj hassanal bolkiah when he was a kid and other royal family). Pg Anak Damit and SOAS III built Istana Darussalam together. From what I heard from my grandfather (Pg Hj Tajuddin @ Pengiran Hj Tengah bin Pg Abdul Rahman bin Pg Anak Damit Kuntat @ Tajuddin bin Pg Muda Hashim), that SOAS III allowed my moyang to keluar masuk the istana without any permission. They loved to play chess, whenever Pg Anak Damit lost, he will flipped the table and SOAS III only laughed. Their relationship was like father and son. OMG, there’s a lot to tell!! But I’m going to end this here. Conclusion, I am the 7th descendant of Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam?
ReplyDeleteAssalamualaikum and hi, Im also told by my grandfather (very well known and well respected here) that our family lineage is from Sultan Kanzul Alam. There are not much information about him other than the infamous Pg Muda Hashim. If it’s possible to contact you personally or virtually, perhaps asking about a much more information about the same Sultan we’re from, on his personal story and his contribution to the country, as well as his personality. It would be great to hear from you or your father, do reach out to me, I am very curious.
Delete