Salasilah Kesultanan Johor

A unique feature of Johor is that the transition of power and leadership between the dynasties did not cause any major rift or conflict nor cause any upheaval in the economic and social development of Johor. Neither had it involved the cessation of territory to foreign powers. In fact, the transition of authority strengthened the people's resilience, understanding and cooperation, conducive to the development of Johor in an environment of peace and goodwill.

This spirit gave rise to the slogan "Concord is a Blessing", a moral value incorporated and immortalised in the Johor State Constitution of 1895. Being inculcated with this spirit among the people of Johor is one of the reasons why Johor remained independent and was never colonised by any foreign power until 1914, when it became the last of the Malay States to succumb to British rule.

The continuity of the Malay Sultanate was realised in 1528 when Sultan Alaudin Riayat Shah, a descendant of the Melaka Sultanate, set sail from Kampar, Sumatra, to Johor, braving the presence of Portuguese men-of-war. He sailed upriver of Johor River and founded a settlement named Kota Batu, also known as Johor Lama. This event marked the beginning of the ruling of Johor by three dynasties of Malay rulers, one after another. Faced with continuous threats and attacks by the Portuguese and later by the Dutch, the rulers and the people were resilient in defending the sovereignty of their territory and planned counterattacks against the enemies. The reign of nine descendants of the Melaka Sultanate ended after the regicide of its ninth Ruler Sultan Mahmud II in 1699, as he had no legal heir.

In the spirit of concordance and goodwill, the throne was passed on peacefully to the Bendaharas, who were ministers of royal blood in the previous Sultanate. Nine generations of the Bendaharas ruled Johor from 1699 to 1855. However, they also faced threats and attacks from the Portuguese and the Achenese and political threats from the Dutch.

As a measure to ensure the continued existence of the Malay Sultanate and the sovereignty and ownership of Johor, the rulers were forced to relocate the settlements to 12 different locations along the Johor River and built settlements at Johor Lama, Panchur, Batu Sawar, Kota Tinggi (Makam Tauhid), Pasir Raja, Sayung Pinang, Sungai Telor, Batu Hampar. In 1728 the capital moved to Riau. Finally, through a Treaty of Friendship and Alliance and payment of compensation on 10 March 1855, Sultan Ali Iskandar Shah, the last of the Bendahara rulers, peacefully ceded Johor to the Temenggong.

Although the Temenggong dynasty was not engaged in battles with the British, they faced political intrigues and threats by the British in the form of their forward colonialist movement. However, it can be seen that the rulers of the various dynasties exhibited courage, wisdom and resilience in thwarting foreign aggression, defending the sovereignty and independence of Johor, and safeguarding its people's security and well-being.