House of Bolkiah

The House of Bolkiah is the ruling royal family of Brunei Darussalam. It is composed of the descendants of the 1st sultan Sultan Muhammad Shah and his family. The Sultan of Brunei is the head of state and absolute monarch of Brunei. He is also head of government in his capacity as Prime Minister.[1]

Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan Negara of Brunei
Incumbent
Hassanal Bolkiah in 2009
Hassanal Bolkiah
Details
StyleHis Majesty
Heir apparentCrown Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah
First monarchSultan Muhammad Shah
Formation1363—Muhammad Shah of Brunei
Brunei
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Brunei

Since independence from the British in 1984, only one Sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates back to the 14th century.[2] The Sultan of Brunei can be thought of as synonymous with the ruling House of Bolkiah, with descendency being traced from the 1st sultan, temporarily interrupted by the 13th sultan Abdul Hakkul Mubin who in turn was deposed by a member of the House of Bolkiah. It is not clear when the house became known as the 'House of Bolkiah', and whether it was named after the current sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, or the 5th sultan Bolkiah .

Hassanal Bolkiah's family

Almost every direct descendant of Hassanal Bolkiah had Bolkiah name as their last name.

Title

The full title of the Sultan is: His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam (Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan dan Yang di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam).[1]

Today, the surname Bolkiah is carried by any descendant of the House of Bolkiah. Members of the royal household hold high and influential positions in government.

Sons and grandsons of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah are referred to in the style "His Royal Highness" (HRH) or "Pengiran Muda" in Malay, differing from the royals belonging to the cadet branches which are addressed as "The Lord" (HH) or "Pengiran Anak" in Malay.

Uncertainties

The earliest historical record of the Sultans of Brunei is not clearly known due to the poor early documentation of Brunei's history. Many elder members of the House of Bolkiah claim that their ancestors were the BaHassan and BaAlawi Saadah from Tarim and Hadhramaut in Yemen. In addition there has been an effort to Islamise the history, with the "official history" not matching up with verifiable foreign sources. The Batu Tarsilah, the genealogical record of the kings of Brunei, was not established until 1807 CE.

See also
  • List of Sultans of Brunei
  • Line of succession to the Bruneian throne

References
  1. "Prime Minister". The Prime Minister's Office of Brunei Darussalam. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
  2. "Sultan-Sultan Brunei" (in Malay). Government of Brunei. Archived from the original on 15 April 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2011.
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