Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram

Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram was born on 28 August 1966 on the island of Jolo in present-day Philippines, the eldest son of Mohammad Mahakuttah Abdulla Kiram, 34th sultan of Sulu, and his first wife Dayang-Dayang Farida Tan-Kiram.^[5]

Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram studied at Universidad de Zamboanga in Zamboanga City where he got his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Between 1995 and 1996, he continued his higher studies in Islam in Lahore, Pakistan.^{[citation needed]} He currently lives on the island of Jolo^[2][7] near the seat of the Sultanate and is involved as a local civic leader on the island and Sulu in general, regularly meeting with the local population.^[8][9]

He is married to Dayang Dayang Pangian Mellany Serman Kiram and has seven children.^[10]

Datu Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram was crowned as Raja Muda (Crown Prince) of Sulu on 24 May 1974 beside his father in Sulu, under Memorandum Order No. 427, which was issued by President Ferdinand Marcos, President of Philippines.^[11] The ceremony was held in Jolo, Sulu.^[12][13][14] Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram is the last recognised Raja Muda (Crown Prince) by the Philippine government. When his father died in 1986, Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram could not take the crown because of his age, which led to relatives trying to claim the crown for themselves.^[15] Raja Muda Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram was crowned Sultan in a coronation event on the island of Jolo on 16 September 2012.^[5][2]

Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram awards the Royal and Hashemite Order of the Pearl as a formal Royal Honor since 2011.^[16][17] The Associazione Insigniti Onorificenze Cavalleresche (Association of Chivalric Honors), an entity under the International Commission for Orders of Chivalry recognizes the Royal Order.^[18]

Kiram uses the full regnal name of His Royal Majesty Paduka Mahasari Al-Maulana Ampun Sultan Hadji Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram ibni Almarhum Sultan Mohammad Mahakuttah Abdulla Kiram, The 35th Sultan of Sulu and North Borneo.^{[19][20][21][22]}

Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram has received honours from a number of Royal Houses and other awards:

• Grand Cross, Order of the Eagle of Georgia and the Seamless Tunic of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Georgia)^[23]
• Grand Cordon, Imperial Order of the Dragon of Annam (Vietnam)^{[citation needed]}
• Grand Cordon, Order of the Ethiopian Lion^{[citation needed]}
• Grand Cross of the Royal Confraternity Of Saint Teotonio^[24]
• Accademico d'Onore Classe Speciale - Real Academia Sancti Ambrosii Martyris Italia^[25]

Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram clearly and emphatically decried these actions led by Jamalul Kiram III, a self-proclaimed pretender to the throne in a press release and on a Malaysiakini TV interview and other publications.^{[26][27][28][29]}

Muedzul Lail Tan Kiram is the grandson of Sultan Mohammed Esmail Kiram (1950–1973) while Muwallil Wasit II (1936) was his great-grandfather and Sultan Jamalul Kiram II (1893–1936) was his great-granduncle. He is a direct male descendant and claimant to the defunct throne of the Sultanate of Sulu.^[6]