Reign 1408 CE - 1425 CE Died 1425 Predecessor Abdul Majid Hassan | Religion Sunni Islam Successor Sharif Ali Children Sulaiman | |
Ahmad of Brunei (also known as Awang Pateh Berbai or Pateh Berbai) was the third Sultan of Brunei. He was the brother of the first sultan Muhammad Shah of Brunei. He ascended the throne in 1408 and changed his name to Ahmad. He was succeeded on his death by his son-in-law Sharif Ali.
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Other information
He was the first Pengiran Bendahara (Vizier) in Brunei, later given the title Pengiran Bendahara Seri Maharaja Permaisuara. He married the younger sister of Ong Sum Ping (also known as Pengiran Maharaja Lela). Sultan Ahmad died in 1425, while his son Nakhoda Angging was Brunei Maharaja in the Sulu and thus, was succeeded by his son-in-law, Sultan Seri Ali or Sharif Ali, the great Sufi Berkat.
Uncertainties
The earliest historical record of the Sultans of Brunei is not clearly known due to the poor early documentation of Brunei's history. Many elder members of the House of Bolkiah claim that their ancestors were the BaHassan and BaAlawi Saadah from Tarim and Hadhramawt in Yemen. In addition there has been an effort to Islamise the history, with the "official history" not matching up with verifiable foreign sources. The Batu Tarsilah, the genealogical record of the kings of Brunei, was not started until 1807 CE. Therefore, much of the intepretation on history relied on earlier Chinese sources and legends. It seems that the early Sultanate of Brunei was dependent on Chinese support, and perhaps early Sultans were of Chinese origin. Furthermore the earliest Sultans may have been practising the Hindu or Buddhist religions, with early names indicating this origin.