| Elizabeth I the Virgin Queen of England was | | | | Pattani as an unmarried queen. She was Raja |
| not alone as a woman ruler who remained | | | | Hijau or the Green Queen. She was chosen as |
| unmarried throughout her life. | | | | a ruler under tragic circumstances, after all |
| | | | male heirs in her family died as a result of |
| Let's begin with the death of Elizabeth in | | | | power struggle. The people preferred her to |
| 1603. Seven years after her death, a Malay | | | | her predecessors, praising her for making |
| princess ascended the throne of Kelantan to | | | | prices of food cheaper. Unlike a movie which |
| eventually reign longer than Elizabeth. She | | | | portrayed the Green Queen competing with |
| was Princess Wan Kembang. | | | | others to obtain some cannons under the sea, |
| | | | the historical Green Queen actually made |
| When Wan Kembang was born, Kelantan was so | | | | Pattani a prosperous trading center in which |
| prosperous that foreign merchants were said | | | | one of its hot items was - firearms. |
| to intentionally destroy their own vessels | | | | Disputes among traders from Japan and Holland |
| upon arrival so that they could have an | | | | might had tested Her Majesty's diplomatic |
| excuse to stay there forever. Wan Kembang's | | | | skills. However, it was these traders who |
| father died when she was about four years old | | | | helped defend Pattani against a formidable |
| and the sole heiress. A cousin of Wan | | | | threat, Siam. |
| Kembang's mother, a prince of Johor, was | | | | |
| appointed to be the Regent. Wan Kembang's | | | | Raja Hijau was succeeded by her sister Raja |
| royal uncle handed over the throne only at | | | | Biru, the Blue Queen who was also unmarried. |
| the time of his death, by then she was in her | | | | Raja Biru died after ruling for only eight |
| thirties. | | | | years. She was succeeded by another sister |
| | | | Raja Ungu, the Purple Queen. Raja Ungu |
| Wan Kembang was apparently well-groomed for | | | | passed the throne to her daughter Raja |
| her job: Kelantan continued to prosper under | | | | Kuning, the Yellow Queen. I can assure you |
| her rule. Arab traders bestowed upon her the | | | | this is not fairy tale. This was the golden |
| title "Paduka Cik Siti" in which Siti means | | | | era of Pattani under the four rainbow queens |
| honourable woman. Henceforth, the Queen of | | | | : Raja Hijau, Raja Biru, Raja Ungu and Raja |
| Kelantan came to be known as Cik Siti Wan | | | | Kuning. These ladies ruled Pattani for |
| Kembang. Like Elizabeth I, Wan Kembang | | | | almost a century. |
| turned down marriage proposals to remain | | | | |
| single for the throne. Her favourite | | | | If only Elizabeth I were able to communicate |
| companion was an adorable barking deer which | | | | with the Malay speaking world, she would have |
| she immortalized by stamping its likeness on | | | | found quite a few women in the same shoes as |
| her royal coins. The name Cik Siti Wan | | | | she was. |
| Kembang and her beloved barking deer became | | | | |
| synonymous with Kelantan until this very day. | | | | For the Malay language version of this story |
| Wan Kembang probably retired in her nineties | | | | go to |
| and was succeeded by her adopted daughter, | | | | |
| Princess Saadong. After this point, she | | | | Copyright 2008 - Wan Yee. All Rights Reserved |
| became a legend because nobody knows where | | | | Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint |
| and when she died. | | | | this article as long as you leave all of the |
| | | | links active, do not edit the article in any |
| It is believed that the mother of Wan Kembang | | | | way, give author name credit and follow all |
| was a princess of Pattani. An older | | | | of terms of service for Publishers. |
| contemporary of Wan Kembang, also ruled | | | | |