Singapore Treaty 1819. Nine Days that Changed the Fate of Singapore

In 1819, Raffles signed the Singapore Treaty with Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman of the Johor Sultanate which changed the fate of Singapore forever.

In 1818, Stamford Raffles was appointed governor of Bencoolen at the Indian Ocean coast of west Sumatra, Indonesia (today's Bengkulu). The trading post of Bencoolen was established by the Portuguese in the 1500s, took over by the Dutch in 1596 and then the British in 1685. (Image of the British Fort Marlborough in Bencoolen courtesy of Wikipedia.)

Soon after his arrival in Bencoolen, Raffles convinced his British East India Company bosses that they needed a more strategic base than Bencoolen to compete with the Dutch in controlling the east-west trade routes.

Raffles' search for a base to command the east-west trade routes, brought him to Singapore on 29 Jan 1819. He landed at a small Malay settlement at the mouth of Singapore River. There were huts on stilts, boat houses of Orang Gelam (a nomadic Orang Laut tribe) and the palace of the Temenggong (governor) of Johor.

Beneath the calm, idyllic waters of Singapore River, there were strong undercurrents of a power struggle in the Johor royal family. Singapore was part of the Johor Sultanate which realm covered Singapore, Johor, Pahang, the Riau Islands, parts of east and south Sumatra. (Map of the Johor Sultanate in 1727 courtesy of Wikipedia.)

When Sultan Mahmud Shah the Third died in Lingga (Riau islands) in 1811, his first born son Tengku Hussein was away in Pahang for his marriage ceremonies. According to Malay tradition, the king's successor has to be by the dying sultan's side to qualify as the new ruler. While he was away, Tengku Hussein's half brother Tengku Abdul Rahman usurped the Johor Sultanate throne with Bugis and Dutch backers.

Temenggong Abdul Rahman who greeted Raffles when he arrived at his door step at the Singapore River was the brother-in-law of the usurped Tengku Hussein. Understandably, the Temenggong preferred his own sister's husband to become the king.

At that time, Tengku Hussein was languishing in exile in Penyengat Island off the port city of Tanjung Pinang on Bintan island. (Image of Penyengat Island courtesy of Wikipedia.)

Raffles brought Tengku Hussein to Singapore from Penyengat Island and together with Temenggong Abdul Rahman signed the Singapore Treaty on 6 Feb 1819.

For allowing the English East India Company to operate a trading post "the length of a cannon shot" at the Singapore River, the usurped Tengku Hussein was conferred the title Sultan Hussein Muadzam Shah, Raja of Johor by the British. (Image of wax figures of the signing ceremony courtesy of NAS.)

Sultan Hussein was paid an annual sum of 5,000 Spanish dollars and Temenggong Abdul Rahman, 3,000 Spanish dollars. (At that time, the Spanish dollar was the world currency like the US dollar of today. Image of Spanish dollar courtesy of Wikipedia.)

In 1824, a second Singapore treaty known as the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance was signed between Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman, and John Crawfurd (second Resident of Singapore). Under this Treaty, Sultan Hussein transferred ownership of Singapore to the British East India Company in exchange for 32,000 Spanish dollars and a monthly lifetime pension of 1,300 Spanish dollars.

As expected, the Dutch were furious with British inroads in Singapore. Tensions between the Dutch and British over Singapore persisted until 1824, when they signed the Anglo-Dutch Treaty.

Under the terms of the London Treaty, the Dutch withdrew their opposition to British presence in Singapore and also exchanged Dutch Malacca for Bencoolen (in west Sumatra). Raffles was governor of Bencoolen till its handover to the Dutch in 1824.

Under the London Treaty, Singapore and the Malay peninsular come under British control. The Malay archipelago south of Singapore would become Dutch domain. The treaty thus partitioned the Johor Sultanate into Johor under the British and the Riau-Lingga under Dutch rule.

With Sultan Hussein as Sultan of Johor, his half brother Sultan Abdul Rahman became the first king of the Riau-Lingga Sultanate.

The British allotted land in Kampung Gelam for Sultan Hussein's palace. Sultan Hussein's palace built of wood no longer exists. The present Istana Kampung Gelam was built by Sultan Hussein's successor, his eldest son Sultan Iskander Ali Shah between 1836 and 1843. Istana Kampung Gelam has been restored and is today home of the Malay Heritage Centre. (Image of Istana Kampung Gelam courtesy of Wikipedia.)

Sultan Hussein died in Malacca in 1835 and was buried at Tengkerah Mosque. (Image of Tengkerah Mosque courtesy of Wikipedia.)

To make way for colonial administration buildings at Empress Place, Temenggong Abdul Rahman's palace was moved from Singapore River to Teluk Blangah.

Map of Istana Lama, Temenggong Abdul Rahman's palace in Teluk Blangah dated 1931 courtesy of NAS.

Temenggong Abdul Rahman's palace was built in 1824 and the Temenggong passed away in the palace in 1825. The old palace was demolished in 1954. Today, the site is occupied by Harbourlights condominium. (Image of Istana Lama in the 1860s courtesy of Wikipedia.)

Temenggong Abdul Rahman was buried at Makam Diraja Johor Teluk Blangah (Teluk Blangah Royal Mausoleum) in 1825. Temenggong Abdul Rahman's successor, his second son Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim was buried here in 1862. Today, at the Audience Hall beside the royal burial ground stands Masjid Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim, built in 1993.

In 9 days from landing in Singapore on 29 Jan 1819 to signing the Singapore Treaty on 6 Feb 1819, Raffles' vision changed Singapore forever.

Johor Sultanate Royal Banquet

Sultan Hussein and Temenggong Abdul Rahman were likely to have hosted Raffles and his party to a royal banquet. Raffles, Farquhar and company were very important guests from far away overseas. The Singapore Treaty certainly called for a grand celebration.

Neither Raffles nor Farquhar wrote home about it, so we can only guess and infer from circumstantial evidence.

What might be in the Temenggong's kitchen?

Cloves - these are dried to make the fragrant spice brought in by Bugis traders from the Moluccas. Image credit: Wikipedia

There would likely be spices from India like cinnamon, cardamon, Indonesian spices like cloves, indigenous pepper, ginger, and sea salt.

Barking deers were common in Singapura's forests. Image credit: Wikipedia

Wild jungle fowl. Image credit: Wikipedia

Fresh meat from deer hunted from Singapore's forests, wild jungle fowl (chicken), eggs, fish, shellfish, clams, snails, crabs, prawns from the morning's catch. The then pristine Singapore River should be teeming with fish and seafood.

Coconuts were abundant in Singapura. Image credit: Wikipedia

Sago palm

Vegetables, fruits, coconuts, sago, bananas, papayas, sweet potatoes, mangoes, seaweed.

The following are some dishes recreated by Professor Shaharudin and Chef Norzailina for their book Air Mata Raja or Tears of the Sultan. These are Malacca Sultanate banquet dishes recreated by Chef Norzailina based on historical records. As the Malacca Sultans were predecessors of the Johor Sultanate, Malaccan royal banquet may provide some hints on food at Temenggong Abdul Rahman's palace.

Deer stewed in coconut and spices would likely be a delicacy served in the Temenggong's palace. There would likely be a rendang (spicy stew dish) as Minangkabau people were well established and influential in the realms of Malacca and Johor sultanate.