Melewar of Negeri Sembilan

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This article is about the first Yamtuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan. For the business organization named after this monarch, see
Melewar Industrial Group Berhad
.
Melewar
مليوار‎
Pagaruyung
FatherSultan Abdul Jalil Johan Berdaulat (Sultan Munim Shah III)
MotherRatna Indusari
ReligionSunni Islam

Raja Mahmud ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Jalil (Jawi: راج محمود ابن المرحوم سلطان عبد الجليل), known as Raja Melewar (Jawi: راج مليوار), was the first Yamtuan Besar (equivalent to a sultan) of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. He was a prince from the Pagaruyung Kingdom in the island of Sumatra, now situated within Indonesia.

History

The Rembau Museum in Astana Raja, a replica of Raja Melewar's palace shortly after his coronation as Yamtuan Besar in nearby Kampung Penajis

The

Sultanate of Johor
. The population began to control local politics.

By 1760, Johor, which was having trouble from the Dutch, allowed the state to appoint a ruler from Minangkabau in Sumatra.

Between 1760 and 1770, a council of leaders known as the datuk-datuk penghulu luak (the predecessor of the

Pagaruyung in Minangkabau in search of a leader. The Yamtuan of Pagaruyung, who was believed to be a descendant of Alexander the Great, gave them a leader in the form of his son, Raja Mahmud.[1]

Before Raja Mahmud left for the

Johor to ask for the Sultan of Johor's consent to rule over Negeri Sembilan. Sultan Mahmud Shah III, the Sultan of Johor of that period, did not object and conferred upon Raja Mahmud the authority to reign over Negeri Sembilan. Raja Mahmud's expedition marched to Negeri Sembilan through Naning
.

A portrait depicting a war between Raja Melewar and Daeng Kemboja in Naning, while en route to Rembau. Image taken at Rembau Museum.

At Naning, Raja Mahmud's forces met Bugis warchief Daeng Kemboja. War ensued, which ended with the Bugis forces defeated. Upon his arrival to Negeri Sembilan in 1773, Raja Mahmud was deemed king and crowned as Yamtuan Besar in Kampung Penajis in Rembau, as Raja Melewar. Raja Melewar learned of Raja Khatib's scheme and, becoming the undisputed ruler of the state, declared war against Raja Khatib. Raja Melewar later relocated his palace to Seri Menanti, which remains the royal capital of Negeri Sembilan to this day.

Death and legacy

Tomb of Raja Melewar

In 1795, Raja Melewar fell ill while visiting Rembau, and died soon after. He was buried in Astana Raja along with his consort and two other warriors. Following his death, rather than selecting his son as their new leader, the datuk-datuk penghulu luak once again journeyed to their ancestral land. The Yamtuan of Pagaruyung gave another son, Raja Hitam, to serve as their new Yamtuan. Raja Hitam married Raja Melewar's daughter, Tengku Aishah, but they did not have children.[2]

Selecting a ruler of

Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Paramount Ruler) of Malaysia, where each ruler from the nine monarchical states is elected by the Conference of Rulers (Malay
: Majlis Raja-Raja) every 5 years.

References

  1. ^ History behind Negri's unique selection of ruler Archived 2009-01-22 at the Wayback Machine, The New Straits Times, 29 December 2008.
  2. ^ History behind Negri's unique selection of ruler Archived 2009-01-22 at the Wayback Machine, The New Straits Times, 29 December 2008.
  • Information from Warisan Diraja Negri Sembilan Darul Khusus
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Title created
 Yamtuan Besar
Yamtuan Besar of Negri Sembilan
1773-1795 		Succeeded by
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