u ▁acted ▁mainly ▁as ▁pu ppet ▁monarch s ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁the ▁colonial ▁powers . ▁ ▁Sultan ▁Mah m ud ▁IV ▁and ▁the ▁crisis ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 7 ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁Mah m ud ▁IV , ▁increasing ▁t ensions ▁developed ▁with ▁Dutch ▁administr ators . ▁The ▁Sultan ▁felt ▁that ▁his ▁kingdom ▁was ▁being ▁heavily ▁manip ulated ▁by ▁the ▁Dutch ▁and ▁the ▁Yang ▁Di per tu an ▁M uda , ▁and ▁wanted ▁to ▁throw ▁off ▁their ▁y oke . ▁He ▁frequently ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Singapore , ▁Ter eng gan u ▁and ▁P ah ang ▁to ▁gain ▁recognition ▁for ▁his ▁rule ▁by ▁the ▁British , ▁and ▁support ▁from ▁his ▁circle ▁of ▁kin ▁in ▁other ▁Mal ay ▁Royal ▁H ouses ▁against ▁the ▁vic er eg al ▁house ▁of ▁R ia u , ▁who ▁came ▁from ▁Bug is ▁stock . ▁He ▁also ▁assert ed ▁his ▁claim ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁right ful ▁he ir ▁of ▁the ▁preceding ▁Joh or - R ia u ▁throne , ▁rather ▁than ▁Hus sein ▁Shah ▁of ▁Joh or . ▁The ▁s ultan ' s ▁actions ▁were ▁met ▁with ▁susp icion ▁by ▁the ▁British , ▁who ▁war ned ▁the ▁Dutch ▁that ▁as ▁their ▁v ass al , ▁he ▁was ▁in ▁bre ach ▁of ▁the ▁Ang lo - D utch ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁ 1 8 2 4 . ▁An ger ed ▁and ▁embar rass ed ▁by ▁the ▁Sultan , ▁the ▁Dutch ▁then ▁prohib ited ▁him ▁from ▁trav elling ▁without ▁their ▁consent . ▁He ▁ignored ▁this ▁prohib ition .