List of sultans of Sulu

Sultans began ruling Sulu, a Sunni Muslim thalassocracy originating in today's Philippines, starting in the 15th century. They were Tausūg members of the Royal House of Sulu who had been previously elected, typically from the male-line heirs, as heirs apparent (Raja Muda) by the council of Datus and Sharifs, known as the Ruma Bechara.

The sultanate began losing power during the 19th century, culminating in the abolition of the sultan's temporal powers in 1915. Since then, save for some instances of recognition by the Philippine government related to the North Borneo dispute, the title of sultan has carried with it no political powers or privileges and became mostly linked to non-sovereign cultural figures.

Pre-sultanate kings

Sulu was divided into three kingdoms before the sultanate arose. Three of their kings were recorded in Chinese annals due to their 1417 visit to the court of the Yongle Emperor.

• East King Paduka Pahala ()
• Cave (Dong) King Paduka Patulapok
• West King Maharaja Kamaluddin

Paduka Pahala, the East King and most powerful of the three, fell ill and died during his journey. His eldest son Tumahan returned to Sulu to assume his father's throne, while two younger brothers stayed behind in China. Their descendants live in Dezhou, China, and have the surnames An and Wen.

Soon after, local tradition states that Sharif ul-Hāshim arrived in Sulu and married the princess Dayang-dayang Paramisuli, daughter of local chief Rajah Baguinda, founding the Sultanate of Sulu.Template:Sfn

