Zainal Abidin Shah of Pahang


Sultan Zainal Abidin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Shah is the seventh Sultan of Pahang who reigned from 1540 to 1555. He succeeded on the death of his elder brother in 1540.

Early life

Known as Raja Ismail before his accession, Zainal Abidin Shah is the younger son of the fifth Sultan of Pahang, Mahmud Shah by his first wife, Raja Putri Olah binti al-Marhum Sultan Ahmad. Zainal Abidin Shah is married first to Raja Putri Dewi, daughter of Mahmud Shah of Melaka by his wife Putri Unang Kemuning, elder daughter of Sultan Mansur of Kelantan, and second to Tun Kamala, daughter of Bendahara Sri Buwana.

Reign

After the demise of Mahmud Shah of Melaka in 1528, Pahang joined forces with his successor Alauddin Riayat Shah II who established himself itself in Johor, to expel the Portuguese from the Malay peninsula. Two attempts were made, in 1547 at Muar and 1551 at Melaka. However, in the face of superior Portuguese arms and vessels, the Pahang and Johor forces were forced to retreat on both occasions.

Death

He died in 1555 having had issue, two sons and two daughters by his royal wife, and eighteen other children by junior wives and concubines. He is styled Marhum di Bukit after his death and succeeded by his eldest son, Raja Mansur.