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Sultan
Sultan () is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. Originally it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", or "rulership", derived from the Arabic ''verbal noun|masdar'' سلطة ''sulah'', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain Muslim rulers who claimed almost full sovereignty in practical terms (i.e., the lack of dependence on any higher ruler), without claiming the overall Caliphate, or it was used to refer to a powerful governor of a province within the caliphate. It then developed some further meanings in certain contexts.
The dynasty and lands ruled by a Sultan are called a '''Sultanate''' ().
Muslim ruler under the terms of ''shariah''
The title carries moral weight and religious authority, as the ruler's role was defined in the Qur'an. The Sultan however is not a religious teacher himself, and in constitutional monarchies, the sultanship can be reduced to a more limited role.
The very first to carry the title of 'Sultan' was the Turkmen chief Mahmud of Ghazni (ruled 998 - 1030). Later, 'Sultan' became the usual title of rulers of Seljuk Turks|Seljuk and Ottoman Empire|Ottoman Turks and Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubid and Mamelukes|Mamluk rulers in Egypt. In the later stages Sultan was used mostly for the wives of the emperor. The religious validation of the title was illustrated by the fact that the shadow Caliph in Cairo bestowed the title "Sultan" on Murad I, the third ruler of the emerging Ottoman Empire in 1383; its earlier sovereigns had been (protocollary 'mere') Beys or Emirs.
At later stages, lesser rulers assumed the style "sultan", as was the case for the earlier leaders of today's royal family of Morocco. Today, only the Sultan of Oman, the Sultan of Brunei (both sovereign nations), the Sultans of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor and Terengganu (within the constitutive states of the federation) in Malaysia, and the titular sultans of Sulu and Maguindanao in the Mindanao|southern Philippines and Java island|Java (Indonesia) regions still use the title. The sultan's domain is properly called a '''sultanate'''. A feminine form, used by Westerners, is Sultana (title)|sultana or sultanah; the very styling misconstrues the roles of wives of sultans. In a similar usage, the wife of a German Field-Marshal might be styled ''Feldmarschallin'' (in French, similar constructions of the type ''madame la maréchalle'' are quite common).
Among those modern hereditary rulers who wish to emphasize their secular authority under the rule of law, the term is gradually being replaced by 'king' (i.e., Malik in Arabic).
Compound ruler titles
These are generally secondary titles, either lofty 'poetry' or with a message; e.g.:
- '''Mani Sultan = Manney Sultan''', meaning 'the Pearl of Rulers', or less poetically Honoured Monarch, was a subsidiary title, part of the full style of the Maharaja of Travancore
- Sultan of Sultans is the 'sultanic equivalent' of King of Kings
- Certain secondary titles have a devout Islamic connotation, e.g., Sultan ul-Mujahidin as champion of jihad bis saif (holy war to establish Islamic rule)
- '''Sultanic Highness''' was a rare, hybrid western-Islamic honorific style, exclusively used by the son, daughter-in-law and daughters of Sultan Husain Kamil of Egypt (a British protectorate since 1914), who bore it with their primary titles of Prince (Arabic Amir, Turkish Prens) or Princess, after 11 October 1917. They enjoyed these for life, even after the Royal Rescript regulating the styles and titles of the Royal House after the Egyptian Independence in 1922, when the sons and daughters of the newly styled King (Arabic Misr al-Malik, considered a promotion) were granted the style ''Sahib(at) us-Sumuw al-Malik'', or Royal Highness).
