Kubang Pasu, officially known as the Kingdom of Kubang Pasu Darul Qiyam ( ms, Kerajaan Kubang Pasu Darul Qiyam;
Jawi: کراجا
ءن کوبڠ ڤاسو دار القيام; ;
) was a historical
Malay Kingdom located in the northern
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
.
The state was established in 1839 as an honour for Tunku Anum, a member of
Kedahan nobility after his efforts of restoring the diplomatic ties between Kedah and
Siam
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
during the ''Perang Musuh Bisik'' (The War of Whispering Enemies) of 1821.
The kingdom witnessed the reign of two monarchs before it was
reunified with Kedah in 1864.
History
Origin
The
Fall of Kedah under the Siamese hands had bought the kingdom on its knees by 1821. The devastation caused by the advancing Siamese powers had caused the
Sultan of Kedah
The Kedah Sultanate (كسلطانن قدح) is a Muslim dynasty located in the Malay Peninsula. It was originally an independent state, but became a British protectorate in 1909. Its monarchy was abolished after it was added to the Malayan Uni ...
,
Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah II to retreat to
Prince of Wales Island and lived in exile in
Malacca
Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
. From Malacca, he launched several failed rebellions to recapture over his previous kingdom in 1828 to 1831 and between 1838 and 1839.
It was during this time that Tunku Anum raised to prominence in the Kedahan political arena. He is a member of the political elite in the Royal House of Kedah and the son of Tunku Abdul Rahman, the ruler of
Chenak district.
He was previously appointed as a kingdom's representation for the
Bunga Mas
The bunga emas dan perak ( "golden and silver flowers", th, ต้นไม้เงินต้นไม้ทอง ), often abbreviated to bunga mas ( Jawi: "golden flowers"), was a tribute sent every three years to the king of Ayutthaya ( ...
tribute to Siam in August 1809, in which he was awarded the honorific title of ''Tengku Paduka Raja Jambangan''.
During the Siamese occupation of Kedah, he managed to gain influence by strengthening his relationship with Phya Sina Nunchit, the Siamese administrator of Kedah and the son of the
Ligor governor.
His political ambitions were largely manoeuvred by his desire to release the Kingdom from the Siamese imperialism on the Kedahan soil.
Liberation of Kedah
While slowly receiving the confidence of the Siamese administrator, Tunku Anum also began to recruit local Malay militia in Gua Kerbau, Bukit Keplu, located in present-day
Kodiang. The regiment was trained with the aim to combat the Siamese colonial powers. While leaving his forces behind in Gua Kerbau, he went to the Ligor court with a recommendation letter. He managed to gain further respect and trust of the Ligor governor during his diplomatic visit in the territory.
During his mission in Ligor, the Malay militia began to launch an
offensive
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Offensive (military), an attack
* Offensive language
** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...
against the Siamese troops in Alor Ganu, near
Anak Bukit. Desperate, Nunchit sent a letter to his father, the Governor of Ligor to request aid to qualm the rebellion. While the ruler of Ligor mobilise its troops down south, he also offered Tunku Anum as his representative in Kedah, hoping that his expertise in the domestic governance and politics can subjugate the rebellion.
Tunku Anum politely refused the position as the Ligor representative in Kedah. Believing that if he accepted the offer, Kedah shall be forever remained under the Siamese occupation and he will be reduced as a mere
puppet monarch
A puppet monarch is a majority figurehead who is installed or patronized by an imperial power to provide the appearance of local authority but to allow political and economic control to remain among the dominating nation.
A figurehead monarch ...
.
As the battle escalated in Kedah, the Siamese again requested military assistance from Ligor. Only this time, due to the soaring cost of war, the huge number of deaths and the spreading of deadly diseases in the military camp, the Siamese decided to withdraw their military presence in Kedah, with a requirement that Kedah shall send
Bunga Mas
The bunga emas dan perak ( "golden and silver flowers", th, ต้นไม้เงินต้นไม้ทอง ), often abbreviated to bunga mas ( Jawi: "golden flowers"), was a tribute sent every three years to the king of Ayutthaya ( ...
and Bunga Perak procession to Siam every 3 years. Thus, liberating the state against the Siamese occupation.
