Brunei-Pahang relations

The strong ties between the sultanates of Brunei and Pahang were noted in Chinese accounts from 1573 to 1619 that related how, when Johor attacked Pahang, a Brunei sultan came to Pahang's aid and assisted in the city's victory. The sultan stated was likely to be Sultan Muhammad Hasan our to the marriage relations established between the two sultanates' royal houses. When Sultan Abdul Ghafur of Pahang traveled to and stayed in Brunei with his wife, it was another indication of the close ties that exist between these two sultanates. The Pahang's Legal Code was copied from the Malaccan Legal Code, although Sultan Muhammad Hasan was able to do so because of their strong bond. This line of reasoning, however, falls flat because 21 out of the 50 clauses in the Brunei's Legal Code have similarities to the Malaccan Code.^[9]

Sultan Hasan's Canons

The economy of Brunei was thriving in its heyday between the 15th and 16th centuries, it served as the commercial and Islamic hub for Borneo's surroundings, including the Philippines and the Java islands as well as Borneo itself. Both the Aceh and Brunei sultanate both attained grandeur about the same time. There were comparisons made in the Salasilah Raja–Raja Brunei, between Sultan Muhammad Hasan and the subsequent Sultan Iskandar Muda. The Adat (Royal Customs), were a priority for both Sultans. A set of legislation known as Sultan Muhammad Hasan's canons was one of the most significant contributions made by him. The regulations encompassed almost every area, including royal etiquette, and were incredibly modern. For instance, Chapter 33 dealt with debt-related issues, and Chapter 34 dealt with bankruptcy-related issues. The laws also addressed issues relating to trade, interest payments, slander, theft, burglary, murder, and many other facets of daily life and issues affecting the welfare of the populace.^[10]

Sultan Abdul Jalilul Akbar and his son Sultan Abdul Jalilul Jabbar imposed them the canons. The existence of the canons was noted by Sir Richard Windstedt in his book A History of Classical Malay Literature, published in 1972, Haji Metassim Haji Jibah in his article Catatan Mengenai Hukum Kanan (October to December 1980 edition) and later collected in his book Dokumentasi, published in 2004. The original paper by Sir Richard was written considerably earlier and appeared in the Royal Asiatic Society's Bulletin in 1939. In a 2003 book titled Hukum Kanun, edited by Haji Asri Haji Puteh, the preface to a copy of the Brunei Malay Canons preserved at Dewan Bahasa and Pustaka indicated that the laws or traditions stated in the canons were originally from Sultan Iskandar Zulkarnain. There were commonalities between the Malacca and Brunei canons, but there were also notable variances. First of all, the Malacca Canons only contained 27 chapters while the Brunei Canons had 44 chapters.^[11]

Reputation

In the Salasihah, it was noted that the two Sultans' firmness was comparable. Although the Salasilah did not specify what it meant when it spoke of kekerasan (firmness), one can assume that both Sultans were able to exercise their authority as the rulers of their respective nations with determinedness. Sultan Muhammad Hassan was praised by the populace in the Salasilah for being bold, just, and friendly to them.^[10] Sultan Muhammad Hasan was described by Graham Saunders, citing, "Was in many respects an enlightened ruler, with a broader interest in the world and an interest in theological debate. He impressed the Jesuit, Father Antonio Preira, who was resident in Brunei for some months when caught by the monsoons, with both his tolerance and his knowledge."^[12]