Former Sultans and Sultanates
Middle East and Central Asia
- Ghaznavid Empire|Ghaznavid Sultanate
- Seljuk Empire|Sultans of Great Seljuk
- Sultanate of Rüm|Seljuk Sultanate of Rum
- Ottoman Dynasty|Sultans (becoming Padishahs) of the Ottoman Empire, the House of Osman|Osmanli
- Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubid Sultans of Damascus (in Syria)
- in present-day Yemen, various small sultanates of the former British Aden Protectorate and Federation of South Arabia|South Arabia:
- :Audhali, Fadhli Sultanate|Fadhli, Haushabi, Kathiri, Sultanate of Lahej|Lahej, Lower Aulaqi, Lower Yafa, Mahra Sultanate|Mahra, Qu'aiti, Subeihi, Upper Aulaqi Sultanate|Upper Aulaqi, Upper Yafa and the Wahidi sultanates
- in present-day Saudi Arabia :
- Nejd|Sultans of Nejd
- Hejaz|Sultans of the Hejaz
Hami
This was, in fact, the authentic style, commonly rendered as sultan, of the Islamic monarchs of the ruling house of Oman, in both its realms:
- Oman Sultan of Oman, on the southern coast of the Arabian peninsula, still an independent sultanate, since 1784, two years before the imamate lost temporal power in 1786 (assumed the formal style of Sultan in 1861)
- Sultan of Zanzibar|Sultanate of Zanzibar two incumbents (from the Omani dynasty) since the de facto separation from Oman in 1806, the last assumed the style Sultan in 1861 at the formal separation under British auspices; since 1964 union with Tanganyika part of Tanzania)
North Africa
- in Algeria: sultanate of Tuggurt
- in (greater) Egypt:
- Ayyubid dynasty|Ayyubid Sultans
- Mameluks|Mamluk Sultans
- in Morocco, till Mohammed V of Morocco|Mohammed V changed the style to Malik (king) on 14 August 1957, maintaining the subsidiary style Amir al-Mu´minin (Commander of the Faithful)
- in Sudan:
- Darfur
- Dar al-Masalit
- Dar Qimr
- Funj Sultanate of Sinnar (Sennar)
- Kordofan
- in Chad:
- Baguirmi Kingdom|Bag(u)irmi (main native title: Mbang)
- Ouaddai Kingdom|Wada'i (main native title: Kolak), successor state to Birgu Kingdom|Birgu
- Dar Sila (actually a wandering group of tribes),
Horn of Africa
- Adal Sultanate, in northwestern Somalia, southern Djibouti, and the Somali Region|Somali, Oromia Region|Oromia, and Afar Region|Afar regions of Ethiopia
- the Afar -, Awsa - or Aussa Sultanate, in northeastern Ethiopia
- Harar#History|Harar Sultanate, in eastern Ethiopia
- Ifat|Ifat Sultanate, in eastern Ethiopia
- Majeerteen#The_Majeerteen_Sultanates|Majeerteen Sultanates, in northern Somalia
- Marehan#Marehan_Sultanate|Marehan Sultanate, in northern Somalia
- Shewa#History|Shewa Sultanate in central Ethiopia
- Sultanate_of_Mohamoud_Ali_Shire#Northern_Somali_sultanates|Warsangali Sultanates, in northern Somalia
East Africa and Indian Ocean
Sultan
- Angoche Sultanate, on the Mozambique|Mozambiquan coast (also several neighbouring sheikdoms)
- various Sultans on the Comoros; however on the Comoros, the normally used styles were alternative native titles, including Mfalme, Phany or ''Jambé'' and the 'hegemonic' title Sultani tibe
- the Maore (or Mawuti) sultanate on Mayotte (separated from the Comoros)
Maliki
This was the alternative native style (apparently derived from malik, the Arabic word for king) of the Sultans of the Kilwa Sultanate, in Tanganyika (presently the continental part of Tanzania).
Swahili sultan
Mfalume is the (Ki)Swahili title of various native Muslim rulers, generally rendered in Arabic and in western languages as Sultan:
- in Kenya:
- Rulers of Pate|Pate on part of Pate island (capital also named Pate), in the Lamu Archipelago
- Witu, came under German, then British protectorate
- in Tanganyika (presently part of Tanzania): of Hadimu, on the island of that name; also styled '''Jembe'''
Sultani
This was the native ruler's title in the Tanzanian state of Uhehe
West and Central Africa
- in Cameroon:
- Bamoun (Bamun, 17th cent. founded uniting 17 chieftancies) 1918 becomes a Sultanate, but in 1923 re-divided into the 17 original chieftancies.
- Bibemi 1770 founded- Rulers first style Lamido to ...., then Sultan
- Mandara Sultanate since 1715 (replacing Wandala kingdom); 1902 Part of Cameroon
- Rey Bouba Sultanate founded 1804
- in the Central African Republic:
- Bangassou created ca.1878; 14 June 1890 under Congo Free State protectorate, 1894 under French protectorate; 1917 Sultanate suppressed by the French.
