In the Malay Peninsula and small coastal states of Southeast Asia head state was frequently a?

The head of state in the Malay Peninsula and small coastal states of Southeast Asia was frequently a sultan. Sultans were Malay Muslim rulers who held political and religious authority over their territories. The sultanate system was introduced to the region by Arab traders in the 13th century and became widespread in the following centuries. Sultans typically ruled over small kingdoms or principalities, and their authority was often limited by local chiefs and nobles. However, the sultanate system provided a framework for political and social organization in the region and helped to shape the development of Malay culture and identity.