The Sultanate of Johor (or sometimes Johor-Riau or Johor-Riau-Lingga or more correctly Johor Empire) is founded by Malaccan Sultan Mahmud Shah's son, Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah II in 1528.

Johor had been part of the Malaccan Sultanate before the Portuguese conquered Malacca's capital in 1511.

At its height, the sultanate controls modern-day Johor, Riau, and territories stretching from the river Klang to the Linggi and Tanjung Tuan, Muar, Batu Pahat, Singapore, Pulau Tinggi and other islands off the east coast of the Malay peninsula, the Karimun islands, the islands of Bintan, Bulang, Lingga and Bunguran, and Bengkalis, Kampar and Siak in Sumatra.

During the colonial era, the mainland part is administered by the British, and the insular part by the Dutch, thus breaking up the sultanate into Johor and Riau.

In 1946, the British section become part of the Malayan Union.

Two years later, it joins the Federation of Malaya and subsequently, the Federation of Malaysia in 1963.

In 1949, the Dutch section becomes part of Indonesia.