Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah II

Who is Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah II?

Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin Halim Shah II was the 21st Sultan of Kedah. His reign was from 1797 to 1843.

The Sultan's reign was marked by Siamese rule where its army invaded and occupied Kedah between 1821 and 1842. Local Kedahan Arab families supported the Sultan's efforts to lead resistance efforts against Siamese rule. Arab leaders employed a two-pronged approach of religious militancy and diplomacy to free Kedah from Siamese rule, among which the Jamal Al-Layl family played a leading role in these efforts and often carried out negotiations to persuade the Siamese to regain the state's independence.

The Siamese later agreed to restore the Sultan of Kedah to his throne in 1842. The following year, Sayyid Hussein Jamal Al-Layl was installed as the first Raja of Perlis, after Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin gave his endorsement for the formation of Perlis state.