Abdul Hamid Halim of Kedah

Paduka Sri Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukarram Shah, KCMG (4 June 1864 – 13 May 1943) was the 26th Sultan of Kedah. He reigned from 1881 to 1943. He was the son of Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Mukarram Shah and Wan Hajar.

Abdul Hamid Halim Shah
Sultan of Kedah
Abdul Hamid Halim of Kedah
Sultan of Kedah
Reign22 September 1881 - 13 May 1943
PredecessorZainal Rashid Mu'adzam Shah II
SuccessorBadlishah
Born(1864-06-04)4 June 1864
Penang, Straits Settlements
Died13 May 1943(1943-05-13) (aged 78)
Alor Setar, Kedah
Burial
Langgar Royal Mausoleum
IssueBadlishah
Tunku Abdul Rahman
HouseMahawangsa
FatherAhmad Tajuddin Mukarram Shah
MotherWan Hajar binti Wan Ismail
ReligionSunni Islam
Abdul Hamid Halim Sultan of Kedah

During his reign, the Sultan had asked for a $2,500,000 loan from Siam during a state financial crisis in 1905. The loan was extended with the proviso that a Financial Advisor from the court of Siam be accepted and a State Council be created to assist the Sultan in the administration of all public affairs. This resulted in the promulgation of a new constitution on 29 July 1905. The state council were run by his brothers followed by their sons. The formation of the State Council thus curbed the Sultan's administrative powers.

His reign marked the transition from Siamese suzerainty over Kedah to the British Protectorate of Unfederated Malay States following the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909.

The Sultan had several wives and partners; Che Manjelara, Che Sofiah, Sharifah Fatimah Binti Syed Idrus, Sharifah Seha Binti Syed Hussein, Che Spachendra, Sharifah Mariam and Che Laraseh. The Sultan's seventh son and twentieth child with Makche Manjelara, Tunku Abdul Rahman, who would later become the first Prime Minister of Malaysia. The Sultan was succeeded by another son, Sultan Badlishah.

Family
  • Children with Che Puan Spachendra (died 1907)
    • Tunku Ibrahim
    • Tunku Zam Zam
    • Tunku Rokiah
    • Tunku Fatimah
    • Tunku Kassim
  • Children with Che Laraseh binti Lebai Ishak (died 1946)
    • Tunku Zainal Rashid
    • Tunku Mansor
    • Tunku Sofiah
    • Tunku Johara
    • Tunku Noor
    • Tunku Zaleha
    • Tunku Abdul Jalil
    • Tunku Mohamad Akil
  • Children with Sharifah Mariam binti Syed Mohamad Al-Idrus
    • Tunku Ahmad Tajuddin
  • Children with Sharifah Seha binti Syed Hussein (died 1922)
    • Tunku Abdullah Thani
    • Tunku Pengeran
    • Tunku Balkis
    • Tunku Zahara
  • Children with Tunku Nai Sofiah binti Almarhum Tunku Nai Haji Hassan (died 1948)
  • Children with Paduka Seri Che Menjalara @ Neang Nara Burirak Menjalara Luang Nara Burirak or Nueang Nandanagara (died 1941)
    • Tunku Dakiah Manjalara
    • Tunku Muhammad Jewa
    • Tunku Abdul Rahman
    • Tunku Baharum
    • Tunku Aminah
    • Tunku Jaafar Shah
    • Tunku Baharum
    • Tunku Jahara
    • Tunku Mohamad Saad
    • Tunku Habsah
    • Tunku Kalsom
    • Tunku Yusof
    • Tunku Zabedah Manjalara
  • Children with Sharifah Fatimah binti Syed Idrus (died 1931)
    • Tunku Ya'acob
    • Tunku Hajar
    • Tunku Yahaya
    • Tunku Abdul Majid
    • Tunku Zainal Abidin
    • Tunku Shuib

Landmarks

Sultan Abdul Hamid was responsible for the refurbishing of the Balai Besar in 1896. This building was destroyed due to attacks by the Bugis armada (1770) and Siamese (1821). The refurbishment was spearheaded by Muhammad bin Lebai Tambi, an architect with the Public Works Department of Kedah State. The wedding ceremony of the Sultan's five princes and princesses was held here in 1904 and the celebrations were carried out over a 90-day period. Besides the wedding ceremony, the Balai Besar was also used for installation ceremonies, and State Council Conferences from 1905 until 1973.

Balai Nobat

Sultan Abdul Hamid also built a new building for the Balai Nobat using concrete and metal in 1906. The architecture is the same as the previous wooden building. The height was three-story and the dome at its apex represents the Islamic element such as those found on mosques.

It was during Sultan Abdul Hamid's reign that Masjid Zahir was officially opened on Friday, 15 October 1915. The Sultan also led the Friday prayers on the auspicious day. The architecture of the mosque was inspired by the Azizi Mosque in Tanjung Pura, Langkat Sultanate (present-day North Sumatra). This mosque is enhanced with five prime large domes symbolising the Five Pillars of Islam.

Honours

Siamese Titles of Peerage
  • 1879 - Phra Seninarongrit, Raja Muda of Sai Buri
  • 1881 - Phraya Ritthisongkhram Ramaphakdi Sri Sultan Mahamadratanaratchamunin Surintharawiwong Phraya Sai Buri
  • 1895 - Chao Phraya Ritthisongkhram Ramaphakdi Sri Sultan Mahamadratanaratchamunin Surintharawiwongphadung Thanubamrungkehdanakhon Amonrattananakhet Prathetsaratrachaisawariyathibodi wikromsiha Chao Phraya Sai Buri[1]

Decorations
gollark: ddg! Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
gollark: Why won't it expand the acronym? WHY?
gollark: ddg! concussive traumatic e
gollark: You're one of those people who runs on *chemistry* and *biology*? Ew.
gollark: ....

References
  1. ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, ประกาศในการเลื่อนยศพระยาไทรบุรีเปนเจ้าพระยาไทรบุรี, เล่ม 12, 1 กันยายน 2438, หน้า 190-191
  2. ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, พระราชทานเหรียญดุษฎีมาลา, เล่ม ๑๐, ตอน ๙, ๒๘ พฤษภาคม พ.ศ. ๒๔๓๖, หน้า ๑๑๕
  3. ราชกิจจานุเบกษา, การเลื่อนยศพระยาไทรบุรีเปนเจ้าพระยาไทรบุรีแลพระราชทานเครื่องราชอิสริยาภรณ์จุลจอมเกล้าฝ่ายหน้า, เล่ม 12, 1 กันยายน 2438, หน้า 189-190
Abdul Hamid Halim of Kedah
House of Kedah
Born: 4 June 1864 Died: 13 May 1943
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Zainal Rashid Mu'adzam Shah II		 Sultan of Kedah
1881–1943		 Succeeded by
Badlishah
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