Bolkiah

Sultan Bolkiah was the fifth Sultan of Brunei. He ascended the throne of Brunei upon the abdication of his father, Sultan Sulaiman, and ruled Brunei from 1485 to 1524. His reign marked the Golden Age of Brunei and saw the Sultanate become the superpower of the Malay archipelago. Bolkiah frequently travelled abroad to gain new ideas for the development of the country, as well as seeking suggestions from his various chiefs.

Reign

Sultan Bolkiah's victory over Seludong (modern day Manila) by defeating Datu Gambang of Luzon and as well as his marriage to Laila Mecana, the daughter of Sulu Sultan Amir Ul-Ombra, widened Brunei's influence in the Philippines.

This increased Brunei's wealth as well as extending Islamic teachings in the region, resulting in the influence and power of Brunei reaching its peak during this period. Bolkiah's rule reached essentially all of coastal Borneo, as far south as Banjarmasin, and as far north as the island of Luzon, including Seludong (present-day Manila) in the Philippines.