White Rajahs
Encyclopedia
White Rajahs refers to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak
from 1841 to 1946, namely the Brookes, who came originally from England. A Raja
h is a monarch in the Indian subcontinent
and Southeast Asia
.
until James Brooke
, who was to become the first White Rajah, received a sizable chunk of land from the Bruneian Sultan. Throughout the rule of the first two Brookes, Sarawak's size increased tremendously as more territory was leased or annexed from Brunei. There were three White Rajahs:
All three were educated in England and are buried there.
By and large the Brookes pursued a policy of paternalism
, aimed at protecting the 'native peoples' from 'capitalist exploitation,' and as a result preventing the same levels of development which were evident in some other parts of the British Empire
. While James laid much of the groundwork for the expansion of Sarawak, it was his nephew Charles who was the great builder, both in terms of public buildings such as forts and also in extending the borders of the state. While the manner of his departure was controversial, Vyner nonetheless instituted significant political reforms, including ending the absolute rule of the Rajah in 1941 ahead of the Japanese invasion by granting new powers to the Council Negri (the parliament).
of the Rajah of Sarawak, and the style "His Highness". The wife of the Rajah Muda had the title "Ranee Muda".
, Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to the Colonial Office
for a sizeable pension for him and his three daughters. His nephew and designated heir, Anthony Brooke
, initially opposed cession to the Crown, as did a majority of the native members of the Council Negri. Duncan Stewart, the second British governor to Sarawak, was assassinated in the resulting unrest. However, there is now no serious movement for the restoration of the monarchy.
When James Brooke first arrived in Sarawak it was governed as a vassal state
of the Sultanate of Brunei. When he assumed control of the original area around Kuching
in the 1840s, much of the system of government was based on the ineffective Bruneian model. James set about reforming the government and eventually created a civil service
, which recruited Europe
an, mainly British
, officers to run district outstations. The Sarawak Service was continually reformed by Rajah James and his successors.
James retained many of the customs and symbols of Malay monarchy and combined them with his own style of absolute rule. The Rajah had the power to introduce laws and acted as chief judge in Kuching. The Brookes were determined to prevent the peoples of Sarawak from being 'exploited' by Western business interests and formed the Borneo Company to assist in managing the economy. This entity also provided military support to the Brookes during events such as the Chinese Rebellion, when one of the company steamships, The Sir James Brooke, helped recapture Kuching.
A small paramilitary force, the Sarawak Rangers, was formed by Rajah Charles to police and defend the expanding state. This small army also manned a series of forts around the country, performed ceremonial duties and acted as the Rajahs' personal guard.
The period of Brooke rule is generally looked upon favourably in Sarawak, although successive post-federation Malaysian governments have attempted to downplay and, to a certain extent, denounce the Brooke Raj.
The coaling station of Brooketon in Brunei
was named after the Brooke family.
The architectural legacy of the dynasty can be seen in many of the country's nineteenth century and colonial heritage buildings. In Kuching
these include the Astana
, or governor's residence, the Sarawak Museum, the Old Courthouse, Fort Margherita
, the Square Fort, and Brooke Memorial. Several key buildings from the Brooke period have been demolished, such as the offices and warehouses of Borneo Company.
Modern Kuching still boasts many businesses and attractions which capitalise upon the era of the White Rajahs. The Brooke Dockyard, which was founded in the period of Rajah Charles, is still in operation, as is the original Sarawak Museum. The James Brooke Café and the Royalist, a pub
named after Rajah James Schooner, pay tribute to the Brookes.
Sarawak is notably different from peninsular Malaysia
and even Sabah
in that its ethnic groups are more varied due to the large proportion of tribal peoples such as the Iban
and Dyaks. Chinese and Indian migration was encouraged at various times by the Brookes.
, known in heraldic parlance as a brock and hence alluding to the dynastic surname. A crown was added in 1949 and the shield design was used as the basis of the Sarawak flag until 1973. In 1988 the state flag reverted to these original colours.
Kingdom of Sarawak
The Kingdom of Sarawak was a state in Borneo established by Sir James Brooke in 1842 by receiving independent kingdom status from the Sultanate of Brunei as a reward for helping fight piracy and insurgency...
from 1841 to 1946, namely the Brookes, who came originally from England. A Raja
Raja
Raja is an Indian term for a monarch, or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna...
h is a monarch in the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
.
Rulers
Sarawak was part of the realm of BruneiBrunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
until James Brooke
James Brooke
James, Rajah of Sarawak, KCB was the first White Rajah of Sarawak. His father, Thomas Brooke, was an English Judge Court of Appeal at Bareilly, British India; his mother, Anna Maria, born in Hertfordshire, was the illegitimate daughter of Scottish peer Colonel William Stuart, 9th Lord Blantyre,...
, who was to become the first White Rajah, received a sizable chunk of land from the Bruneian Sultan. Throughout the rule of the first two Brookes, Sarawak's size increased tremendously as more territory was leased or annexed from Brunei. There were three White Rajahs:
- James of SarawakJames BrookeJames, Rajah of Sarawak, KCB was the first White Rajah of Sarawak. His father, Thomas Brooke, was an English Judge Court of Appeal at Bareilly, British India; his mother, Anna Maria, born in Hertfordshire, was the illegitimate daughter of Scottish peer Colonel William Stuart, 9th Lord Blantyre,...
