Tun Muhammad Tahir, better known as Tun Mutahir was (Bendahara Seri Maharaja, Raja Bendahara Pahang V (1847-1863)) the last Bendahara of the Old Johor Sultanate. As also the last Raja Bendahara of Pahang, he ruled the vassal state of Pahang until his death in 1863 following the Pahang Civil War.
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He was born in 1803. His father is Tun Ali, Bendahara Siwa Raja and his mother was Che Wan Ngah of the Bendahara family.[1] He was privately educated as was the customs of the nobility then. In 1832, he was proclaimed as Bendahara Muda (Bendahara in waiting) in a ceremony in Lingga, then capital of the Johore empire. He had 3 spouses: Tengku Kechik the princess of the Johore Sultan, Sultan Abdul Rahman; Tengku Chik, the princess of the Kedah Sultan, Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin II; and Tengku Chik princess of the Johore Sultan, Sultan Muhammad.[2] Tun Ali also married Chik Puan Lingga in 1832 and Tun Ahmad was born from this union.[3]
Tun Ali entered into a semi-retirement in 1847 and handed the reins to Tun Mutahir. Tun Mutahir followed the policy of Bendahara Ali and not much is written about his reign. In 1857 Bendahara Ali signed a proclamation indicating that Tun Ahmad be put to death due to his misconduct[4]. Bendahara Ali wanted Tun Ahmad and his accomplice be put to death.
Tun Ahmad immedietely fled to Singapore[5] and returned to Pahang at the time of the death of Tun Ali. Conflict broke between both parties which resulted in a civil war which engulfed Pahang. This conflict not only involved the Pahang princes but also involved Temenggung of Johore, the Terengganu Sultan as well as the British playing a political role.[6] The war is the most decisive in the history of the Old Johore Sultanate. The conflict ended when Tun Mutahir was mortally wounded in 1863.
Tun Mutahir was buried in Bukit Timbalan, Johor Bahru, Johor. Tun Ahmad ousted Tun Mutahir and he had no interest of continuing as the Bendahara of Johor. He was proclaimed as Sultan Ahmad I in 1882 and founded the modern Pahang Sultanate which sealed the breakup of the Johor Sultanate. The Temenggung of Johor (Maharaja 1868–1885) was given recognition by the British and proclaimed the Sultan of Johor three years later.