List of sultans

Sultans of Sulu from 1457 to 1936Template:Sfn

No.	Name	Reign	Life details
1	Sharif ul-Hāshim	c. Template:Trim – c. 1480	Son-in-law and heir to Buansa chief Raja Baguinda. Arab explorer and Sunni Muslim religious leader. Divided Jolo into five districts under the authority of panglimas. Created a code of laws based on Islamic law. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfn
2	Kamal ud-Din	c. Template:Trim – c. 1505	Son of Sharif ul-Hāshim. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfn
3	Alaud-Din	—	Son of Sharif ul-Hāshim. "Did not become sultan" (either immediately after his father's death or at all).Template:Sfn Lived with his sister Putri Sarip.
4	Amirul Umara (Diraja)	c. Template:Trim – c. 1527	His title is believed to come from the Arabic for "prince of princes" (). Possibly an outsider or usurper. One local tradition claims this is Bolkiah, sultan of Brunei.Template:Sfnm
5	Muizzul Mutawadi'in (Upo)	c. Template:Trim – c. 1548	Described as a helper of the poor.Template:Sfn
6	Nasir ud-Din I (Awwal)	c. Template:Trim – c. 1568	Surnamed Digunung or Habud, suggesting he ruled or came from Sulu's interior.Template:Sfn
7	Muhammad ul-Halim (Pangiran Buddiman)	c. Template:Trim – c. 1596	Fought against Spain in the Castilian War. Declared Sulu's independence from the Bruneian Empire in 1578. Brother-in-law to Bruneian sultan Saiful Rijal. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfnm
8	Batara Shah Tengah (Pangiran Tengah or Tindig)	c. Template:Trim – c. 1608	Contested by his cousin Abdasaloan, ruler of Basilan. Killed in battle in Bauang by his cousin's forces.Template:Sfn
9	Muwallil Wasit I (Rajah Bongsu)	c. Template:Trim – c. 1650	Possibly a son of Muhammad Hasan of Brunei, who would have installed him as sultan, and nephew to Batara Shah Tengah. Moved the court to Tawi-Tawi during the Spanish occupation of Jolo. Received land in North Borneo from Brunei in 1622 in exchange for help against a rebellion. Abdicated in favor of his son Bakhtiar.Template:Sfn
10	Nasir ud-Din II (Muhammad Kudarat?)	c. Template:Trim – c. 1648	Possibly Pangiran Sarikula, younger son of Muwallil Wasit I. Another theory suggests this is Muhammad Kudarat, sultan of Maguindanao and possible son-in-law to Muwallil Wasit.Template:Sfn
11	Salah ud-Din Bakhtiar (Pangiran Bactial or Batticale)	c. Template:Trim – c. 1680	Son of Muwallil Wasit I. Contested his father's rule after the death of Pangiran Sarikula. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfn
12	Ali Shah	—	Reign said to be "short and peaceful".Template:Sfn
13	Nur ul-Azam	—	Sister of Salah ud-Din. Ruled as sultana for four or five years.Template:Sfn
14	Al Haqunu Ibn Wali ul-Ahad	—	His name is Arabic for "son of the Raja Muda" (chosen heir apparent). Possibly the son of Pangiran Sarikula and co-ruler with his cousin Salah ud-Din. Speculated to have been a pretender with some following.Template:Sfn
15	Shahab ud-Din	c. Template:Trim – c. 1710	Son of Salah ud-Din. Murdered Sultan Kahar ud-Din Kuda of Maguindanao in 1702. Pressured into ceding Palawan to the Spanish government in 1705.Template:Sfn
16	Mustafa Shafi ud-Din	1710 – 1718	The younger brother of Shahab ud-Din he was also known as Juhan Pahalawan. He abdicated the throne in favour of his younger brother Badar ud-Din to avoid future dynastic troubles.
17	Badarud-Din I	1718 – 1732	The younger brother of the two previous sultans, he was known to different Spanish authors as "Bigotillos" or "Barbillas", or as "el Rey Viejo de Tawi-Tawi". His mother was a Tirun lady from the northeast coast of Borneo. In 1732, a nephew (or grand nephew) contested his rule which led to his retirement to Tawi-Tawi where he was then known as Sultan Dungun. He died around 1740 in Dungun during the reign of his son Azimud-Din I.
18	Nasarud-Din	1732 – 1735	He believed was a son or grandson (by a daughter) of Shahab ud-Din and was known to the Spaniards as Datu Sabdula (Arabic, Abdullah). In 1731, he challenged the rule of Badar ud-Din, forcing the latter to take leave and retire in 1732. The intrigues of Badar ud-Din led to the proclamation of Azim ud-Din (a son of Badar ud-Din) as sultan in 1735. After a series of desultory skirmishes between the factions of Nasar ud-Din and Azim ud-Din, the former left for Maimbung where he generally remained till he died around 1735. He was also referred to as Dipatuan.
19	Azim ud-Din I	1735 – 1748 1764 – 1773	Son of Badarud-Din I. His name was Datu Lagasan. His royal family was then known as "The Sulu Sultanate First Heir Apparent's Families", due to his mother was the first wife of Sultan Badarud-Din I, a Bugis lady from Soopeng, Celebes. His father proclaimed him ruler in Tawi-Tawi in 1735. In 1736, after a few intrigues had paved the way, a number of Datus asked Alimud-Din to transfer his court from Dungun to Bauang (Jolo). But a political struggle in 1748 forced him to leave Jolo for Basilan and then Zamboanga. His younger brother, Datu Bantilan, was then proclaimed sultan. In the meantime, he went to Manila where he remained for sometime, including a few years of imprisonment. He returned an old man to Jolo in 1764. In the same year, on 8 June, he was formally reinstated on the throne. In 1773, tired of affairs of state, he formally handed over the affairs of state to his son Muhammad Israil. He had two periods of reign; 1735 – 1748 and 1764 – 1773.
