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Kelantan's association with traditional Malay culture dates back at least as far as the 14th century, when the Sungai Kelantan Valley was settled by colonists from distant Java, then itself in the process of converting to Islam.<br/><br/>A state was established, owing allegiance to Sultan Masud Shah of Melaka (1459-77), but because of the region's geographical isolation from the rest of peninsular Malaysia, Kelantan was able to retain a high degree of autonomy, retaining much of its Javanese heritage and distinctive cultural and dialectic differences down through the centuries.<br/><br/>Kelantan's political isolation helped in this process - under a relatively benevolent Thai suzerainty from 1780 to 1909, Siamese control was generally limited to the presentation of bunga mas, or tribute paid to Bangkok in the form of golden trees. Once this tribute was paid, local administration remained largely in the hands of the Kelantan royal family, whilst matters social and religious were the exclusive province of the Kelantanese ulama, or learned Islamic scholars.<br/><br/>In 1909, by treaty agreement made between Britain and Siam, Kelantan became part of British-administered Malaya - but by this time the greater part of Chinese migration to the 'Straits Settlements' of Singapore, Melaka and Penang had already taken place, and Kelantan's ethnic balance remained relatively unchanged - a tranquil, traditional Malay sultanate, shielded by ranks of jungle-clad mountains from the fast-changing west coast.
British territorial acquisitions in the countries that now comprise Malaysia and Singapore date back to 1786, when the Sultan of Kedah, menaced both by occasional Burmese and Siamese attacks, ceded Penang Island to the British East India Company in exchange for protection against his aggressive northern neighbours.<br/><br/>On August 11, 1786, Captain – later Sir – Francis Light took possession of the island and renamed it Prince of Wales Island. In 1798 a strip of coastal territory opposite Penang was similarly ceded to the British, and renamed Province Wellesley.<br/><br/>In 1946 Singapore became a separate Crown Colony, while Penang and Malacca both joined the Malayan Union, which became the Federation of Malaysia in 1963. Two years later, in August 1965, Singapore left the federation and became an independent state in its own right.
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865), known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century. Popularly nicknamed 'Pam', or 'The Mongoose', he was in government office almost continuously from 1807 until his death in 1865, beginning his parliamentary career as a Tory and concluding it as a Liberal.<br/><br/> He is best remembered for his direction of British foreign policy through a period when Britain was at the height of its power, serving terms as both Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister. Some of his aggressive actions, now sometimes termed liberal interventionist, were greatly controversial at the time, and remain so today. He was the most recent British Prime Minister to die in office.<br/><br/> Palmerston was actively involed in both the First Opium War (1839-1842) and the Second Opium War (1856-1860)
The Taku Forts or Dagu Forts (Chinese: 大沽炮台; pinyin: Dàgū Pàotái; literally 'Taku batteries'), also called the Peiho Forts (Chinese:白河碉堡; pinyin: Báihé Diāobǎo) are forts located by the Hai River (Peiho River) estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.<br/><br/> In 1856, Chinese soldiers boarded The Arrow, a Chinese-owned ship registered in Hong Kong flying the British flag and suspected of piracy, smuggling and of being engaged in the opium trade. They captured 12 men and imprisoned them. Though the certificate allowing the ship to fly a British flag had expired, there was still an armed response. The British and French sent gunboats under the command of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour to capture the Taku Forts in May 1858. In June 1858, at the end of the first part of the Second Opium War, the Treaties of Tianjin were signed, which opened Tianjin to foreign trade.<br/><br/> In 1859, after China refused to allow the setting up of foreign legations in Beijing, a naval force under the command of British Admiral Sir James Hope attacked the forts guarding the mouth of the Peiho river. During the action US Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall came to the assistance of the British gunboat HMS Plover,– commanded by Lt William Hector Rason, who was killed in the action – offering to take off their wounded.<br/><br/> Plover's commander, Hope, accepted the offer and a launch was sent to take off the wounded. Later, Tattnall discovered that some of his men were black from powder flashes. When asked, the men replied that the British had been short handed with the bow gun. His famous report sent to Washington claimed 'Blood is thicker than water'. This was the first time the British troops needed American assistance after suffering major casualties from the Taku cannon barrage, and the first time that British and American troops fought side by side.
