Foundation and early years , the founder of the Raj The Raj was founded by
James Brooke, an English former soldier and adventurer who arrived at the banks of the
Sarawak River and berthed his
schooner there in 1839. After having served in the
First Anglo-Burmese War, where he was severely wounded in battle, Brooke returned to
England in 1825 to recover from his injury. Despite his attempts to return to service, he was unable to return to his station in
India before his temporary leave from the service expired. Overstaying his
furlough resulted in his position in the military being forfeited, but he was awarded a
pension by the government for his service. He continued on from India and went to
China to improve his health. On his way to China in 1830, he saw the islands of the
Asiatic Archipelago, still generally unknown to Europeans. He returned to England and made an abortive trading journey to China in the
brig Findlay before his father died in 1835. Inspired by the adventure stories regarding the success of the
East India Company (EIC) where his father had been serving, and especially by the efforts of
Stamford Raffles to expand the company influence in the Asiatic Archipelago, he purchased a schooner named
Royalist using the
£30,000 left to him by his father. He recruited a crew for the schooner, training in the
Mediterranean Sea in late 1836, before beginning their sail to the
Far East on 27 October 1838. By July 1839, he reached
Singapore and came across some British sailors who had been shipwrecked and helped by
Pengiran Raja Muda Hashim, the uncle of Sultan
Omar Ali Saifuddin II of
Brunei. Brooke originally planned to sail to
Marudu Bay in northwestern
Borneo, but the British Governor-General in Singapore asked him to thank Raja Muda Hashim in southwestern Borneo. He sailed to the western coast of the island the following month, and on 14 August 1839 berthed his schooner on the banks of the Sarawak River and met Hashim to deliver the message. The Raja told Brooke that his presence in the area was to control a rebellion against the Sultanate of Brunei caused by the oppressive policies of
Pengiran Indera Mahkota, a kinsman of the Sultan. Mahkota had earlier been dispatched by the Sultan to monopolise the
antimony in the area; which as a result directly affected the income of the local
Malays there amid growing frustration from the indigenous
Land Dayak, who had been forced to work in the mines for about 10 years. It has also been alleged that the rebellion against Brunei was aided by the neighbouring
Sultanate of Sambas and the government of the
Dutch East Indies, who wanted to establish economic rights over the antimony. Due to these disturbances Brooke had limited access to explore the country, but he managed to explore up the Samarrahan River and spent some time at Rumah Jugah's
longhouse at Lundu. On 2 October 1839 he returned to Singapore. Brooke then spent another six months cruising along the coasts of the
Celebes Islands before returning to Sarawak on 29 August 1840.
Establishment , who subsequently became Brooke followers and most loyal to the raj along with the local
Malays of SarawakWhen he returned to Sarawak, the rebellion against Brunei's rule was still ongoing and Hashim asked Brooke to help. Brooke joined Mahkota's forces at Leda Tanah on 18 October 1840. By 20 December 1840 the rebels offered to surrender to Brooke provided they should not be put to death. Hashim initially refused to pardon them and wanted to execute them all, but was convinced by Brooke to forgive them, as Brooke had taken the major part in their suppression. "Hassim agreed to spare the insurgents’ lives and took the wives and children of the insurgency's leaders as hostages. Of the leaders themselves, Datu Patinggi Abdul Gapur and Datu Tumanggong Mersal withdrew to the protection of Sambas, while
Datu Patinggi Ali found refuge among the Malays at Sarikei." In exchange for Brooke's support, Muda Hashim had promised Brooke the country of
Siniawan and Sarawak, and its government and trade. On 14 February 1841, Brooke received papers declaring him "resident at Sarawak," which granted him the permission to live in the province, and "to seek profit by trade". Brooke left the next day in the
Royalist for Singapore, only to return to Sarawak in May 1841 with a second boat: the
