Mohd Yusof, Wan Shamsudin and Bakar Langkawi, Ibrahim (2014) Kedah thru' the ages. In: 23rd International Conference of Historians of Asia 2014 (IAHA2014), 23 - 27 August 2014, Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia.

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Abstract

Kedah had gone through the ages in different colours.Politically, Kedah had gone through phases of expansion and shrinkage, showing differences of her present days borders as compared to the previous years situation.Three hundred years ago Kedah was a larger state.And by considering the ethnic group who speaks Malay in Kedah dialect as mother tongue, the border of the country should be even wider, presently up to southern part of Thailand.Historically, Kedah can be seen in two major periods. Firstly is pre-Islamic period that includes animisme era and the era when the local peoples had embraced Hindu-Buddha.Secondly is the period when the same local community started to embrace Islamic faith until the formation of Islamic sultanate and it goes through time until modern days.Kedah can be considered the oldest state in this region as shown by archaelogical findings.It had entered Iron Age as early as the 3rd century BC as shown by the ruins found at Sungai Batu complex, in Bujang Valley. The local community was found to have a well-organized civilization, complete with entreport, iron smelting centres, taxing and custom fascilities, as well as temple for religious rituals. In the 5th-7th century AD the local community started to change their way of life by practicing Hinduism and Buddhism. At this point the local peoples were influenced by a stronger power, the Srivijayan Empire.Later around the 13th century AD, while the power of the empire was waning, Kedah was in anyhow merged with Langkasuka.Islam entered Kedah in about 8th century AD.Following her neighbours Perlak and Pasai Sultanates, in the 12th century AD an Islamic sultanate was declared in Kedah, renamed as ‘Kedah DarulAman’. Initially, the capital of the sultanate that was the centre of the power was at Bukit Meriam and Sungai Mas in the Bujang Valley.Later in the 14th century AD the capital was moved to hinterland of the Kedah River valley. Started from Kota Si putih, it moved few times to other places, and lastly remained permanent at Alor Setar, starting from 1735.So far Kedah is the only state in the region that has a continouos dynasty of Rulers without genealogical interruption since the beginning of the sultanate. Starting from Sultan Al-Muzaffar Shah in 1136 AD the dynasty runs until present day ruler, the 28th Sultan of Kedah, His Royal Highness Tuanku Al-Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Badlishah, reigning since 1958.In going up and down through different colours, Kedah remains relevance as it was.Kedah keep on changing and developing parallel to the changes and developments of the whole world.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Additional Information:	ISBN 978-967-0474-77-9 Organized by: Universiti Utara Malaysia and Malaysian Historical Society (Persatuan Sejarah Malaysia).
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DS Asia
Divisions:	School of International Studies
Depositing User:	Mrs. Norazmilah Yaakub
Date Deposited:	17 Jun 2015 08:54
Last Modified:	23 May 2016 03:21
URI:	https://repo.uum.edu.my/id/eprint/14514

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