House of Bolkiah


The House of Bolkiah is the ruling royal family of Brunei Darussalam. It is composed of the descendants of the 1st sultan Sultan Muhammad Shah and his family. The Sultan of Brunei is the head of state and absolute monarch of Brunei. He is also head of government in his capacity as Prime Minister.
Since independence from the British in 1984, only one Sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates back to the 14th century. The Sultan of Brunei can be thought of as synonymous with the ruling House of Bolkiah, with descendency being traced from the 1st sultan, temporarily interrupted by the 13th sultan Abdul Hakkul Mubin who in turn was deposed by a member of the House of Bolkiah. It is not clear when the house became known as the 'House of Bolkiah', and whether it was named after the current sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, or the 5th sultan Bolkiah.

Hassanal Bolkiah's family

Almost every direct descendant of Hassanal Bolkiah had Bolkiah name as their last name.

Title

The full title of the Sultan is: His Majesty The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.
Today, the surname Bolkiah is carried by any descendant of the House of Bolkiah. Members of the royal household hold high and influential positions in government.
Sons and grandsons of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah are referred to in the style "His Royal Highness" or "Pengiran Muda" in Malay, differing from the royals belonging to the cadet branches which are addressed as "The Lord" or "Pengiran Anak" in Malay.

List of Sultans