The King of Kubang Pasu
Tunku Anum also led the restoration of the monarchy system in Kedah following the end of Siamese occupation in the kingdom.
Upon the return of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin after his
exile
Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
in Malacca, he awarded Tunku Anum with 24 districts from
Tunjang to
Sendawa, with
Pulau Pisang in
Jitra
Jitra ( zh, 日得拉) is a town and a mukim in Kubang Pasu District, in northern Kedah, Malaysia. It is the fourth-largest town in Kedah after Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Kulim.
History
During World War II, when the Japanese attacked Malaya, ...
as its capital, for his instrumental role in liberating Kedah.
He ascended the throne in 1839 and bestowed the honorific title of ''Darul Qiyam'' "the sovereign state" to the kingdom.
Kubang Pasu was met with an unprecedented growth during his rule with the construction of various development projects in the area, including a
judicial court,
fortified defence system, prison, religious schools and land office.
The area then prospered as a centre for trade and
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima
''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
production.
He also ordered the construction of local factory which paved ways for the
textile
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
industry in the area now known as Pulau Kain and improved the irrigation system of the local river, presently called as Sungai Tunku Anum (Tunku Anum River). The land titles and grants transaction made during this era also bore the seal of Kubang Pasu.
Reunification with Kedah
Tunku Anum ruled the kingdom for 17 years before his death in 29 May 1853 in Istana Kota Pulau Pisang, the palatial residence of Kubang Pasu.
His demise was widely believed to caused by the devastation upon the earlier death of his son in 1848. He was laid to rest in Kubang Pasu Royal Cemetery, Pekan Tunjang. A narration of his life was written nearby his tomb.
In 31 May 1853, Tunku Ishak, was proclaimed as the King of Kubang Pasu, while Tunku Muhammad Saman was appointed as the Raja Muda (
crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
) of the kingdom, both princes are the grandsons of Tunku Anum.
In contrast to Tunku Anum, Tunku Ishak was known to be a rather unpopular monarch with his subjects and other ministers due to various bitter policy that he promulgated. Following various resistant movement by the populace during his 10-year reign, the king was forced to
abdicate
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societ ...
his position as a monarch and reunifying the area into Kedah on 10 November 1864, effectively marking the end of the Kubang Pasu Kingdom.
Rulers
Gallery
File:Gua Kerbau Kodiang Kedah5(1).jpg, Gua Kerbau, the historic training camp for the Kedahan militia during the Siamese occupation of Kedah.
File:SUNSET KUBANG PASU (6133114850).jpg, Sungai Tunku Anum in Kubang Pasu. The river was named in honour of the late king for his efforts on developing the territory, including improving the irrigation system of the river.
See also
*
Kingdom of Setul Mambang Segara, another historical Malay Kingdom born during the Partition of Kedah.
*
List of Sunni Muslim dynasties
The following is a list of Sunni Muslim dynasties.
Asia
Middle East Arabian Peninsula
* Banu Wajih (926–965)
*Sharif of Mecca (967–1925)
* Al Uyuniyun (1076–1253)
*Sulaymanids (1063–1174)
*Mahdids (1159–1174)
*Kathiri (Hadhramaut) ( ...
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kubang Pasu Darul Qiyam, Kingdom of
Former countries in Malaysian history
Former countries in Thai history
Former sultanates
Malay Peninsula
Peninsular Malaysia
Southern Thailand
Muslim dynasties
Malay folklore
States and territories established in 1810
States and territories disestablished in 1902
1839 establishments in Asia
1864 disestablishments in Asia
19th-century establishments in Southeast Asia