Sultan Ismail
|
|
In full Sultan Ismail ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim, was the third sultan of modern Johor in Malaysia.
Born Tunku Ismail on October 28, 1894 at Istana Semayam, Johor, he was the eldest son of Sultan Ibrahim by his first wife, Sultanah Ungku Maimunah.
Though proclaimed Tunku Mahkota or crown prince at the tender age of one,he did not succeed his father until the latter died in May 1959. He was,nonetheless, the de facto ruler of Johor, as his father was overseas most of the time.
He was the first Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia when the institution was established.
Sultan Ismail who was an animal lover was known affectionately as "Lau Sultan" among the Chinese community in Johor meaning "Old Sultan".
In 1976, both Sultan Ismail and his wife, Ungku Tun Aminah binti Ungku Ahmad, met with a car accident in Muar. While she was permanently left in a vegetative state until her death in 1977 owing to brain damage, the sultan escaped with only minor injuries. After the death of his mother, however, it was rumoured that the Raja Muda, the future Sultan Iskandar, went around Johor to slap people who did not wear a black band on their sleeves or white band on their songkoks, a sign of respect for the royal deceased.
Sultan Ismail died on May 10, 1981 and was succeeded by his eldest son Sultan Iskandar.
Family
A meek and quiet ruler, Sultan Ismail married two official wives who served as sultanahs of Johor. They were:
- Ungku Tun Aminah binti Ungku Ahmad (d 1977)-- died tragically in a road accident in 1976. He had altogether seven children from his first marriage of which only three survived to adulthood and this include the current Sultan of Johor, Sultan Iskandar.
- Tengku Nora binti Tengku Panglima Raja Ahmad