傳統上,馬六甲與老柔佛的宮廷最高行政職位爲宰相,僅次於蘇丹,擔任各部首領,由蘇丹直接任命,也只能由蘇丹解雇。該職位是世襲的,候選人是從同一個家族中選出來的。宰相中最著名的莫過於馬六甲的敦霹靂,及老柔佛的敦斯里·拉南(英语:Tun Sri Lanang)。據傳,他是撰寫馬來紀年的功臣,爲馬來西亞歷史提供大量史料。老柔佛於17世紀才設宰相一職。
1725年,在登嘉樓蘇丹獲得老柔佛王室承認後,彭亨州在敦阿都·馬吉德統治期間轉爲自治,該州地位從自治省(Tanah Pengangan)改爲封地(Tanah Kurnia),而執政的敦阿都·馬吉德改爲國王(Raja)。然而,宰相王對蘇丹的效忠卻在慢慢流逝。[4][5]在蘇丹麻目沙三世(英语:Mahmud Shah III of Johor)統治期間,蘇丹權力慢慢流逝,直到最後蘇丹掌控的權力僅限於首都林加一帶,王朝僅剩的區域由彭亨的宰相王、柔佛及淡馬錫(新加坡)的天猛公與廖内的親王(Yang Dipertuan Muda)瓜分控制。麻目沙三世駕崩后,王朝的滅亡便無可挽回,他的兒子阿杜拉曼穆亞讚沙(Abdul Rahman Muazzam Shah)和胡先沙(Hussein Shah)爲掌權而展開内戰,阿杜拉曼掌管廖内,由武吉斯貴族及荷蘭人支持,而胡先沙則控制柔佛一帶,有天猛公王朝貴族及英國人支持。
* Ahmad Jelani Halimi, Sejarah Dan Tamadun Bangsa Melayu ('History and the Civilisation of Malay people'), Kuala Lumpur: Utusan Publication & Distributors, 2008, ISBN 978-9-6761-2155-4
* Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid, The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, 16 - The Rulers of Malaysia, Editions Didier Millet, 2011, ISBN 978-981-3018-54-9
* Andaya, Barbara Watson; Andaya, Leonard Yuzon, A History of Malaysia, London: Palgrave Macmillan, 1984, ISBN 978-0-312-38121-9
* Ahmat Adam, Sulalat u’s-Salatin, yakni per[tu]turan segala raja-raja, dialih aksara dan disunting dengan kritis, serta diberi anotasi dan Pengenalan (Sulalat u’s-Salatin, that is the genealogy of kings, transliterated and critically edited, with annotations and introductions), Yayasan Karyawan, 2016, ISBN 978-9-8395-1023-2
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* Milner, Anthony, The Malays (The Peoples of South-East Asia and the Pacific), Wiley-Blackwell, 2010, ISBN 978-1444-339-03-1
* (Tun) Suzana (Tun) Othman, Institusi Bendahara: Permata Melayu yang Hilang: Dinasti Bendahara Johor-Pahang (The Bendahara Institution: The Lost Malay Jewel: The Dynasty of Bendahara of Johor-Pahang), Pustaka BSM Enterprise, 2002, ISBN 983-40566-6-4
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* Tun Suzana Tun Othman; Hj Muzaffar Dato' Hj Mohamad, Ahlul-Bait (keluarga) Rasulullah SAW & Kesultanan Melayu, Kuala Lumpur: Crescent News, 2006, ISBN 978-9-8330-2012-6
* Suzana Haji Othman, Sejarah Pergolakan dan Pergelutan Bendahara Johor-Pahang 1613-1863 (A History of Conflicts and Struggles of Bendahara of Johor-Pahang 1613-1863)), Dewan Bahasa Pustaka, 2018, ISBN 978-9-8346-1153-8
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* Yusoff Iskandar; Aruna Gopinath, Tradisi Persejarahan Pahang Darul Makmur, 1800-1930 (Historisation tradition of Pahang Darul Makmur, 1800-1930), Tempo Publications (M), 1992, ISBN 978-9-6721-6590-3
注釋
^這一個部族有一個相對複雜的身世及血統,巴拉維·薩達部族原本是來自哈德拉毛(今也門)的巴努哈希姆部落的一個分支,他們最早的血統可以追溯至什葉派伊瑪目佳法·埃-薩迪(Ja'afar as-Saddiq),此人是伊瑪目阿末·穆哈吉爾(Ahmad al-Muhajir bin Isa al-Rumi)的後裔,而上述的伊瑪目,都是先知穆罕穆德的女兒法蒂瑪的直系後裔。