Brunei Sultanate Expands Empire

A E Lawrence writing in the first edition of the Sarawak Museum Journal of 1911 in an article entitled "The First Brunei Conquests on the Sarawak Coast" stated that Awang Alak Betatar enlarged the newly founded Brunei territory by first defeating the Melanau hero Tugau, thus advancing his frontiers from the Tutong River to the Rejang delta.

According to Brunei's own epic poems, Syair Awang Semaun, this happened during the rule of Brunei's first ruler, Awang Alak Betatar, who was later renamed as Sultan Muhammad Shah when Brunei battled against the Melanau Government. When Melanau lost, Brunei conquered all its territories stretching from Mukah to Tutong.

This short article will illustrate how Brunei began its first conquests thus enlarging the newly founded Brunei.