History of Johore

Johore's history began after the fall of Malacca in 1511. Johore became a vassal of the Malacca Sultanate, offering refuge to the Malacca royal family. The Portuguese continued to attack the Sultanate, leading Sultan Mahmud and his family to flee to Kampar, Sumatra. After Sultan Mahmud's death, his second son, Sultan Alauddin II, became the leader.

They moved to Johor Lama in 1528 and established the Sultanate of Johore. The capital was initially Johor Lama but later moved to places like Batu Pahat and Tanjung Bungah. Johore regained control of the territories invaded by the Portuguese and finally settled on Iskandar Puteri as the capital. The Johore aSultanate had a wide territory including Perak, Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu, Riau Archipelago, Lingga Archipelago, and Temasik (now known as Singapore). However, challenges arose from the rising Acheh Sultanate and the presence of Portuguese power.

The 100 years war.

In the 17th century, Dutch influence weakened the Acheh Sultanate. Johore made a deal with the Dutch to retake Malacca, but the Dutch did not keep their promise. Johore sometimes fought against the Dutch while cooperating with the Acheh Sultanate and sometimes cooperated with the Dutch against the Acheh Sultanate due to territorial and trade reasons. This conflict, known as the 100 Years War, continued into the 18th century.

The British arrived in 1827 and made a deal with the Dutch. The Dutch would control Bengkulu and the Riau-Lingga Archipelago (even though it was Johore's territory), while the Malacca would control Malacca and neighboring areas. This caused dissatisfaction among the Sultanate of Johore, but the British threatened war. Sultan Daeng Ibrahim maintained a good relationship with the British, leading to improved trade and economic development in Johore. This trend continued under Sultan Ali and his son, Sultan Sir Abu Bakar.

The royal family sent Sultan Abdul Rahman to Riau-Lingga to be the Sultan there, but the Dutch dismissed him due to their treaty with the British. The royal family also successfully established new sultanates in Selangor, Pahang, Terengganu, and Perak. After the release of these vassals, Johore maintained a good relationship with the British. The British declared Johore an independent state and a trading partner. The Sultan visited the United Kingdom, and Johore sent representatives to the Qing Dynasty every year as a symbol of friendship. The Sultan even sent a Rolls-Royce car to the German Kaiser and a sword as a gift to the Japanese Emperor.

Istana Kampong Gelam, Singapore. It was abandoned since 1942.

During World War II, Johore was occupied by the Japanese Empire. The Japanese promised not to harm the royal family and Johor citizens. The Sultan of Johore received a pension, while the Japanese military controlled the administration of the state. After the Japanese surrender, the British returned and formed the Malayan Union, which later became the Federation of Malaya. At the same time, the capital of Johore changed its name from Iskandar Puteri to Johor Bahru.

Johore remained part of the Federation of Malaya until 1963 when Malaysia was formed, including Singapore, Malaya, North Borneo (now Sabah), and Sarawak. Singapore later became a separate republic in 1965. Johore continued to be one of the states in Malaysia until 2066.

In May 2066, Malaysia experienced a break-up, leading to a civil war. During the civil war, the unrest caused people from other states to rise up against the Johore Sultan and successfully overthrow the sultanate.The people of Johore initiated a revolution led by Mahmud Izzudin, with support from the police and military forces based in Johore. They successfully pushed other state forces to Negeri Sembilan and Pahang, resulting in a ceasefire agreement. Johor was recognized as an independent state. Johor proposed a reform of the old Sultanate to Singapore, with 54% of the population, mostly Malays, agreeing to the proposal. Singapore joined Johor and assisted in the second war in September 2079.

During this time, Johore launched a surprise attack, surrounding Malacca and Negeri Sembilan. Other Malay states sought help from international organizations but failed to defeat Johore. Over the following months until May 2082, Pahang, Terengganu, and Selangor also fell under Johore's control. Johore then proposed a peace treaty, ending the fighting. In the same month, Johore celebrated its independence, and Sultan Muhammad Al-Hamid assumed the throne. Mahmud Izzudin, the leader of the revolution, became the temporary Prime Minister appointed by the Sultan until the next general election. Mahmud Izzudin won the election and became the Prime Minister, leading a cabinet of 16 state leaders, including himself. Johore has remained peaceful since then.