The first sultan of Johor was
Alauddin Riayat Shah II, who reigned from 1528 to 1564. He was the son of the last sultan of Malacca,
Mahmud Shah. The descendants of the
Sultanate of Malacca ruled Johor until the death of Sultan
Mahmud II in 1699, when the throne was taken over by Sultan
Abdul Jalil Shah IV, marking the start of the
House of Bendahara's rule over Johor. Abdul Jalil Shah IV had been a
bendahara before the death of Mahmud II.
Modern period Sultan Ali ruled Johor from 1835 to 1855, following the death of his father,
Sultan Hussein, who had nominally ruled from 1819. Like his father, Sultan Ali held only symbolic authority. Both were recognised by the British primarily for diplomatic convenience, but they played little role in the actual administration of Johor. Real political and economic control increasingly came under the influence of
Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim and the British colonial authorities, who sought to establish indirect rule in the
Malay Peninsula as part of their growing presence in
British Malaya. Internally, Johor experienced a significant shift in political power. Daeng Ibrahim strengthened his position through control of trade routes, the development of plantations and cooperation with British officials. His alignment with British interests enabled him to gradually marginalise Sultan Ali. The British, aiming for administrative efficiency and regional stability, supported Daeng Ibrahim's consolidation of power. In 1855, this culminated in an agreement endorsed by the British, under which Sultan Ali ceded political control to Daeng Ibrahim in exchange for a pension, a keep in
Kesang and recognition of his ceremonial title. This marked the rise of the
House of Temenggong and the effective end of the old Sultanate's political relevance in Johor. Following Sultan Ali's removal from power in 1855, the position of Sultan of Johor was effectively de-established. Temenggong Daeng Ibrahim ruled Johor as its
de facto sovereign without assuming the title of sultan. Abu Bakar subsequently reigned as sultan from 1886 until his death in 1895, becoming the first modern sultan of the current ruling dynasty. == Current office-holder ==