20	Bantilan Muizzud-Din	1748 – 1763	Known to Spanish officials and priests as Datu or Pangiran Bantilan, he was a younger brother of Azimud-Din I (of a different mother). His families were then known as "The Sulu Sultanate Second Heir Apparent", according to claims that his mother was the Sultan Badaru-Din I "Second wife's", a Tidung Princess, of the Tidung kingdom at the Northeast Borneo land. Sultan Bantilan also had sister name Dayang Meria (*the mother of Datu Teteng @ Datu Tating, a Sulu warrior who had a "horn/Tanduk" on his forehead. In the history, Datu Teteng/ Tating ever attacked the British settlement at Balambangan Island in 1775. This "Tanduk/Horn" since then was "Mandated" to kept by the Maharajah Adinda Families. Due to Sultan Bantilan & Dayang Meria came from the same mother (*the Tidung Princess). Datu Teteng @ Datu Tating had no heir.
21	Muhammad Israil	1773 – 1778	One of the sons of Azimud-Din I, who abdicated his power to his son in November 1773. Muhammad Israil did not formally assume power until early the next year. He was believed to have been poisoned by either the partisans of his cousin or the cousin himself, Azimud-Din II (a son of Sultan Bantilan Muizzud-Din I), in 1778.
22	Azim ud-Din II	1763 – 1764 1778 – 1789	Son of Muizzud-Din I, he governed Sulu with his brother after the death of their father starting around the middle of 1763. By the end of that year, Alimud-Din II had become, for all practical purposes, the sultan. With the arrival of his uncle Alimud-Din I from Manila in 1764, whom he received well, Alimud-Din II left his followers for Parang. In 1778, he succeeded Muhammad Israel. He reigned until his death in 1789. Sultan Alimuddin II son was Paduca Raja Muda Datu Bantilan (*The Raja Muda @ Crown Prince) in the time of Sultan Alimuddin III in 1808.
23	Sharapud-Din	1789 – 1808	Another son of Alimud-Din I, he lived to a venerable old age. Ten years earlier the Spaniards were expecting him to die at any moment and were thus worried that a successor antagonistic to them might ascend the throne.
24	Azim ud-Din III	1808 (40 days)	Son of Sharapud-Din. Reigned only for forty days until his death, probably due to a smallpox epidemic.Template:Sfnm
25	Aliyud-Din	1808 – 1821 (13 years)	Younger brother of Azim ud-Din III. Seized the throne while Datu Bantilan, the chosen heir apparent and son of Azim ud-Din I, was absent. Contested by Datu Bantilan, who ruled from Parang. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfnm
26	Shakirullah	1821 – 1823 (2 years)	Younger brother of Aliyud-Din. Considered a deeply pious ruler who sought connection with his subjects. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfnm
27	Jamalul Kiram I	1823 – 1842 (19 years)	Son of Azim ud-Din III. Started the house of Kiram. Strengthened commercial activity. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfnm
28	Mohammad Pulalun Kiram	1842 – 24 September 1862 (20 years)	Son of Jamalul Kiram I. Considered an able administrator and just ruler. Began the Luntar or Sulu annals in 1844. Dealt with further Spanish attacks. Submitted to Spain, which incorporated Sulu as a protectorate in 1851. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfnm
29	Jamal ul-Azam	1862 – 8 April 1881 (19 years)	Son of Mohammad Pulalun Kiram. Revised the law code and conducted various public improvements. Fought Spanish occupation and ruled through their destruction of Jolo. Signed the cession treaties of Sabah to the North Borneo Chartered Company, the controversial wording of which would later lead to the North Borneo dispute. Changed the royal residence to Maimbung. Reigned until his death.Template:Sfnm
30	Badarud-Din II	1881 – 22 February 1884 ()	Eldest son of Jamal ul-Azam. Reign marked by the influence of his stepmother Inchi Jamila. Made the first recorded Hajj by a Sulu sultan. Strengthened peace and diplomatic ties with Spain. Reigned until his early death, which sparked a civil war.Template:Sfn
31	Harun Ar-Rashid	24 September 1886 – 22 February 1894 ()	A descendant of Azim ud-Din through Datu Putong. Initially a mediator between rivals Amirul Kiram and Datu Aliyuddin. Proclaimed sultan by the Spanish authorities. Supported by a minority of the population, which made his rule difficult. Forced to abdicate in favor of Amirul Kiram, the future Jamalul Kiram II.Template:Sfnm
32	Jamalul Kiram II	22 February 1894Template:Efn – 7 June 1936Template:Efn ()	Younger stepbrother of Badarud-Din II. Recognized as sole sultan after Harun Ar-Rashid's abdication. Led Sulu through the Philippine–American War and the Moro Rebellion. Deprived of his sovereignty in 1915, marking the end of the sultanate. Retained his title until his death.

