Azlan Shah of Perak

Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuff Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-lah (Jawi: ; 19 April 1928 – 28 May 2014) was Sultan of Perak from 1984 until his death in 2014, and previously reigned as the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the constitutional monarch of Malaysia, from 1989 to 1994.

The child of a royal father and commoner mother, he grew up in Perak, Malaysia.

During school he played field hockey, subsequently playing for the Perak team.

He trained to be a lawyer in the United Kingdom.

Upon returning to Malaysia, he soon became a judge and quickly rose through the legal ranks.

He was born on 19 April 1928 at Kampung Manggis, Batu Gajah, Perak.

Sultan Azlan Shah reigned for a total of 30 years and 114 days, the longest reign for a Sultan of Perak post-independence day, and the second longest reign in the history of the Sultanate, only behind the 11th Sultan, Sultan Mahmud Iskandar Shah.

The youngest son of Sultan Yussuff Izzuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Jalil Karamatullah Nasiruddin Mukhtaram Shah Radziallah Hu'an-hu (reigned 1948–1963) by his second wife, Toh Puan Besar Hatijah binti Toh Indera Wangsa Ahmad (1906–1992), he was brought up by his mother outside of royal circles.

Raja Azlan Shah began his education at the Government English School, Batu Gajah Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Yussuf.

For his secondary education, he attended Malay College Kuala Kangsar.

Afterwards, he went to the University of Nottingham to study law, earning a Bachelor of Law degree in 1953.

While in school, Azlan Shah began his lifelong love for field hockey, playing for his school teams.

He subsequently played for the Perak team.

Raja Azlan Shah was admitted to the English Bar on 23 November 1954.

He returned to Malaysia, becoming the Assistant State Secretary of Perak.

He joined the Judicial and Legal Service of the Federation of Malaya and soon became the President of the Sessions Court.

He continued to rise quickly through the legal ranks, serving as Federal Counsel and Deputy Public Prosecutor, Legal Adviser of the State of Pahang, Registrar of the High Court of Malaya, and Chief Registrar of the Federal Court of Malaysia.

His path to become the Sultan of Perak started when his father appointed him as Raja Kechil Bongsu on 19 August 1962, which makes him 6th and last in line to the throne.

Due to the death of his father in the following year, he moved up a rank to become the Raja Kechil Tengah.

In 1965, he became the youngest person appointed to the High Court of Malaya, and in 1982 he became the youngest ever Lord President of the Federal Court, the country's highest judicial rank.

In 1965, Raja Azlan Shah, aged 37, became the youngest judge ever appointed to the High Court of Malaya.

He was appointed to the Federal Court in 1973.

On 1 January 1978, he moved up to Raja Kechil Sulong and later that year, on 1 August, he moved up to Raja Kechil Besar.

In 1979, he was appointed Chief Justice of the High Court of Malaya.

Finally, on 12 November 1982 he became the youngest ever Lord President of the Federal Court, the highest judicial post in Malaysia.

Raja Azlan Shah was installed Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Perak by the then-Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Almutawakkil Alallahi Shah II on 1 July 1983.

During the long reign of Idris Shah, most of Raja Azlan Shah's elder brothers had died.

His only surviving elder brother, Raja Baharom Shah, refused the office of Crown Prince and Raja Azlan Shah was suddenly heir to the throne.

He succeeded as Sultan of Perak after Sultan Idris Shah II, his first cousin once removed, died in 1984.

Within six months, Sultan Idris died and Azlan Shah succeeded to the throne of Perak on 3 February 1984.

He was officially installed as the 34th Sultan of Perak on 9 December 1985.

Subsequently, he was elected to be the Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia in 1989, serving a five-year term before returning to his post as Sultan of Perak.

In 1989, Sultan Azlan Shah was elected as the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia, as the Ruler of Perak was the last of the nine Malay Rulers of Malaysia who has not served as the Yang di-Pertuan Agong for its first cycle.

After the five-year term ended, he returned to his post as Sultan of Perak in 1994.

In 2009, he exercised his royal authority to prevent the dissolution of the Perak State Legislative Assembly, sparking a constitutional crisis.

Ultimately, the legal system ruled Sultan Azlan had acted properly.

During his career, Sultan Azlan Shah was awarded more than 3 dozen Malaysian and foreign honours.

Dozens of buildings and other projects were named after him, including a genus of insects.

He was known as the "Father of Malaysian Hockey" for furthering field hockey at home and abroad, and was the patron of dozens of organisations.

With his wife Tuanku Bainun Binti Mohd Ali, Sultan Azlan had five children.