Sultans began ruling Sulu, a Sunni Muslim thalassocracy originating in today's Philippines, starting in the 15th century. Practically all of them were descended from the original sultan Sharif ul-Hāshim. The Ruma Bechara, the advisory council of Datus and Sharifs, had the responsibility of electing the next heir apparent (Raja Muda) from among the male-line heirs.
The sultanate began losing power during the 19th century, culminating in the abolition of the sultan's temporal powers in 1915. Since then, save for some instances of recognition by the Philippine government related to the North Borneo dispute, the title of sultan has carried with it no political powers or privileges and became mostly linked to non-sovereign cultural figures.
Pre-sultanate kings
The island of Jolo was divided into three kingdoms before the sultanate arose. Maimbung was the oldest settlement, followed by those of the Tagimaha (western Jolo) and Baklaya people (northern Jolo).
Three kings from Sulu were recorded in Chinese annals due to their 1417 visit to the court of the Yongle Emperor.
East King Paduka Pahala () West King Maharaja Kamalud Din (or Mahalachii) Cave (Dong) King Paduka Patulapok
Paduka Pahala, the East King and the most powerful of the three, fell ill and died during his journey. His eldest son Tumahan returned to Sulu to assume his father's throne, while two younger brothers stayed behind in China, where their descendants live to this day.
Soon after, local tradition states that Sharif ul-Hāshim arrived in Sulu and married the princess Dayang-dayang Paramisuli, daughter of local chief Rajah Baguinda, founding the Sultanate of Sulu.
List of sultans
+ Sultans of Sulu from the 15th century to 1936 Name Reign Life details 1 Sharif ul-Hāshim(Abu Bakr) Son-in-law and heir to Buansa chief Raja Baguinda. Arab explorer and Sunni Muslim religious leader. Divided Jolo into five districts under the authority of panglimas. Created a code of laws based on Islamic law. Reigned until his death. 2 Kamal ud-Din Son of Sharif ul-Hāshim. Reigned until his death. 3 Alaud-Din Son of Sharif ul-Hāshim. "Did not become sultan" (either immediately after his father's death or at all). Lived with his sister Putri Sarip. 4 Amirul Umara(Diraja) His title is believed to come from the Arabic for "prince of princes" (). Possibly an outsider or usurper. One local tradition claims this is Bolkiah, sultan of Brunei. 5 Muizzul Mutawadi'in(Upo) Described as a helper of the poor. 6 Nasir ud-Din I(Awwal) Surnamed Digunung or Habud, suggesting he ruled or came from Sulu's interior. 7 Muhammad ul-Halim(Pangiran Buddiman) Fought against Spain in the Castilian War. Declared Sulu's independence from the Bruneian Empire in 1578. Brother-in-law to Bruneian sultan Saiful Rijal. Reigned until his death. 8 Batara Shah Tengah(Pangiran Tengah or Tindig) Contested by his cousin Abdasaloan, ruler of Basilan. Killed in battle in Bauang by his cousin's forces. 9 Muwallil Wasit I(Rajah Bongsu) Possibly a son of Muhammad Hasan of Brunei, who would have installed him as sultan, and nephew to Batara Shah Tengah. Moved the court to Tawi-Tawi during the Spanish occupation of Jolo. Received land in North Borneo from Brunei in 1622 in exchange for help against a rebellion. Abdicated in favor of his son Bakhtiar. 10 Nasir ud-Din II(Muhammad Kudarat?) Possibly Pangiran Sarikula, younger son of Muwallil Wasit I. Another theory suggests this is Muhammad Kudarat, sultan of Maguindanao and possible son-in-law to Muwallil Wasit. 11 Salah ud-Din Bakhtiar Son of Muwallil Wasit I. Known as Bactial, his birth name, by Spanish officials. Contested his father's rule after the death of Pangiran Sarikula. Reigned until his death. 12 Ali Shah Reign said to be "short and peaceful". 13 Nur ul-Azam Sister of Salah ud-Din. Ruled as sultana for four or five years. 14 Al Haqunu Ibn Wali ul-Ahad His name is Arabic for "son of the Raja Muda" (chosen heir apparent). Possibly the son of Pangiran Sarikula and co-ruler with his cousin Salah ud-Din. Speculated to have been a pretender with some following. 