- Dar al-Kuti - French protectorate since December 12, 1897
- Rafai ca.1875 Sultanate, 8 April 8, 1892 under Congo Free State protectorate, March 31 1909 under French protectorate; 1939 Sultanate suppressed
- Zemio ca.1872 established; December 11 1894 under Congo Free State protectorate, April 12 1909 under French protectorate; 1923 Sultanate suppressed
- in Niger: Arabic alternative title of the following autochthonous rulers:
- the Amenokal of the Aïr confederation of Tuareg
- the Sarkin Damagaram since the 1731 founding of the Sultanate of Damagaram (Zinder)
- in Nigeria most monarchies has a native title; when most in the north converted to Islam, Muslim titles were generally adopted, such as Emir- Sultan has been used in
- Sayfawa dynasty|Borno (alongside the native title Mai)
- since 1817 in Sokoto, the suzerain (also styled Amir al-Mu´minin and Sarkin Musulmi) of all Fulbe jihad states and premier traditiobal Muslim leader in the Sahel (according to some once a Caliph)
Southern Asia
In India:
- Bahmani Sultanate
- Mysore|Sultanate of Mysore
- Bengal|Sultanate of Bengal
- the Deccan sultanates: Berar Sultanate|Berar, Bidar Sultanate|Bidar, Bijapur Sultanate|Bijapur, Golconda Sultanate|Golconda and Ahmednagar Sultanate|Ahmednagar
- Delhi Sultanate|Sultanate of Delhi several dynasties, the last (Mughal) became imperial Padshah-i Hind
- Gujarat|Sultanate of Gujarat
- Jaunpur|Sultanate of Jaunpur
- Kandesh|Sultanate of Kandesh
- Malwa|Sultanate of Malwa
In the Maldives:
- Maldives|Maldives Sultanate
Southeast and East Asia
In Brunei:
- Sultan of Brunei, Brunei (on Borneo island)
In China:
- Dali, Yunnan, capital of the short-lived Panthay Rebellion
Furthermore, the Qa´id Jami al-Muslimin (Leader of the Community of Muslims) of Pingnan Guo ("Pacified South State", a major Islamic rebellious polity in western Yunnan province) is usually referred to in foreign sources as Sultan
In Indonesia (formerly in the Dutch East Indies):
- On Borneo
- Banjar people|Sultanate of Banjar
- Berau Regency|Sultanate of Berau
- Bulungan Regency|Sultanate of Bulungan
- Sultanate of Gunung Tabur
- Kubu|Sultanate of Kubu
- Kutai Kartanegara Regency|Sultanate of Kutai Kartanegara
- Sultanate of Mempawah
- Sultanate of Paser
- Pontianak, Indonesia|Sultanate of Pontianak
- Sultanate of Sambaliung
- Sultanate of Sambas
- On Celebes Island
- Buton|Sultanate of Buton
- Bone state|Sultanate of Bone
- Sultanate of Gowa
- Luwu|Sultanate of Luwu
- Sultanate of Soppeng
- Wajo Kingdom|Sultanate of Wajo
- On Java Island
- Sultanate of Banten
- Sultanate of Cirebon- the rulers in three of the four palaces (''kraton'') from which fractioned Cirebon was ruled: Kraton Kasepuhan, Kraton Kanoman and Kraton Kacirebonan (only in Kraton Kaprabonan the rulers title was Panembahan)
- Sultanate of Demak
- Pajang|Sultanate of Pajang
- Sumedang Larang Kingdom
- Sultanate of Mataram
- Sultanate of Yogyakarta
- Sultanate of Kasunanan
- On Madura island: Pamekasan
- In the Moluccas|Moluccas Archipelago
- Kerajaan Tanah Hitu
- Bacan|Sultanate of Bacan
- Ternate|Sultanate of Ternate
- Tidore|Sultanate of Tidore
- In the Nusa Tenggara
- Bima|Sultanate of Bima on Sumbawa island
- In the Riau archipelago: sultanate of Lingga-Riau by secession in 1818 under the expelled sultan of Johore (on Malaya) Sultan Abdul Rahman Muadzam Syah ibni al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud
- In Sumatra
- Aceh Sultanate|Sultanate of Aceh (full style Sultan Berdaulat Zillullah fil-Alam) , which had many vassal states
- Sultanate of Asahan
- Awak Sungai, established 17th century at the split in four of Minangkabau, in 1816 extinguished by Netherlands East Indies colonial government
- Sultanate of Deli since 1814, earlier Aceh's vassal as Aru
- Sultanate of Indragiri
- Sultanate of Langkat since 1817 (previous style Rajah)
- Palembang|Sultanate of Palembang (Darussalam), also holding the higher title of Susuhunan
- Pagaruyung Kingdom|Sultanate of Pagaruyung
- Pelalawan|Sultanate of Pelalawan
- Peureulak|Sultanate of Perlak
- Riau Islands|Sultanate of Riau-Lingga
- Pasai|Sultanate of Samudera Pasai
- Serdang|Sultanate of Serdang
- Siak Regency|Sultanate of Siak Sri Inderapura
- In the Malay Peninsula:
- In Peninsular Malaysia (or Malaya), where all nine of Malaysia's present sultanates are located:
- * Sultanate of Malacca
- * Sultanate of Johor
- * Sultanate of Kedah
- * Sultan of Kelantan|Sultanate of Kelantan
- * Sultan of Pahang|Sultanate of Pahang
- * Sultan of Perak|Sultanate of Perak
- * Sultan of Selangor|Sultanate of Selangor
- * Sultan of Terengganu|Sultanate of Terengganu
- * Furthermore, the ruler of Luak Jelebu, one of the constitutive states of the Negeri Sembilan confederation, had the style Sultan in addition to his principal title Undang Luak Jelebu.