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865), known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century. Popularly nicknamed 'Pam', or 'The Mongoose', he was in government office almost continuously from 1807 until his death in 1865, beginning his parliamentary career as a Tory and concluding it as a Liberal.<br/><br/> He is best remembered for his direction of British foreign policy through a period when Britain was at the height of its power, serving terms as both Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister. Some of his aggressive actions, now sometimes termed liberal interventionist, were greatly controversial at the time, and remain so today. He was the most recent British Prime Minister to die in office.<br/><br/> Palmerston was actively involed in both the First Opium War (1839-1842) and the Second Opium War (1856-1860)
The Taku Forts or Dagu Forts (Chinese: 大沽炮台; pinyin: Dàgū Pàotái; literally 'Taku batteries'), also called the Peiho Forts (Chinese:白河碉堡; pinyin: Báihé Diāobǎo) are forts located by the Hai River (Peiho River) estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.<br/><br/> In 1856, Chinese soldiers boarded The Arrow, a Chinese-owned ship registered in Hong Kong flying the British flag and suspected of piracy, smuggling and of being engaged in the opium trade. They captured 12 men and imprisoned them. Though the certificate allowing the ship to fly a British flag had expired, there was still an armed response. The British and French sent gunboats under the command of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour to capture the Taku Forts in May 1858. In June 1858, at the end of the first part of the Second Opium War, the Treaties of Tianjin were signed, which opened Tianjin to foreign trade.<br/><br/> In 1859, after China refused to allow the setting up of foreign legations in Beijing, a naval force under the command of British Admiral Sir James Hope attacked the forts guarding the mouth of the Peiho river. During the action US Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall came to the assistance of the British gunboat HMS Plover,– commanded by Lt William Hector Rason, who was killed in the action – offering to take off their wounded.<br/><br/> Plover's commander, Hope, accepted the offer and a launch was sent to take off the wounded. Later, Tattnall discovered that some of his men were black from powder flashes. When asked, the men replied that the British had been short handed with the bow gun. His famous report sent to Washington claimed 'Blood is thicker than water'. This was the first time the British troops needed American assistance after suffering major casualties from the Taku cannon barrage, and the first time that British and American troops fought side by side.
The Taku Forts or Dagu Forts (Chinese: 大沽炮台; pinyin: Dàgū Pàotái; literally 'Taku batteries'), also called the Peiho Forts (Chinese:白河碉堡; pinyin: Báihé Diāobǎo) are forts located by the Hai River (Peiho River) estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.<br/><br/> In 1856, Chinese soldiers boarded 'The Arrow', a Chinese-owned ship registered in Hong Kong flying the British flag and suspected of piracy, smuggling and of being engaged in the opium trade. They captured 12 men and imprisoned them. Though the certificate allowing the ship to fly a British flag had expired, there was still an armed response. The British and French sent gunboats under the command of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour to capture the Taku Forts in May 1858. In June 1858, at the end of the first part of the Second Opium War, the Treaties of Tianjin were signed, which opened Tianjin to foreign trade.<br/><br/> In 1859, after China refused to allow the setting up of foreign legations in Beijing, a naval force under the command of British Admiral Sir James Hope attacked the forts guarding the mouth of the Peiho river. During the action US Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall came to the assistance of the British gunboat HMS Plover,– commanded by Lt William Hector Rason, who was killed in the action – offering to take off their wounded.<br/><br/> Plover's commander, Hope, accepted the offer and a launch was sent to take off the wounded. Later, Tattnall discovered that some of his men were black from powder flashes. When asked, the men replied that the British had been short handed with the bow gun. His famous report sent to Washington claimed 'Blood is thicker than water'. This was the first time the British troops needed American assistance after suffering major casualties from the Taku cannon barrage, and the first time that British and American troops fought side by side.