15 Shahab ud-Din Son of Salah ud-Din. Killed Sultan Kahar ud-Din Kuda of Maguindanao in 1702. Pressured into ceding Palawan to the Spanish government in 1705. Reigned until his death. 16 Mustafa Shafi ud-Din(Juhan Pahalawan) Younger brother of Shahab ud-Din. Abdicated in favor of his brother Badarud-Din I to avoid dynastic disputes. 17 Badar ud-Din I(Dungun) – 1732 Younger brother of Shafi ud-Din. Contested by Nasar ud-Din in 1731. Forced to retire to Tawi-Tawi, where he later died. 18 Nasar ud-Din(Dipatuan) 1732 – 1735(3 years) Either a son or grandson of Shahab ud-Din or a son of Badar ud-Din I. Contested by Badar ud-Din I's son Azim ud-Din I. Left the court for Maimbung, where he later died. Attempted to regain the throne unsuccessfully various times. 19 Azim ud-Din I 1735 – 1748(1st reign; 13 years) Son of Badar ud-Din and a Bugis lady from Sulawesi. Proclaimed sultan by his father Badar ud-Din in Tawi-Tawi. Signed a peace treaty in 1737 with Spanish governor Fernando de Valdés. Formed a small army and navy, suppressing piracy. Advocated for education, translating parts of the Quran into Tausug. Forced into exile due to his perceived closeness with Jesuits. 20 Bantilan Muizzud-Din 1748 – 1763(15 years) Either a son of Shahab ud-Din or a younger brother of Azim ud-Din I. Proclaimed himself sultan after ousting Azim ud-Din I. Reigned until his death. — Azim ud-Din II 1763 – June 1764(1st reign; 1 year) Son of Muizzud-Din. Reigned with his brother after his father's death. Left for Parang after the arrival of Azim ud-Din I from exile. — Azim ud-Din I June 1764 – 1774(2nd reign; 10 years) Reinstated by British occupiers, who freed him from Spanish captivity in Manila. Ceded land in Borneo to the British, including Balambangan Island. Abdicated in favor of his son Israil. 21 Muhammad Israil 1774 – 1778(4 years) Son of Azim ud-Din I. Received his education in Manila, where he learned Spanish customs. Continued his father's controversial progressive policies. Poisoned by his cousin Azim ud-Din II, who assumed the throne. 22 Azim ud-Din II 1778 – 1791(2nd reign; 13 years) Reassumed the throne after his cousin's death. Increased hostilities between Sulu and Spain. Reigned until his death. 23 Sharaf ud-Din 1791 – 1808(17 years) Son of Azim ud-Din I. Reigned until his death. 24 Azim ud-Din III 1808(40 days) Son of Sharapud-Din. Reigned only for forty days until his death, probably due to a smallpox epidemic. 25 Aliyud-Din 1808 – 1821(13 years) Younger brother of Azim ud-Din III. Seized the throne while Datu Bantilan, the chosen heir apparent and son of Azim ud-Din II, was absent. Contested by Datu Bantilan, who ruled from Parang. Reigned until his death. 26 Shakirullah 1821 – 1823(2 years) Younger brother of Aliyud-Din. Considered a deeply pious ruler who sought connection with his subjects. Reigned until his death. 27 Jamalul Kiram I 1823 – 1842(19 years) Son of Azim ud-Din III. Started the house of Kiram. Strengthened commercial activity. Reigned until his death. 28 Mohammad Pulalun Kiram 1842 – 24 September 1862(20 years) Son of Jamalul Kiram I. Considered an able administrator and just ruler. Began the Luntar or Sulu annals in 1844. Dealt with further Spanish attacks. Submitted to Spain, which incorporated Sulu as a protectorate in 1851. Reigned until his death. 29 Jamal ul-Azam 1862 – 8 April 1881(19 years) Son of Mohammad Pulalun Kiram. Revised the law code and conducted various public improvements. Fought Spanish occupation and ruled through their destruction of Jolo. Signed the cession treaties of Sabah to the North Borneo Chartered Company, the controversial wording of which would later lead to the North Borneo dispute. Changed the royal residence to Maimbung. Reigned until his death. 