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.
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| Official languages | English, Malay, Chinese | |
| Capital | Kuching | |
| Political system | Limited Parliamentary system | |
| Form of government | Monarchy | |
| Area - Total | 124,450 km² | |
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:
- Sir James Brooke (1841–1868)
- Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke (1868–1917)
- Sir Charles Vyner Brooke (1917–1946)
-->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 and heir to the throne, the Rajah Muda Anthony Brooke, 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 subsequently assassinated in the resulting unrest.
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 1840's 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 succesors. 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.
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