The Taku Forts or Dagu Forts (Chinese: 大沽炮台; pinyin: Dàgū Pàotái; literally 'Taku batteries'), also called the Peiho Forts (Chinese:白河碉堡; pinyin: Báihé Diāobǎo) are forts located by the Hai River (Peiho River) estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.<br/><br/> In 1856, Chinese soldiers boarded 'The Arrow', a Chinese-owned ship registered in Hong Kong flying the British flag and suspected of piracy, smuggling and of being engaged in the opium trade. They captured 12 men and imprisoned them. Though the certificate allowing the ship to fly a British flag had expired, there was still an armed response. The British and French sent gunboats under the command of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour to capture the Taku Forts in May 1858. In June 1858, at the end of the first part of the Second Opium War, the Treaties of Tianjin were signed, which opened Tianjin to foreign trade.<br/><br/> In 1859, after China refused to allow the setting up of foreign legations in Beijing, a naval force under the command of British Admiral Sir James Hope attacked the forts guarding the mouth of the Peiho river. During the action US Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall came to the assistance of the British gunboat HMS Plover,– commanded by Lt William Hector Rason, who was killed in the action – offering to take off their wounded.<br/><br/> Plover's commander, Hope, accepted the offer and a launch was sent to take off the wounded. Later, Tattnall discovered that some of his men were black from powder flashes. When asked, the men replied that the British had been short handed with the bow gun. His famous report sent to Washington claimed 'Blood is thicker than water'. This was the first time the British troops needed American assistance after suffering major casualties from the Taku cannon barrage, and the first time that British and American troops fought side by side.
The Taku Forts or Dagu Forts (Chinese: 大沽炮台; pinyin: Dàgū Pàotái; literally 'Taku batteries'), also called the Peiho Forts (Chinese:白河碉堡; pinyin: Báihé Diāobǎo) are forts located by the Hai River (Peiho River) estuary, in Tanggu District, Tianjin municipality, in northeastern China. They are located 60 km southeast of the Tianjin urban center.<br/><br/> In 1856, Chinese soldiers boarded The Arrow, a Chinese-owned ship registered in Hong Kong flying the British flag and suspected of piracy, smuggling and of being engaged in the opium trade. They captured 12 men and imprisoned them. Though the certificate allowing the ship to fly a British flag had expired, there was still an armed response. The British and French sent gunboats under the command of Admiral Sir Michael Seymour to capture the Taku Forts in May 1858. In June 1858, at the end of the first part of the Second Opium War, the Treaties of Tianjin were signed, which opened Tianjin to foreign trade.<br/><br/> In 1859, after China refused to allow the setting up of foreign legations in Beijing, a naval force under the command of British Admiral Sir James Hope attacked the forts guarding the mouth of the Peiho river. During the action US Navy Commodore Josiah Tattnall came to the assistance of the British gunboat HMS Plover,– commanded by Lt William Hector Rason, who was killed in the action – offering to take off their wounded.<br/><br/> Plover's commander, Hope, accepted the offer and a launch was sent to take off the wounded. Later, Tattnall discovered that some of his men were black from powder flashes. When asked, the men replied that the British had been short handed with the bow gun. His famous report sent to Washington claimed 'Blood is thicker than water'. This was the first time the British troops needed American assistance after suffering major casualties from the Taku cannon barrage, and the first time that British and American troops fought side by side.
