Regional History Involving Kedah

The regional history of the 18th century involving Kedah led to the founding of Penang. If not for the continuous assaults made by neighboring forces on the weak kingdom of Kedah, it would not have relinquished sovereignty over Penang.

• 1611: Kuala Kedah Fort was built for the first time.
• 1619: Kuala Kedah Fort destroyed by attack from Sultan Iskandar Muda of Acheh.
• 1654-57: The Dutch traded in Kedah.
• 1710: Muhammad Jiwa with Bugis help installed himself as Sultan.
• 1752: King Alaungpaya of Burma founded the Konbaung Dynasty. Died in battle age 45 while trying to conquer Ayutthaya, succeeded by eldest son Hsinbyushin.
• 1767: King Hsinbyushin destroyed Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam.
• 1768: Siamese established a new capital in Thonburi under King Taksin. Siamese empire reaches as far south as Kedah and Terengganu.
• 1770-71: Kedah Civil War when Bugis warrior Raja Haji demanded payment for help (given by his forefathers) to the Sultan. When the sultan refused, the Bugis attacked and captured Kuala Kedah Fort.
• 1771: Francis Light lived in the old Kedah Fort. He wrote to his superiors at Jourdain for funds to rebuild it.
• 1782: King Taksin said to have become demented, and was executed. King Rama I of Chakri Dynasty moved capital across river to Rattanakosin (present-day Bangkok). // Rebuilding of Kuala Kedah Fort began.
• 1785: King Bodawpaya of Burma attacked Phuket. Captain Francis Light warned Phuket. Widow of Phuket Governor and her sister staged a defence. Kedah, regarded by the Siamese as part of Siam, was forced to send troops to defend Phuket. Kedah almost bankrupted.
• 1786: Francis Light landed on Penang Island.
• 1798-1800: Province Wellesley ceded to the British. Annual payment to the Sultan of Kedah (now Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin) increased to $10,000.
• 1816: Siam forced Kedah to attack Perak, and get Kedah to compel Perak to send Bunga Mas.
• 1821: Siam summoned Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin to Bangkok. Abdullah refused to go. Siam sent the Raja of Ligor to attack Kedah. Langkawi also not spared (creating the Padang Beras Terbakar legend). Kedah refugees fled to Seberang Perai and Penang. Kedah divided into four parts: Setul, Perlis, Kubang Pasu and Kedah. Sultan Abdullah himself crossed the channel and sought the protection of the government of Penang.
• 1822: The Chau Phya (Lieutenant-General) of the Siamese troops sent a message to Governor WE Philips that Sultan Abdullah be returned. Philips refused.
  While in Penang, Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin was corresponding with Burma and Selangor, seeking a combined invasion of Kedah.
• 1825: The Governor-General of India sent John Crawfurd (who later became Resident of Singapore) to Bangkok, to establish good relations and also to seek the restoration of the Sultan of Kedah. Crawfurd achieve no success. The Siamese wanted the sultan return to them as prisoner, not a restoration of his throne, and the $10,000 annual payment to go to their own nominee.
• 1826: New Governor Fullerton sent Captain Henry Burney to negotiate with the Raja of Ligor finally reached a preliminary agreement for the restoration of Kedah, including his sending of Bunga Mas every 3 years, together with $4,000 every year. Burney and the Raja of Ligor then went to Bangkok with the deal.
• 1841: In the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1826, Siam remains in control of Kedah. As concession for not taking Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin as prisoner, he is not allowed back, and forbidden to live in Penang, P. Wellesley, Perak, Selangor or Burma. The treaty which Burney secured was the first Siam had granted a Western envoy since the 17th century.
• 1842: Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin send his eldest son to Bangkok to ask for pardon. He went with a letter from the Penang government asking that the request be accepted.
• 1909: The Sultan's submission was accepted and Ahmad Tajuddin returned to a smaller Kedah, without Perlis or Satun.
• : Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 transferred control of Kedh from the Siamese to the British.

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About this website

Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.

While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.