Swift, filled with British manufactured goods to trade with Muda Hashim. Brooke was disappointed upon his return that the house Hashim had promised to build for him was not ready, and the antimony he wanted in trade for the manufactured goods had not yet been worked. Furthermore, Hashim began questioning giving the territory to Brooke, which was fanned by Mahkota, who had been deprived of his power in the area in favour of Brooke. This led Hashim to constantly delay the recognition of
concession which frustrated Brooke. "Brooke’s estrangement from Hassim provided the Sarawak Malay datus with opportunities to re-establish their positions. They sent a delegation to Brooke led by Datu Tumanggong Mersal and Datu Patinggi Ali’s son, "to request him to become their Rajah, offering to support him by force of arms." On 23 September 1841, Brooke, with the
Royalist fully armed, went ashore to Hashim's audience chamber and called on him to negotiate. With little choice, and putting the blame mainly on Mahkota, Hashim granted Sarawak to Brooke on 24 September 1841. Brooke issued new laws for the territory banning
slavery,
headhunting and
piracy; and by July 1842, his appointment was confirmed by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II. From 1843, Brooke actively suppressed piracy on the coasts of western and northern Borneo together with Captain
Henry Keppel in . After talks with Serib Sahib, who controlled the Sadong River, Keppel and Brooke's native forces attacked three rivers in the Saribas; the Padi, Paku and Rimbas. After which, Keppel was called away on orders, but returned in August 1844 along with EIC steamer
Phlegethon. By this time Serib Sahib had abandoned the Sadong and retreated to Patusan. Keppel and Brooke's native forces once again overwhelmed all opposition in Patusan and the Undop, but were ambushed by the
Sea Dayak on the river Skrang at Karangan Peris, resulting in the death of Datu Patinggi Ali. Shortly after this punitive expedition Brooke heard that Mahkota, the former administrator of the Kuching area, had taken shelter at the Lingga, and managed to capture him and send him back to Brunei.
Relationship to Brunei To prevent any further dispute with Brunei, Brooke hoped to reform the sultanate's administration and establish a pro-British government through Hashim and his brother Pengiran Badruddin. In October 1844, Brooke and Captain Sir
Edward Belcher returned the two brothers to Brunei in and the EIC steamer
Phlegethon. The vessels anchored at the Sultan's audience chamber, demanding Pengiran Yusof's position as
Bendahara be replaced by Hashim and asking the Sultan to pledge to suppress piracy in his dominions and to transfer ownership of the island of
Labuan to the British (although the British government had not asked for this). The status of Brooke as a Rajah and consul for the British at the time was also controversial as he was not recognised by the British government to represent British subjects. Indirectly, Brooke had become involved in an internal dynastic dispute of Brunei. In August 1845, Rear-Admiral
Thomas Cochrane arrived at Brunei with a squadron of six to eight ships to release two
Lascar seamen who were believed to be hidden there. Badruddin accused Yusof of being involved in the
slave trade due to his close relations with a notable pirate leader, Sharif Usman, in Marudu Bay and the
Sultanate of Sulu. Denying the allegation, Yusof refused to meet with Cochrane and escaped after Cochrane threatened him with force before regaining his own force in Brunei's capital. Cochrane sailed to Marudu Bay in pursuit of Usman while Badruddin defeated Yusof. Hashim established a rightful position in
Brunei Town to become the next sultan after defeating the pirates led by Yusof, who fled to
Kimanis in northern Borneo, where he was executed. Yusof was the Sultan's favourite noble, and Hashim's victory reduced the Sultan's son's chances of becoming the next leader. After his capture in Sarawak in 1844, Mahkota became the Sultan's adviser in Yusof's absence. He prevailed on the Sultan to order the execution of Hashim, whose presence had become unwelcome to the royal family, especially due to his close ties with Brooke that were favourable to English policy. An adventurer named Haji Saman, who was connected to Yusof, also played upon the Sultan's fear that Hashim would take his throne. repelling an attack from the forts of Borneo Proper on 8 July 1846 By the Sultan's order, Hashim, Badruddin, and their family were assassinated in 1846. One of Badruddin's slaves, Japar, survived the attack and intercepted , which brought him to Sarawak to inform Brooke. Enraged by the news, Brooke organised an expedition to avenge Hashim's death with the aid of Cochrane from the Royal Navy with
