Ahmad Tajuddin

He was the surviving eldest son to Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam II and his wife, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Siti Fatimah, after his older brother, Pengiran Muda Bongsu had died in 1910.

His younger brother, Pengiran Muda Tengah Omar Ali Saifuddien succeeded him after his death.

Before becoming the sultan, he was known as Pengiran Muda Besar Ahmad Tajuddin.

He received his early education in the palace prior attending formal school.

One of the teachers who had been assigned to teach him was Cikgu Salleh Haji Masri.

Salleh Haji Masri was one of the famous freedom fighters with anti-colonial sentiments.

Ahmad Tajuddin Akhazul Khairi Waddien (Jawi: ; 22 August 1913 – 4 June 1950) was the 27th Sultan of Brunei from 1924 until his death in 1950.

He was succeeded by his younger brother Omar Ali Saifuddien.

His reign represented the start of a new era in Brunei.

The discovery of oil changed the whole course of Brunei's history and enabled faster development in all sectors of the country.

The expansion and improvement of formal education and his encouragement of religious education were some of his additional contributions to Brunei Darussalam.

During the Second World War and Japanese occupation of Brunei, much of the development and infrastructure he built was destroyed.

Ahmad Tajuddin was born on 22 August 1913 at Istana Pekan in Brunei Town.

Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin ascended the throne on 11 September 1924, after the death of his father, Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam II.

Due to his young age of 11, the reign was temporarily held by a Council of Regency which consisted of Pengiran Bendahara Pengiran Anak Abdul Rahman and Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohammad Yassin from 11 September 1924 to 19 September 1931.

After Brunei first exported oil in 1931, British residents began to settle into Brunei.

Ahmad Tajuddin sailed for England, United Kingdom in 1932.

Before that, he had learned English from Mr. H.F. Stalley.

He was in England for a year to learn the English language and a description of the western civilisation.

He was the first Sultan in history to explore the western world more than his father, who had only sailed to Singapore and Labuan.

In an attempt to suppress the Sultan, his living allowance was raised from $1,000 to $1,500 in 1934, and again was again given an increase of $500 a month in 1938.

The relationship between the Sultan and the British soured when John Graham Black was appointed as the British Resident in 1937.

The resident attempted to postpone and sabotage Ahmad Tajuddin's coronation ceremony and this infuriated the Sultan.

The Government of the United Kingdom gifted him a car in 1939.

Before that, he recited the Qur'an at the Istana Mahkota on 9 November 1939.

The coronation ceremony was attended by representatives of the British High Commissioner, Charles Vyner Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak and the Government of North Borneo.

In conjunction with his coronation ceremony, King George VI bestowed on him the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG).

This caused the resident to be replaced by Ernest Edgar Pengilly on 1 January 1940.

Due to the frustration that Graham Black had caused, he was not given a farewell ceremony by the Sultan as he usually did for other residents.

Ahmad Tajuddin and his family began to feel uneasy with the out distribution of Brunei's wealth from oil exports and for that reason, he encouraged the British government to ease financial regulations for the people of Brunei.

The coronation of Ahmad Tajuddin as Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan Negara was held at the Main Hall of the Main Government Office, Brunei Town on 17 March 1940.

Since the 1940s, the Sultan has not attended the State Assembly as a sign of protest against the British resident.

He urged the British to accept Bruneians into higher positions of the Brunei Administrative Service (BAS) in order to train and give experiences to local population.

For the first time ever in 1941, 25 locals were appointed to serve in the government bureaucracy.

With the likelihood of war with the Empire of Japan increasing, in 1941, the British began to encourage the establishment of local defence forces in Brunei, and neighbouring Sarawak and Borneo.

Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin approved the establishment of the Brunei Volunteer Force and Special Police Force to assist the British in stopping the Japanese invasion of Brunei.

An estimated 200 Bruneians initially volunteered, but by the time of the invasion few remained and no Allied troops were stationed in Brunei.

The Sultan was appointed an Honorary Colonel of the force.

After the surrender to the Japanese in December 1941, Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin was forced to hand over his powers to the Imperial Japanese Army.

The Japanese continued to recognise the Sultan as the head of the Islamic religion and the Royal Customs so long as he co-operated with them.