Guan Tianpei (simplified Chinese: 关天培; traditional Chinese: 關天培; Wade–Giles: Kuan T'ien-p'ei; 1781 – 26 February 1841) was a Chinese admiral of the Qing Dynasty who served in the First Opium War. His Chinese title was 'Commander-in-Chief of Naval Forces'.<br/><br/> In 1838, he established courteous relations with British Rear-Admiral Frederick Maitland. Guan fought in the First Battle of Chuenpee (1839), the Second Battle of Chuenpee (1841), and the Battle of the Bogue (1841). A British account described his death in the Anunghoy forts during the Battle of the Bogue on 26 February 1841:<br/><br/> 'Among these, the most distinguished and lamented was poor old Admiral Kwan, whose death excited much sympathy throughout the force; he fell by a bayonet wound in his breast, as he was meeting his enemy at the gate of Anunghoy, yielding up his brave spirit willingly to a soldier's death, when his life could only be preserved through the certainty of degradation. He was altogether a fine specimen of a gallant soldier, unwilling to yield when summoned to surrender, because to yield would imply treason'.<br/><br/> The following day, his body was claimed by his family and a salute of minute-guns was fired from HMS Blenheim in his honour.
The First Anglo-Chinese War (1839–42), known popularly as the First Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China, with the aim of securing economic benefits from trade in (and forcing opium on) China. In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking - the first of what the Chinese called the unequal treaties - granted an indemnity to Britain, the opening of five treaty ports, and the cession of Hong Kong Island, ending the monopoly of trading in the Canton System. The war marked the end of China's isolation and the beginning of modern Chinese history.
The River Mekong is the world's 12th-longest river. From its Himalayan source on the Tibetan plateau, it flows some 4,350 km (2,703 miles) through China's Yunnan province, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, finally draining in the South China Sea. The recent construction of hydroelectric dams on the river and its tributaries has reduced the water flow dramatically during the dry season in Southeast Asia.
Vientiane, formerly Sri Sattanak, was razed to the ground and looted by Siamese armies in 1827. The city was left in grave disrepair and became overgrown and nearly unpopulated until the French colonists arrived and took over the region in 1893. Vientiane became the capital of the French protectorate of Laos in 1899 and was rebuilt with renovated Buddhist temples surrounded by French architecture. Vientiane remained the ‘chef-lieu’- the district capital – of French Laos until 1949.
The First Anglo-Chinese War (1839–42), known popularly as the First Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China, with the aim of securing economic benefits from trade in (and forcing opium on) China. In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking - the first of what the Chinese called the unequal treaties - granted an indemnity to Britain, the opening of five treaty ports, and the cession of Hong Kong Island, ending the monopoly of trading in the Canton System. The war marked the end of China's isolation and the beginning of modern Chinese history.
The First Anglo-Chinese War (1839–42), known popularly as the First Opium War, was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China, with the aim of securing economic benefits from trade in (and forcing opium on) China. In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking - the first of what the Chinese called the unequal treaties - granted an indemnity to Britain, the opening of five treaty ports, and the cession of Hong Kong Island, ending the monopoly of trading in the Canton System. The war marked the end of China's isolation and the beginning of modern Chinese history.
Guan Tianpei (simplified Chinese: 关天培; traditional Chinese: 關天培; Wade–Giles: Kuan T'ien-p'ei; 1781 – 26 February 1841) was a Chinese admiral of the Qing Dynasty who served in the First Opium War. His Chinese title was 'Commander-in-Chief of Naval Forces'.<br/><br/> In 1838, he established courteous relations with British Rear-Admiral Frederick Maitland. Guan fought in the First Battle of Chuenpee (1839), the Second Battle of Chuenpee (1841), and the Battle of the Bogue (1841). A British account described his death in the Anunghoy forts during the Battle of the Bogue on 26 February 1841:<br/><br/> 'Among these, the most distinguished and lamented was poor old Admiral Kwan, whose death excited much sympathy throughout the force; he fell by a bayonet wound in his breast, as he was meeting his enemy at the gate of Anunghoy, yielding up his brave spirit willingly to a soldier's death, when his life could only be preserved through the certainty of degradation. He was altogether a fine specimen of a gallant soldier, unwilling to yield when summoned to surrender, because to yield would imply treason'.<br/><br/> The following day, his body was claimed by his family and a salute of minute-guns was fired from HMS Blenheim in his honour.