(1841–1868), officially unmarried and without legitimate issue. - Charles of Sarawak (1868–1917), married Margaret Alice Lili de WindtMargaret BrookeMargaret, Lady Brooke, The Ranee of Sarawak was queen-consort of the second White Rajah of Sarawak, Charles Anthony Johnson Brooke...
, with whom he had six children, three surviving infancy. - Vyner of SarawakCharles Vyner BrookeVyner, Rajah of Sarawak, GCMG was the third and final White Rajah of Sarawak.-Early life:...
(1917–1946), married Sylvia BrettSylvia BrettSylvia Leonora, Lady Brooke, Ranee of Sarawak, born The Hon. Sylvia Leonora Brett, , was the consort to Vyner of Sarawak, last of the White Rajahs.-Early life:...
, with whom he had three daughters
By and large the Brookes pursued a policy of paternalism
Paternalism
Paternalism refers to attitudes or states of affairs that exemplify a traditional relationship between father and child. Two conditions of paternalism are usually identified: interference with liberty and a beneficent intention towards those whose liberty is interfered with...
, aimed at protecting the 'native peoples' from 'capitalist exploitation,' and as a result preventing the same levels of development which were evident in some other parts of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. While James laid much of the groundwork for the expansion of Sarawak, it was his nephew Charles who was the great builder, both in terms of public buildings such as forts and also in extending the borders of the state. While the manner of his departure was controversial, Vyner nonetheless instituted significant political reforms, including ending the absolute rule of the Rajah in 1941 ahead of the Japanese invasion by granting new powers to the Council Negri (the parliament).
Titles
"Rajah Muda" was the title given to the heir apparentHeir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
of the Rajah of Sarawak, and the style "His Highness". The wife of the Rajah Muda had the title "Ranee Muda".
Cession to the United Kingdom
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
for a sizeable pension for him and his three daughters. His nephew and designated heir, Anthony Brooke
Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke
Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke, , was appointed His Highness the Rajah Muda of Sarawak on 25 August 1937, and succeeded to the title of Rajah in 1963 on the death of his uncle, Rajah Vyner of Sarawak the third and last of the ruling White Rajahs.Brooke was the son of Bertram,...
, initially opposed cession to the Crown, as did a majority of the native members of the Council Negri. Duncan Stewart, the second British governor to Sarawak, was assassinated in the resulting unrest. However, there is now no serious movement for the restoration of the monarchy.
Government
Vassal state
A vassal state is any state that is subordinate to another. The vassal in these cases is the ruler, rather than the state itself. Being a vassal most commonly implies providing military assistance to the dominant state when requested to do so; it sometimes implies paying tribute, but a state which...
of the Sultanate of Brunei. When he assumed control of the original area around Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
in the 1840s, much of the system of government was based on the ineffective Bruneian model. James set about reforming the government and eventually created a civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
, which recruited Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an, mainly British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, officers to run district outstations. The Sarawak Service was continually reformed by Rajah James and his successors.
James retained many of the customs and symbols of Malay monarchy and combined them with his own style of absolute rule. The Rajah had the power to introduce laws and acted as chief judge in Kuching. The Brookes were determined to prevent the peoples of Sarawak from being 'exploited' by Western business interests and formed the Borneo Company to assist in managing the economy. This entity also provided military support to the Brookes during events such as the Chinese Rebellion, when one of the company steamships, The Sir James Brooke, helped recapture Kuching.
A small paramilitary force, the Sarawak Rangers, was formed by Rajah Charles to police and defend the expanding state. This small army also manned a series of forts around the country, performed ceremonial duties and acted as the Rajahs' personal guard.
Legacy
The coaling station of Brooketon in Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
was named after the Brooke family.
The architectural legacy of the dynasty can be seen in many of the country's nineteenth century and colonial heritage buildings. In Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
these include the Astana
The Astana, Sarawak
The Astana is a palace in Kuching, Sarawak, on the north bank of the Sarawak River, opposite the Kuching Waterfront. It is the official residence of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak, the Governor of Sarawak...
, or governor's residence, the Sarawak Museum, the Old Courthouse, Fort Margherita
Fort Margherita
Fort Margherita is an old fort built in 1879 by Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak situated in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. The fort is an important landmark and monument in Sarawak's history which goes back to the Brooke Dynasty. The fort, built in the style of an English castle, was designed to...
, the Square Fort, and Brooke Memorial. Several key buildings from the Brooke period have been demolished, such as the offices and warehouses of Borneo Company.
Modern Kuching still boasts many businesses and attractions which capitalise upon the era of the White Rajahs. The Brooke Dockyard, which was founded in the period of Rajah Charles, is still in operation, as is the original Sarawak Museum. The James Brooke Café and the Royalist, a pub
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
named after Rajah James Schooner, pay tribute to the Brookes.
Sarawak is notably different from peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
and even Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
in that its ethnic groups are more varied due to the large proportion of tribal peoples such as the Iban
Iban people
The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. In Malaysia, most Ibans are located in Sarawak, a small portion in Sabah and some in west Malaysia. They were formerly known during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks. Ibans were renowned for practising headhunting and...
and Dyaks. Chinese and Indian migration was encouraged at various times by the Brookes.
Heraldry and emblems
The heraldic arms of the Brooke dynasty were based on the emblem used by James Brooke, and consisted of a red and black cross on yellow shield, crested by a badgerBadger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
, known in heraldic parlance as a brock and hence alluding to the dynastic surname. A crown was added in 1949 and the shield design was used as the basis of the Sarawak flag until 1973. In 1988 the state flag reverted to these original colours.