30 Badarud-Din II April 1881 – 22 February 1884(2 years, 10 months) Eldest son of Jamal ul-Azam. Reign marked by the influence of his stepmother Inchi Jamila. Made the first recorded Hajj by a Sulu sultan. Strengthened peace and diplomatic ties with Spain. Reigned until his early death, which sparked a civil war. 31 Harun Ar-Rashid 24 September 1886 – 22 February 1894() A descendant of Azim ud-Din I through Datu Putong. Initially a mediator between rivals Amirul Kiram and Datu Aliyuddin. Proclaimed sultan by the Spanish authorities. Supported by a minority of the population, which made his rule difficult. Forced to abdicate in favor of Amirul Kiram, the future Jamalul Kiram II. 32 Jamalul Kiram II 22 February 1894 – 7 June 1936() Younger stepbrother of Badarud-Din II. Recognized as sole sultan after Harun Ar-Rashid's abdication. Signed the Kiram–Bates Treaty, keeping Sulu out of the Philippine–American War. Led Sulu through the Moro Rebellion against the United States. Deprived of his sovereignty in 1915, marking the end of the sultanate. Retained his title until his death.
Claimants after 1936 Partially recognized sultans under the Philippines (1936–1986)
Any claimed political sovereignty of the sultanate was formally abolished in 1915, when Sultan Jamalul Kiram II renounced his remaining territories to the Insular Government. Its successor state, the Philippines, became a republic which repeatedly attested in its constitutions that no titles of royalty or nobility are recognized. Any payments and recognition of the Sultanate of Sulu from the Philippine government ceased in 1936, after the death of the last sultan.
Despite this, some administrations of the Philippines have held dealings with the House of Kiram. This has been inherently linked to the interests of the Philippines in the North Borneo dispute: in return for some forms of recognition desired by the royal family (described as a "symbolic reenactment of the sultanate"), the Philippines emboldened their claim to the territory of what is now Sabah, which would form Malaysia in 1963.
In 1962, during the negotiations for Sabah's union with Malaysia, the Philippine government under Diosdado Macapagal dealt with the royal family in an official capacity by recognizing their claim to Sabah. The Instrument of Cession of the Territory of North Borneo was signed by Sultan Mohammed Esmail Kiram and Vice-president Emmanuel Pelaez on 12 September. This view was repeated by the administration of Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos on 24 May 1974, who endorsed Mohammed Mahakuttah Abdullah Kiram's coronation as sultan after his father's death under Memo Order 427, stating that "The Government has always recognised the Sultanate of Sulu as the legitimate claimant to the historical territories of the Republic of Philippines". Marcos' act also acted as an attempt to reduce the Moro National Liberation Front's growing influence in the region.
The descendants of the royal family have also laid their own claim to Sabah, as seen most dramatically in the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff and later in the Malaysia Sulu case. They are still recognised and honoured as de facto royalty by the people in Sulu. In some cases, the claimants established religious courts to arbitrate local disputes according to traditional Muslim customs; three of these existed in Sulu in 1963.
Name Reign Life details Muwallil Wasit II 17 July 1936 – 21 November 1936(4 months) Younger brother of Jamalul Kiram II and his Raja Muda (heir apparent). Acclaimed as sultan by the Ruma Bechara after Jamalul Kiram II's death. Contested by Dayang Dayang Piandao, Jamalul Kiram II's niece and adopted daughter. Died under suspicious circumstances before his coronation ceremony. His death created a succession crisis, as no new Raja Muda had been chosen. Jainal Abirin II(Tambuyong) 20 January 1937 – 14 October 1950() A datu who was a descendant of Shakirullah. Acclaimed as sultan in Patikul, from where he ruled. Contested by Ombra Amilbangsa and Esmail Kiram.