Brunei Through the Silsilah, Adat, Hikayat and Syair: Silsilah Raja-raja Brunei Reconsidered [accepted version]
Name
Annabel_Teh_Gallop-SRRB_reconsidered-FINAL_SUBMITTED_AUG_2019.pdf
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931.69 KB
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Adobe PDF
Checksum (CRC64NVME)
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Resource type
Preprint
Creator (person)
Gallop, Annabel Teh
Date published
August 18, 2025
Abstract
This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in 'Origins, History and Social Structure in Brunei Darussalam' on 29 October 2020, available online: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003096573.
The Silsilah Raja-raja Brunei (SRRB), ‘The genealogy of the rulers of Brunei’, is the premiere work of Brunei historiography. First brought to attention in English translation by Hugh Low in 1880, it was only with the publication in 1968 by Amin Sweeney of an article entitled Silsilah Raja-raja Berunai, presenting a diplomatic edition of two manuscripts held in London, that the full Malay texts became accessible. And yet it was Donald Brown (1984: 11) who, in his article ‘Brunei through the Sha’er and the silsilah,’ first articulated a sense of unease probably also felt by many others, when he wrote about the two London manuscripts: ‘Actually, “silsilah” is a slightly misleading title in the case of the manuscript [sic] published by Sweeney; each begins with a silsilah, but then continues with texts of different natures.’ Responding to Brown’s observation, this chapter will explore and document all known manuscript copies of Silsilah Raja-raja Brunei, including some which can no longer be located and may not even have survived, and then attempt to trace the evolution of the very varied texts that all share the title Silsilah Raja-raja Brunei (henceforth SRRB).
Publisher
British Library
Place of publication
UK
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