Page 13 - Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar

Abu Bakar was noted for his diplomatic skills, and

both the British and Malay rulers had

approached him for advice in making important

decisions. He was also an avid traveller, and

became the first Malay ruler to travel to Europe

during his first visit to England in 1866. In

particular, Abu Bakar became a lifetime friend

of Queen Victoria in his later years. Abu Bakar's

friendship with Queen Victoria played an

important role in shaping Johor's relationships

with Britain, and was the only state by the end of

the 19th century in the Peninsular Malaya to

maintain autonomy in its internal affairs as the

British Colonial Government pushed for greater

control over the Malay states by placing a British

Resident in the states. He was also an Anglophile,

and many of his personal habits and decisions

were aligned to European ideas and tastes.