Phlegethon. On 6 July 1846, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II complained in a letter about the discourtesy of HMS
Hazard and invited Cochrane to ascend the capital of Brunei with two boats. On 8 July, HEICS
Phlegethon, HMS
Spiteful and moved upriver, where they were fired on from every position with slight damage. Mahkota and the Sultan retreated upriver while most of the population fled upon their arrival at Brunei's capital, leaving the brother of the Sultan's son, Pengiran Muhammad, who was badly wounded, and Pengiran
Mumin, an opponent of the Sultan's son who despised his royal family's decision to be involved in conflict with the British. The British destroyed the town forts and invited the population to return with no harm to be done to them while the Sultan hid in the jungle. Another expedition was sent to the interior but failed to find the Sultan. Brooke remained in Brunei with Captain
Rodney Mundy and along with the
Phlegethon and HMS
Hazard while the main expedition continued their mission to suppress piracy in northern Borneo. ,
Papar and Kallas attack Haji Saman's house and battery - 16 August 1846 Upon finding that Haji Saman was living in Membakut and involved in the plotting that caused Hashim's death, HEICS
Phlegethon and HMS
Iris sailed there, destroyed Haji Saman's house, and captured Membakut, though Saman escaped. Brooke returned again to Brunei and finally persuaded the Sultan to return to the capital, where he wrote a letter of apology to
Queen Victoria for the killings of Hashim, his brother and their family. Through his confession, the Sultan recognised Brooke's authority over Sarawak and mining rights throughout the territory without requiring him to pay any tribute, and granted the island of
Labuan to the British. Brooke departed Brunei and left Mumin and Mundy in charge to keep the Sultan in line until the British government made a final decision to acquire the island. Following the ratification agreement of the transfer of Labuan to the British, the Sultan agreed to allow British forces to suppress all piracy along the coast of Borneo.
Later years red and black" In 1847, acting as HM Commissioner and British Consul to the Sultan and Independent Chiefs of Borneo, Brooke negotiated the Treaty of Friendship and Commerce. One of its articles prevented the sultanate from engaging in any concession treaty with other foreign powers, especially after the visit of in 1845. But the
United States at the time had no intention to establish any
solid presence in Asia and the Pacific. By 1850, the US recognised Brooke's raj as an independent state. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II died in 1852 and was succeeded by Mumin, a success in Brooke's efforts to establish a pro-British government in Brunei. In 1852, the new Sultan ceded the
Saribas and Skrang districts, which later became the Second Division, to Brooke due to conflict with pirates. Three major rebellions led by
Rentap (1853),
Liu Shan Bang (1857) and
Syarif Masahor (1860) shook the Rajah's administration. Together with the stagnant economic conditions, the rebellions put Brooke into severe debt. He was driven to plan to cede Sarawak to the British to settle his debt; some of Britain's
members of parliament and businessmen supported the idea, but Prime Minister
Lord Derby rejected it, fearing that introducing a British taxation system would shock the population more than exercising their own system under the Rajahs. There was also concern about its financial viability and probable drain on the
Exchequer. Brooke then thought to sell his kingdom to
Belgium,
France,
Russia, Brunei again, or to other European powers rather than to the neighbouring Dutch, who were ready to retake Sarawak. Brooke's intention had already been decried by neighbouring British governors such as Labuan Governor
Hennessy, who, while respecting the Rajah, considered Sarawak a mere
vassal state of Brunei. Before the ongoing piracy suppression, a
major battle with the
Illanuns of the
Moro pirates from the southern
Philippines occurred in November 1862. In 1864, the United Kingdom appointed a Consul to Sarawak and recognised the Raj. British warships saluted the Raj's flag with
21 guns while entering Kuching as a sign of recognition. The
