James Brooke Arrives in Sarawak
In 1839, an English adventurer named James Brooke sailed to Sarawak aboard his ship, the Royalist. At that time, local people led by Datu Patinggi Ali were in revolt against heavy Brunei taxes. Brooke offered his help to Raja Muda Hashim, the Brunei prince in charge, and helped to crush the revolt.
Key idea
As a reward for his help, the Sultan of Brunei made James Brooke the Rajah of Sarawak in 1841. This began the rule of the Brooke family, known as the White Rajahs.
The Brooke Dynasty
Three members of the Brooke family ruled Sarawak in turn:
- James Brooke (1841–1868), the first Rajah.
- Charles Brooke (1868–1917), who greatly expanded the territory.
- Charles Vyner Brooke (1917–1946), the last White Rajah.
How Brooke Rule Expanded
From a small area around Kuching, the Brookes slowly took over more districts. They did this by helping Brunei put down revolts, by suppressing piracy, and by obtaining land ceded (handed over) by the Sultan of Brunei in return for yearly payments. Over about sixty years, Sarawak grew to cover most of the north-west of Borneo. Brooke rule lasted until 1946, when Sarawak became a British Crown Colony.