The White Rajah documents a fascinating time in Sarawak made possible by high integrity of three generations of Brooke men.

The story of the Brooke dynasty, James, Charles, and Vyner, Rajahs of Sarawak for over a hundred years.

Geographical and geological description—Its jungles—Natural history—Races of men in Sarawak—Census—Area—Climate Early Chinese and Hindu-Javanese influence, and settlements—Rise of the Malays—Their sultanates in Borneo—European intercourse with Northern Borneo from 1521-1803—Decline of Bruni—Earliest records of Sarawak—English and Dutch in the Malayan Archipelago and Southern Borneo from 1595—Trade monopolies an impulse to piracy—How the Sea-Dayaks became pirates—Cession of Bruni territory to Sulu—Transferred to the East India Company—Events in Bruni that led to Rajah Muda Hasim becoming Regent—His transfer to Sarawak—Oppression and depopulation of the Land-Dayaks—Condition of North-West Borneo in 1839—List of the Sultans of Bruni Early life of James Brooke—First visit to Sarawak—Condition of the country—Dutch trading regulations—Brooke offered the Raj-ship—He suppresses the insurrection—The intrigues of Pangiran Makota, and the shuffling of the Rajah Muda—A crisis: Brooke invested as Rajah—Makota dismissed—Sarawak and other provinces—The Sherips—Condition of the country—The Datus—Laws promulgated—Redress of wrongs—Measures taken to check the Sekrang and Saribas pirates—Sherip Sahap receives a lesson—Brooke visits Bruni—Bruni and its court—Cession of Sarawak to Brooke confirmed—Installation at Kuching—Makota's discomfiture, and banishment—Reforms introduced—Suppression of piracy and head-hunting—Captain the Honourable H. Keppel induced to co-operate A general account of the pirates—Cruise of the Dido—Brushes with the pirates—Expedition against the Saribas—The Rajah visits Bruni—Sir Edward Belcher's mission—The Rajah joins a naval expedition against Sumatran pirates—Is wounded—Dido returns to Sarawak—The Batang Lupar expedition—Sarawak offered to the British crown—The Rajah's difficult position—Return of Rajah Muda Hasim to Bruni—The Rajah appointed H.M.

No Marketing Blurb

The Sultan of Brunei gave the title of Rajah and sovereignty of Sarawak, a province of Borneo, to James Brooke in 1841 as a reward for helping to peacefully resolve an uprising in the region. Brooke established his reign over the area, and two further Brooke descendants ruled Sarawak as a British protectorate for the next hundred years until Japanese occupation during World War II followed by cession to Britain. Between the three Rajahs they expanded Sarawak territory, successfully squashed piracy and put in place a structured government and justice system that brought harmony to a diverse multicultural society that had long been in turmoil from clashing cultures, particularly with the widespread practice of headhunting. Published first in 1960 as Sarawak ceded to Malaysia, The White Rajah documents this unique and fascinating time made possible by the 'human sympathy, selflessness and a high integrity' of three generations of Brooke men.