Sultanate of Johor: Map & History
The Johor Sultanate was founded by Sultan of Malacca Mahmud Shah's son, Alauddin Riayat Shah II in 1528.
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The Johor Sultanate was founded by Sultan of Malacca Mahmud Shah's son, Alauddin Riayat Shah II in 1528.
Modern Countries Once Part of Sultanate of Johor
At its mapped extent, Sultanate of Johor covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Singapore1529–1819 CE · nearly all
- Malaysia1529–1884 CE · a large part
- Indonesia1529–1819 CE · a small part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Sultanate of Johor's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Sultanate of Johor in Depth
History
In 1511, Malacca fell to the Portuguese and Sultan Mahmud Shah was forced to flee Malacca. The sultan made several attempts to retake the capital but his efforts were fruitless. The Portuguese retaliated and forced the sultan to flee to Pahang. Later, the sultan sailed to Bintan and established a new capital there. With a base established, the sultan rallied the disarrayed Malay forces and organised several attacks and blockades against the Portuguese position.
Frequent raids on Malacca caused the Portuguese severe hardship which helped to convince the Portuguese to destroy the exiled sultan's forces. A number of attempts were made to suppress the Malay but it was not until 1526 that the Portuguese razed Bintan to the ground.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Johor Sultanate (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Sultanate of Johor: Key Facts
| Capitals | Johor Bahru, Bintan Island |
|---|---|
| Official language | Malay |
| Currency | Straits dollar |
| Founded | 1528 |
| Dissolved | 1946 |
Preceded by
Succeeded by
- Straits Settlements
Facts from Wikidata Q1150344 (CC0).
Sultanate of Johor Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Sultanate of Johor appears, with the other states of the time.
Sultanate of Johor Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 208,008 km² in 1568 CE.
Sultanate of Johor: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Sultanate of Johor exist?
The Sultanate of Johor is dated to 1529 CE – 1884 CE, in the Early Modern & Age of Discovery era.
What was the capital of the Sultanate of Johor?
The capital of the Sultanate of Johor was Sayong Pinang (1530s–1536), Johor Lama (1536–1564), Bukit Seluyut (1564–1570), Johor Lama (1570–1587), Batu Sawar (1587–1618), Lingga (1618–1625), No fixed place (1625–1640), Batu Sawar (1640–1675), No fixed place, Sultan based in Pahang then Riau (1675–1688), Kota Tinggi (1688–1700), Pancur (1700–1708), Riau (1708–1715), Pancur (1715–1720), Riau (1720–?).
How large was the Sultanate of Johor at its peak?
At its peak in 1568 the Sultanate of Johor covered about 208,008 km².
How did the map of the Sultanate of Johor change over time?
The Sultanate of Johor appears on 4 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1600 CE to 1850 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
Other Sovereign Realms
High & Late Middle Ages • Capital: Avarga
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Söğüt, Bursa, Edirne, Constantinople
Industrial Era • Capital: London
Early Modern & Age of Discovery • Capital: Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Delhi