Claimants after 1936

File:Sulusultanategenaolgy.jpg

A family tree released by the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines at the height of the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff.

Any claimed political sovereignty of the sultanate was formally abolished in 1915, when Sultan Jamalul Kiram II renounced his remaining territories to the Insular Government. Its successor state, the Philippines, became a republic which repeatedly attested in its constitutions that no titles of royalty or nobility are recognized. Any payments and recognition of the Sultanate of Sulu from the Philippine government ceased in 1936, after the death of the last sultan.Template:Efn

Despite this, some administrations of the Philippines have held dealings with the Royal House of Sulu. This has been inherently linked to the interests of the Philippines in the North Borneo dispute: in return for some forms of official or quasi-official recognition desired by the royal family, the Philippines emboldened their claim to the territory of what is now Sabah, which would form Malaysia in 1963. The descendants of the royal family have also laid their own claim to Sabah, as seen most dramatically in the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff and later in the Malaysia Sulu case. They are still recognised and honoured as de facto royalty by the people in Sulu.

In 1962, during the negociations for Sabah's union with Malaysia, the Philippine government under President Diosdado Macapagal dealt with the royal family in an official capacity by recognizing their claim to Sabah. The Instrument of Cession of the Territory of North Borneo was signed by Sultan Esmail Kiram and Vice-President Emmanuel Pelaez on 12 September. This view was repeated by the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on 24 May 1974, who officially endorsed Mohammed Mahakuttah Abdullah Kiram's coronation as sultan after his father's death under Memo Order 427, stating that "The Government has always recognised the Sultanate of Sulu as the legitimate claimant to the historical territories of the Republic of Philippines". His 8-year-old eldest son, Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram, was also then crowned beside his father as Raja Muda (Crown Prince).

During World War II, Japanese and American forces exerted influence in Sulu's affairs, each recognising a pretender supportive of their agenda. The pretenders represented the two main rival factions who claimed the Sultanate after 1937 (Dayang Dayang Piandao, through her husband Ombra Amilbangsa, and Jainal Abidin, appointed by other Datus) who reunited in 1950 in support of Esmail Kiram.

No.	Name	Reign	Succession	Notes
—	Muwallil Wasit II	1936 (uncrowned)	Younger brother of Badarud-Din II and Jamalul Kiram II (Raja Muda)	Former Raja Muda (Crown Prince). Elected on 17 July 1936 by the Ruma Bechara as the new sultan. Four months later, before the formal coronation ceremony took place, he was murdered. This happened before a new Raja Muda was selected, generating a succession crisis.
—	Amirul Umara II (Ombra Amilbangsa)	1937–1950	Son-in-law of Jamalul Kiram II	Born Datu Ombra Amilbangsa, he was the husband of Dayang Dayang (Princess) Piandao, niece and adopted daughter of Jamalul Kiram II and rival to Muwallil Wasit II, having initially wished the throne for herself. She managed to restore the annual British payments for the cession of North Borneo for the heirs and had her husband proclaimed Sultan Amirul Umara II on 29 January 1937. He ruled from Maimbung. He collaborated with the Japanese government in the Pacific War. His Raja Muda (Crown Prince) was Esmail Kiram, who was persuaded to accept becoming his successor rather than a rival to the throne.
—	Jainal Abidin	1937–1950	Chosen by acclamation among the datus	Born Datu Tambuyong, he was a great-great-grandson of Sultan Shakirul-Lah. He ruled from Patikul after being elected by other Datus in direct opposition to Ombra Amilbangsa. He supported the American forces in the Pacific War. After his death on 14 October 1950, Esmail Kiram was acclaimed as sultan on 20 November.
33	Mohammed Esmail Kiram	1950–1974	Son of Muwallil Wasit II	Recognized by the Philippine government. Granted authority over Sabah to the Philippines under the administrations of President Diosdado Macapagal on 12 September 1962 and of President Ferdinand Marcos in 1972.
34	Mohammed Mahakuttah Abdullah Kiram	1974–1986	Son of Esmail Kiram I (Raja Muda)	Recognized and supported by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who sponsored his coronation, which took place on 24 May 1974. His eldest son Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram was then simultaneously crowned Raja Muda (Crown Prince).

After Mohammed Mahakuttah Abdullah Kiram's death, claimants from rival branches of the royal family as well as other houses appeared. By 2016, there were at least five main pretenders to the title of sultan of Sulu. The administration of President Benigno Aquino III studied the succession dispute in 2013, making no declarations of support to any of the rival branches.

Line of Mahakuttah Kiram

File:Bandeira Sulu.svg

Modern flag of the Sultanate of Sulu adopted by supporters of Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram

Name	Claimed reign	Succession	Notes
Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram	2012–present (As Raja Muda: 1986–2012)	Son of Mohammed Mahakuttah Abdullah Kiram (Raja Muda)	Head of the Royal House of Sulu and North Borneo (Kiram Dynasty). Last Raja Muda (Crown Prince) recognized by the Philippine government. He studied at the Universidad de Zamboanga (Bachelor of Arts), and in Lahore (Pakistan) during 1995 and 1996. He established in 2011 the Royal and Hashemite Order of the Pearl of Sulu, becoming the first Grand Sayyid (Grand Master) of this order. Crowned as the 35th sultan of Sulu and North Borneo on 16 September 2012 in Maimbung in the presence of dignitaries, officials, and a large number of the people of Sulu.
Fuad Abdullah Kiram I			Younger brother of Mohammed Mahakuttah Abdullah Kiram and pretender to the title of sultan. Fuad's claim has been mostly unrecognized by his family members. He was one of the litigants of the Malaysia Sulu case, which sought billions of US dollars from the Malaysian government through forum shopping. The initial awards were later consistently quashed after appeals by Malaysia. He has been classified since 11 April 2023 as a terrorist under Malaysia's anti-money laundering and terrorism laws, as part of measures to safeguard national sovereignty amid the territorial dispute between the two parties over Sabah.

