Muhammad of Negeri Sembilan
Tuanku Sir Muhammad Shah ibni Almarhum Tuanku Antah GCMG KCVO (25 April 1865 – 1 August 1933) was the seventh Yamtuan Besar of Seri Menanti, who ruled from 1888 to 1933. During his reign, Negeri Sembilan came under British protection in 1889 and became a Federated Malay State in 1895.
Muhammad | |||||
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Muhammad Shah, c. 1870s | |||||
Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan | |||||
Reign | 29 April 1888 - 1 August 1933 | ||||
Installation | 7 May 1888 | ||||
Predecessor | Tuanku Antah | ||||
Successor | Tuanku Abdul Rahman | ||||
Born | Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan, British Malaya | 25 April 1865||||
Died | 1 August 1933 68) Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan, Federated Malay States, British Malaya | (aged||||
Burial | |||||
Issue | Tunku Abdul Aziz Tunku Abdul Rahman Tunku Laksamana Nasir Alam Shah Tunku Muhammad Alam Shah | ||||
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Dynasty | Pagaruyung - House of Yamtuan Raden | ||||
Father | Tuanku Antah ibni Almarhum Tuanku Radin | ||||
Mother | Cik Halima binti Uggoh | ||||
Religion | Sunni Islam |
In June 1887, he was declared as Yamtuan as recognised by British authority. Sir Tuanku Muhammad Shah re-established the traditional constitution with the four Undangs (Lawgivers) and, on 29 April 1898, he was duly elected by the four Undangs as Yang di-Pertuan Besar; the first election under the modern re-constituted Negeri Sembilan. He was installed on 7 May 1898 at Seri Menanti.
After a reign of 45 years, in 1933, he died at the age of 68. He was buried at the Seri Menanti Royal Mausoleum.
He is regarded as the father of Negeri Sembilan's modernisation. After his death, an English school in Kuala Pilah, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tuanku Muhammad was renamed after him in his honour. This school is the second oldest school in Negeri Sembilan, along with its twin in Johor, Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar and High School Batu Pahat were found in 1914 respectively.
Tuanku Muhammad was the first Yamtuan Besar to have received the title 'Sir' from Queen Victoria. He was also the longest-serving monarch of Negeri Sembilan in the state's history. He also had involved in the Durbar (Conference of Rulers) of Federated Malay States, with Sultan Idris of Perak, Sultan Abdul Samad of Selangor and Sultan Ahmad of Pahang. He is one of the Kings who founded the nation's first residential college, The Malay College in Kuala Kangsar. His son and great-grandson, Abdul Rahman of Negeri Sembilan and Tuanku Ja'afar would go on to study there as a teenager, both who eventually become the first and tenth Agong.
Tuanku Muhammad oversaw the building of both the Istana Lama (presently the Royal Museum of Seri Menanti), and the Istana Besar.