 Kodak, Kota Bharu
The modern history of Kelantan can be traced back to the 15th century, although the state has been inhabited since prehistoric times. There were mentions of Kelantan in the chronicles of the Funan kingdom, Khmer empire and Siamese empire. The area was known as Klantan under the Siamese.
Kelantan was a vassal state of Siam until 1411, when its ruler Raja Kumar declared its independence. However, it fell under the rule of Malacca in 1499. After the fall of Malacca, Kelantan was ruled by local chieftains. They were vassals, or at least they paid tribute, to the Malay kingdom in Patani, the Srivijaya Kingdom.
In around 1760, a warlord of Patani, Long Yunus, unified the territory that became present-day Kelantan. He was the ruler of the kingdom until 1800, when he was succeeded by his son Long Muhammad, who ruled as Sultan Muhammad I. After Sultan Muhammad I died, there was a power struggle, as he left no heir. Eventually a nephew who is also the son of the temenggong triumped over his rivals and took the throne in 1835 as Sultan Muhammad II.
Sultan Muhammad II cemented his power by erecting a fort on the eastern bank of the Kelantan River. This site of this new fort, called Kota Bharu, was his power base, and continues today as the state capital.
Kelantan was part of Siam until the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, when Siam was forced to relinquish its rule over the state, along with Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis to the British. It became an Unfederated Malay State with a Resident as advisor.
The Japanese landed in Kelantan on 8 December, 1941. It was the first state in Malaya to fall under the Japanese. Kelantan was under Japanese Occupation until they were defeated in August, 1945. It became part of the Federation of Malaya on 1 February, 1948, and attained independence along with the other states of Malaya on 31 August, 1957. With the establishment of Malaysia on 16 September, 1963, Kelantan became one of its component states.
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