The History of Sulu

by Najeeb M. Saleeby

The question of a successor to Sultan Badarud Din II proved to be very vexatious, both to the Sulus and to the Spanish Government. At that date the eligibles to the sultanate belonged to three houses—that of Sultan Jamalul Kiram I, the house of Sultan Shakirul Lah, and that of Datu Putung, the son of Sultan Alimud Din I. These houses were represented by the three candidates, Raja Muda Amirul Kiram, Datu Aliyud Din, and Datu Harun ar-Rashid.

Amirul Kiram was the oldest brother of the three sons of Sultan Jamalul A’lam from Pangian Inchi Jamila. He was born on the 27th of March, 1868, and was at one time the rival of Badarud Din II, his older brother. The sultanate remained in the line of Jamalul Kiram I for four consecutive generations and the majority of Sulus had come to consider the sons of Jamalul A’lam as the direct heirs to the throne. The influence of Pangian Inchi Jamila was a strong factor in itself and the claims of Raja Muda Amirul Kiram were vigorously pressed upon the council of state.

Datu Aliyud Din was the son of Datu Israel, the son of Sultan Shakirul Lah. He urged that the descendants of Sultan Shakirul Lah had an equal right to the sultanate with the descendants of Jamalul Kiram I, and protested against the injustice of electing a minor in preference to older and maturer members of the family.

Datu Harun ar-Rashid had no sultan in his line for five generations and consequently did not press his claim to the succession. He was a cousin of Pangian Inchi Jamila and a close friend of Jamalul A’lam. He was the only living signer of the treaty of 1878, but since that date he had removed to Palawan, where the Spanish Government intrusted him with the rule of the Moro population of Palawan, Balabak, and the neighboring southern islands, and where he had rendered very creditable service.

Datu Aliyud Din and his party were so determined in their opposition to Pangian Inchi Jamila and Raja Muda Amirul Kiram that they would not entertain any proposals of compromise or attend the council of state at Maymbung. The country was agitated and all datus and subordinate chiefs took sides with one or the other of the two candidates. The majority of datus and chiefs were in favor of Amirul Kiram. Datus Pula-pula, Uyung, Marachak, Kalbi, and Julkarnayn, who were as a rule united, and who wielded the strongest authority on the island next to that of the sultan, remained almost neutral, but at heart indorsed the claim of Aliyud Din. In general the southern and greater half of the island supported Amirul Kiram of Maymbung, while the northern half favored Aliyud Din, who had in the meantime moved his residence to Patikul.

Governor Parrado offered his good offices and tried to overcome the difficulty by suggesting that Amirul Kiram be elected sultan, but that Aliyud Din should act as regent during the minority of the former. He went so far as to name a new and general council of state to meet at Maymbung and decide the question. He submitted this proposition to both parties threatening to leave them to their fate in case they did not comply with his advice. The Maymbung party accepted the governor’s proposition, but the Patikul party did not; consequently both candidates were proclaimed sultans, one at Patikul and one at Maymbung, and both prepared to fight. Ambuscades, skirmishes, surprises, robberies, and cattle stealing followed. Governor Parrado remained neutral until July when he made friendly visits to Maymbung and Patikul and again counseled concord and compromise. Datu Harun arrived in Sulu on the 17th of November and both parties solicited his support and consulted him; but he failed to effect any agreement. A little later he accompanied the governor of Sulu to Manila where he received much attention because of the success that attended his services at Palawan. He remained in Manila about one month and returned to live at Matanda, filled with a strong desire to better himself and his country. A year passed and no agreement could be reached, nor did the Spanish Government officially recognize any of the claimants. Amirul Kiram indulged in licentiousness and Aliyud Din took to opium.

Governor Parrado during his administration completed the Cuartel de España and the market building and improved the forts Alfonso XII and the Princess of Asturias. The majority of the nipa houses were replaced by better structures of brick with iron roofs. A system of waterworks was put in and Jolo was declared an open port. On July 23, 1885, Parrado was succeeded by Col. Francisco Castilla.

Governor Castilla followed the policy of his predecessor and remained neutral. Amirul Kiram had in the meantime massed a large force and attacked Aliyud Din. The latter’s party had weakened and only 800 remained to defend Patikul and its kuta. The Maymbung forces greatly outnumbered their adversaries, defeated them, destroyed the kuta, and burned the settlement. Datu Aliyud Din fled to Basilan and lived for a while with Sharif Aqil. Raja Muda Amirul Kiram then requested the Spanish Government to recognize his succession to the sultanate and a commission was sent from Manila to investigate the matter and report on it. After five months’ service as governor of Sulu Colonel Castilla asked to be relieved at the end of the year and Col. Juan Arolas succeeded him in January, 1886.

Governor Arolas devoted himself to his work with unusual enthusiasm and exemplary energy. Public works and sanitation received his best attention. Trees were planted, the streets were improved, the gutters and sewers were repaired and renewed, and the town was kept thoroughly clean. The death list of the garrison was reduced from 102 in 1885 to 51 in 1886. A good road was constructed outside the wall and a beautiful street was extended from the southern gate of the town to Tulay and Asturias on both sides of which coconut and shade trees were planted. The streets of Tulay were planned on the same scale as those of the walled town, and fillings on a large scale were commenced for this purpose. Excellent waterworks were completed and iron pipes were laid throughout the walled town and Tulay for the use of the garrison and the public.

As a result of the report of the commission appointed to investigate Sulu affairs and the subject of succession to the sultanate, directions were received from Madrid and Manila to the effect that Datu Harun should be appointed subsultan and Amirul Kiram sultan, and that both be requested to go to Manila, take the oath of fidelity to Spain, and be invested with authority by the Governor-General. Datu Harun had made himself very agreeable to Governors Parrado and Castilla and a strong friendship had grown up between them. Arolas soon learned to like Harun and trusted him. Amirul Kiram was then 18 years old and his age probably suggested the necessity of having a regent who would be competent to take charge of affairs and who would be favorable to the policy of the Spanish Government. The wish and opinion of the Sulu nation and the desire of the ambitious sultana to be regent herself were not fully respected and could not be approved, and the dictates of the Spanish Government had to be complied with. Harun, as might have been expected, obeyed the royal directions. Amirul Kiram refused to go to Manila, considered it a humiliation for him to have a regent and to be compelled to visit Manila for the approval of the Spanish Government. He felt that he was the rightful heir and the choice of the Sulus and that the treaty of 1878 well guarded his rights and granted the Sulus the full privilege of electing their chiefs. The Sulu character asserted itself in his action and the nation stood by him and counseled noncompliance to directions prejudicial to their own rights and national honor.