Netherlands refused recognition. Brooke then expanded his Raj into territory of Brunei. In 1861, he acquired the
Rajang River basin, which subsequently became the Third Division. The expansion continued after his death in 1868, when he was succeeded by his nephew,
Charles Brooke. towards northern Sarawak and Brunei was also assisted by Brooke's administration, turning Iban from a regional tribe from
Kapuas Hulu in the 1750s to become one of the major ethnic groups in modern-day Sarawak Under Charles' administration, Sarawak's economy grew rapidly, especially with the discovery of
oil, introduction of
rubber, and construction of public infrastructure as his main priorities to stabilise the economy and reduce government debt. He encouraged the migration of
Chinese, especially in
agricultural sectors, where most of them settled around
Kuching (mainly
Hokkien and
Teochew),
Sibu (mainly
Fuzhou) and
Sri Aman (mainly Teochew). Charles was trusted and respected for his fairness and strict order, though he was not as popular among the local Malays as his uncle, while being a close friend to the
Dayak. Sarawak prospered under his rule and he sought no
protection from any European power other than Britain. Requests for protection from the British were rejected in 1869 and 1879, but Charles persisted, and secured Protected State status from them on 14 June 1888. He ruled Sarawak until his death in 1917 and was succeeded by his son,
Charles Vyner Brooke.
World War II and decline oil refinery and storage facilities destroyed by the British in anticipation of Japanese invasion After
World War I, the
Empire of Japan began to expand its range in Asia and the Pacific. Vyner was aware of the growing threat and began to institute reforms. Under the treaty of protection, Britain was responsible for Sarawak's defence but could do little, most of its forces having been deployed to the war in Europe against
Germany and the
Kingdom of Italy. The defence of Sarawak depended on a single Indian infantry battalion, the 2/15
Punjab Regiment, together with the local forces of Sarawak and Brunei. As Sarawak had several oil refineries in
Miri and
Lutong, the British feared that they would fall to the Japanese and thus instructed the infantry to carry out a
scorched earth policy. (AIF) on board in Kuching on 11 September 1945 On 16 December 1941, a
Japanese navy detachment on arrived at Miri from
Cam Ranh Bay in
French Indochina. The Japanese then launched an air attack on
Kuching on 19 December, bombing parts of the town's airfield while machine-gunning people in the streets. The attack created panic and sent residents fleeing to rural areas. The Dutch submarine took down the Japanese from Miri but, with the arrival of the and other ships, the Japanese secured the town on 24 December. On 7 January 1942, Japanese troops in Sarawak crossed the border of Dutch Borneo and proceeded to neighbouring
North Borneo. The 2/15 Punjab Regiment withdrew to Dutch Borneo and surrendered on 9 March after
most of the Allies had surrendered in
Java. A steamship of Sarawak, the , was sunk while evacuating nurses and wounded servicemen in the aftermath of the
fall of Singapore. Most of its surviving crew were
massacred on
Bangka Island. (POW) compound in Kuching, 12 September 1945 Lacking air protection, Sarawak and the rest of the island fell to the Japanese and Vyner took sanctuary in
Australia. Many of the British and Australian soldiers captured after the
fall of Malaya and Singapore were brought to Borneo and held as
prisoners of war in
Batu Lintang camp in Sarawak and
Sandakan camp in North Borneo. The Japanese military authorities placed the southern part of Borneo under the navy while its
army managed the north. As part of the
Allied Campaign to retake their possessions in the East, Allied forces were sent to Borneo in the
Borneo Campaign and liberated the island. The
Australian Imperial Force (AIF) played a significant role in the mission. The Allies'
Z Special Unit provided intelligence that facilitated the AIF landings. Most of Sarawak's major towns were bombed during this period. The war ended on 15 August 1945 when the
Japanese surrendered, and the
British Military Administration began administering Sarawak in September. Vyner returned to administer Sarawak but ceded it to the British government as a
Crown colony on 1 July 1946 due to a lack of resources to finance reconstruction. == Government ==