- In Thailand (Siam):
- * Pattani Kingdom|Sultanate of Pattani
- In the Philippines:
- Sultanate of Buayan
- Sultanate of Maguindanao
- Sultanate of Sulu (Basilan, Palawan and Tawi-Tawi islands and part of -now Malaysian- Sabah on North Borneo)
Contemporary sultanates
- Brunei
- Indonesia Sultan of Yogyakarta Special Region is governor of that province
- Malaysia
- Sultan is the title of seven (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Perak, Selangor and Terengganu) of the nine Malay Ruler|rulers of the Malay states. The federal head of state the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, is elected (de facto rotated) for five years by and among the hereditary state rulers, but is usually styled "king" in foreign countries; political power, however, lies with the prime minister. ''See also'': Malay titles
- Oman, an Arabian nation, formerly sultanate of Muscat and Oman
Princely and aristocratic titles
In the Ottoman dynastic system, male descendants of the ruling ''Padishah'' (in the West also known as Great Sultan), enjoyed a style including Sultan, so this normally Monarchic title is used equivalent to a western prince of the blood: ''Daulatlu Najabatlu Shahzada Sultan'' (given name) ''Hazretleri Effendi''; for the Heir Apparent however, the style was ''Daulatlu Najabatlu Vali Ahad-i-''Sultanat'''' (given name) ''Effendi Hazlatlari'', i.e. Crown Prince of the sultanate.
- The sons of Imperial Princesses, excluded from the Ottoman imperial succession, were only styled '''Sultan''zada''''' (given name) ''Bey-Effendi'', i.e. ''Son'' of a Princess of the dynasty.
In certain Muslim states, Sultan was also an aristocratic title, as in the Tartar Astrakhan Khanate
The ''Sultan Valide'' was the title reserved for the mother of the ruling sultan.
Military rank
In a number of post-caliphal states under Mongol or Turkic peoples|Turkic rule, there was a feudal type of military hierarchy, often decimal (mainly in larger empires), using originally princely titles (Khan (title)|Khan, Malik, Amir) as mere rank denominations.
In the Persian empire, the rank of Sultan was roughly equivalent to a western Captain (OF-2)|Captain, socially in the fifth rank class, styled 'Ali Jah
Use in Western popular culture
The term Sultan is also used in modern pop vernacular to describe someone who has reached the peak of their profession, the elite of their class.
See also
Other Islamic titles
- Emir (Amir)
- Atabeg
- Bey
- Caliph
- Datu
- Khan (title)|Khan, Ilkhan and Khakhan|Khaqan
- Malik
- Mir (title)|Mir
- Padishah
- Shah and Shahanshah
Further
- HMS Sultan (Royal Navy)
- ''Sultan'', a GWR Iron Duke Class steam locomotive
- Sultanism (despotism)
- Sultans of Swing
Sources and references
- RoyalArk - see each modern nation, e.g. here the former Persian Empire
- WorldStatesmen - see each present nation
Category:Arabic words and phrases
Category:Heads of state
Category:Islamic honorifics
Category:Military ranks
Category:Royal titles
Category:Noble titles
Category:Positions of authority
Category:Sultans|
Category:Titles
Category:Turkish titles
Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership
Category:Titles in Afghanistan
Category:Titles in Pakistan
Category:Titles in Iran
Category:Arabic loanwords
simple:Sultan
Related Images- The Sultan Valide.
Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL
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