White Rajahs

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The White Rajahs refer to a dynasty that founded and ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946. A Rajah (or Raja) is a king or princely ruler in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The coaling station of Brooketon in Brunei was named after the Brooke family.

The Kingdom of Sarawak

Official languages	English, Malay, Chinese
Capital	Kuching
Political system	Limited Parliamentary system
Form of government	Monarchy
Area  - Total	124,450 km²

Contents 1 History 1.1 Paternalist rule 1.2 Invasion 1.3 Cession to the United Kingdom 2 System of government 3 Heraldry and emblems 4 Architectural legacy 5 Cultural legacy 6 Select bibliography 7 External links

[edit] History

Sarawak was part of the realm of Brunei until James Brooke, who was to become the first White Rajah, received a sizable chunk of land from the Bruneian Sultan. Throughout the first two Brookes' rule, Sarawak's size increased tremendously as more territory was leased or annexed from Brunei. There were three White Rajahs:

1. Sir James Brooke (1841–1868)
2. Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke (1868–1917)
3. Sir Charles Vyner Brooke (1917–1946)

[edit] Paternalist rule

By and large the Brookes pursued a policy of paternalism, aimed at protecting the 'native peoples' from capitalist exploitation but also 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, forts and 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.

[edit] Invasion

Main article: Battle of Borneo (1941-42)

During the Second World War, Sarawak, as a British protectorate, was brought into the war against Germany. However, as in the First World War, Sarawak had little direct involvement with the conflict aside from providing war materials. However resources for the defence of Sarawak, which was known to be a strategically important goal in the event of an expected Japanese attack, were not available because they were all needed for the defence of the home country. When the Pacific War began in December 1941, Sarawak was brought into the war against Japan on the side of the Allies as part of the British Empire. Sarawak depended upon British protection as she had very limited armed forces, although the Sarawak Rangers were mobilised. In the late 1930s, an air field was constructed near Kuching which could be used as a base for the Royal Air Force in the event of war with Japan, however this proved to be of little use due to the lack of British aircraft available in the Far East. A detachment of Indian Army infantry (2/15th Punjabi regiment) and some anti-aircraft guns were dispatched to Sarawak to support the Sarawak Rangers, however Sarawak was quickly overrun due to the lack of adequate protection. Rajah Vyner was visiting Australia during the time of invasion and was unable to return to Sarawak until its liberation in 1945, despite his attempts to return and launch commando raids to fight the Japanese in the jungle. Sarawak's small merchant marine was used by the British in the Far Eastern campaign, with the sinking of the SS Vyner Brooke resulting in the infamous Banka Island massacre. A government in exile was formed, although it proved ineffectual due to the lack of contact with Sarawak. Sarawak, along with the rest of Borneo, was liberated by the Australian Army in 1945.

[edit] Cession to the United Kingdom

After the Second World War, Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to the Colonial Office for a sizeable pension for him and his three daughters. Charles' nephew, Anthony Brooke, who as designated heir bore the title of Rajah Muda, initially opposed cession to the Crown along with a majority of the native members of the Council Negri, or parliament, and 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.

This article is part of the History of Malaysia series
Prehistoric Malaysia (60,000–2,000 BCE)
Gangga Negara (2nd–11th century CE)
Langkasuka (2nd–14th century)
Pan Pan (3rd–5th century)
Srivijaya (3rd century–1400)
Kedah Sultanate (1136–present)
Malacca Sultanate (1402–1511)
Sulu Sultanate (1450–1899)
Johor Sultanate (1528–current)
Jementah Civil War (1879)
White Rajahs (1841–1946)
British Malaya (1874–1946)
Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824
Burney Treaty (1826)
Straits Settlements (1826–1946)
Larut War (1861–1874)
Klang War (1867–1874)
Pangkor Treaty of 1874
Federated Malay States (1895–1946)
Unfederated Malay States (19th century–1946)
Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909
Battle of Penang (1914)
North Borneo (1882–1963)
Mat Salleh Rebellion (1896–1900)
World War II (1941–1945)
Battle of Malaya (1941–42)
Parit Sulong Massacre (1942)
Battle of Singapore (1942)
Syburi (1942–1945)
Battle of North Borneo (1945)
Sandakan Death Marches (1945)
Malayan Union (1946–1948)
Federation of Malaya (1948–1963)
Malayan Emergency (1948–1960)
Bukit Kepong Incident (1950)
Independence Day (1957)
Federation of Malaysia (1963–present)
Operation Coldstore (1963)
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation (1962–1966)
Brunei Revolt (1962–1966)
Singapore in Malaysia (1963–1965)
1964 Race Riots (1964)
Communist Insurgency War (1967-1989)
May 13 Incident (1969)
New Economic Policy (1971–1990)
Operation Lalang (1987)
1988 Malaysian constitutional crisis (1987–88)
Asian financial crisis (1997–98)
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[edit] System of government

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 creating a civil service known as The Sarawak Service which recruited European, 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 also 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. The Borneo Company was also to provide military support to the Brookes during events such as the Chinese Rebellion when one of the company Steamers, The Sir James Brooke was used to assist in the recapture of 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.

[edit] 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 beaver. A crown was added in 1949 and the shield design was used as the basis of the Sarawak flag until 1973. In 1988 the current state flag reverted to these original colours.

[edit] Architectural legacy

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 Old Sarawak Museum, Fort Margherita, the Square Fort, the Old Courthouse and Brooke Memorial. Several key buildings from the Brooke period were demolished, such as the offices and warehouses of The Borneo Company.

[edit] Cultural legacy

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. However, 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.

[edit] Select bibliography

• Runciman S, The White Rajahs: A History of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946, Cambridge University Press, 1960
• Ranee Margaret Brooke, My Life in Sarawak, 1913.
• Sylvia, Lady Brooke, Queen of the Headhunters, 1970.
• R.H.W. Reece, The Name of Brooke: The End of White Rajah Rule in Sarawak, 1993.

[edit] External links

• A Sarawak Royal Interest Homepage
• Review of Robert Reece's book 'The Name of Brooke' from Sarawak Literary Society 1993

Protectorates and Crown Colonies of British Malaya and Borneo (19th century-1984)
Malaya: The Straits Settlements (1826-1946) | The Federated Malay States (1895-1946) | The Unfederated Malay States (19th century-1946) Borneo: Sultanate of Brunei (1888-1984) | Kingdom of Sarawak (1841-1941) | British North Borneo (1882-1963)