Line of Punjungan Kiram

File:Bandeira Sultanato de Sulu Moderna.svg

Modern flag of the Sultanate of Sulu adopted by supporters of Jamalul Kiram III

Mohammed Punjungan Kiram, Esmail Kiram I's former Crown Prince, began to claim the title of sultan for himself after 1980, dismissing the claim of his uncle Mahakuttah Kiram. His son Jamalul Kiram III continued his father's claim after Mahakuttah Kiram's death in 1986.

Name	Claimed reign	Succession	Notes
Mohammed Punjungan Kiram	1980–1983	Younger brother of Esmail Kiram I, claimed to be Raja Muda	Punjungan Kiram was made Crown Prince under Sultan Esmail E. Kiram I, on the condition that he transfer his rights of succession to the son of the sultan when the son comes of legal age. (This condition was rarely used, as the law of succession would be complicated by such abnormal provisions. The primogeniture law of succession allows only for the title-holder's male heir, and the successor to Punjungan Kiram should be his own oldest son Jamalul Kiram III.) When the condition was met, instead of resigning from his position as Raja Muda, Punjungan Kiram exiled himself to Malaysia and later returned to contest the reign of his nephew Mahakuttah Abdullah Kiram, who had replaced him as Crown Prince, and who was later recognised by President Ferdinand Marcos as sultan, based on Mahakuttah A. Kiram being Crown Prince and at Abraham Rasul's recommendation. Punjungan Kiram was the father of Jamalul Kiram III, Esmail Kiram II, and Phugdalun Kiram II.
Jamalul Kiram III	1983–1990 2012–2013	Eldest son of Punjungan Kiram (Raja Muda)	Self-proclaimed "interim sultan of Sulu" from 1974 to 1981 during the absence of his father in Sabah and self-proclaimed sultan from 1986. He later retired, replaced by Mohammad Akijal Atti, in 1990. Named sultan together with his brother Esmail after an agreement on 11 November 2012. Agbimuddin Kiram, their brother, was then proclaimed as Raja Muda (heir apparent). Jamalul organised the incursion which led to the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff, being labelled a terrorist by both the Malaysian and Sabah state governments. Jamalul Kiram III died on 20 October 2013.
Esmail Kiram II Template:Efn	1999–2015	Younger brother of Jamalul Kiram III	Self-proclaimed "reigning sultan" from 2001, when his older brother left Sulu to Manila to enter showbusiness and politics. Named sultan together with his brother Jamalul after an agreement on 11 November 2012. His younger brother and heir Agbimuddin Kiram later led the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff and died on 13 January 2015 while still in hiding from the authorities. Sultan Esmail Kiram II died on 19 September 2015.
Phugdalun Kiram II	2015–present	Younger brother of Esmail Kiram II (Raja Muda)	Installed as the self-proclaimed 35th sultan on 6 February 2016, at the Sulu Capitol in Patikul, Sulu. Phugdalun was one of the claimants in the Malaysia Sulu case, which sought billions of US dollars from the Malaysian government through forum shopping.

Pretenders from other houses

• House of Abirin
  • Jamalul Abirin (1950–1983), son of Jainal Abidin (or Abirin)
  • Aguimuddin Abirin (1983–2005), son of Jamalul AbirinTemplate:Better source needed
  • Mohammad Venizar Julkarnain Jainal Abirin
• House of Bahjin
  • Ibrahim Q. Bahjin-Shakirullah II (2004–present)
  • Muizuddin Jainal Abirin Bahjin

Genealogical chart

Genealogical chart of Sulu sultans

See also

• List of Sunni dynasties
• Non-sovereign monarchy
• North Borneo dispute
• 2013 Lahad Datu standoff
• Royal and Hashemite Order of the Pearl

References

General

External links

• Website for the claimant branch led by Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram
• Website for the claimant branch descended from Muhammad Punjungan Kiram