James Brooke (29 April 1803 – 11 June 1868), was a British soldier and adventurer who founded the

Raj of Sarawak The Raj of Sarawak, Kingdom of Sarawak or State of Sarawak, was a kingdom founded in 1841 in northwestern Borneo and was in a Protectorate, treaty of protection with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom from 1888. It ...

Borneo Borneo () is the List of islands by area, third-largest island in the world, with an area of , and population of 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Situated at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, it is one of the Greater Sunda ...

. He ruled as the first

White Rajah The White Rajahs of Sarawak were a hereditary monarchy of the Brooke family, who founded and ruled the Raj of Sarawak as a sovereign state, located on the northwest coast of the island of Borneo in Maritime Southeast Asia, from 1841 to 1946. Of ...

of Sarawak from 1841 until his death in 1868. Brooke was born and raised in

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

during the rule of the British

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

. After a few years of education in England, he served in the

Bengal Army The Bengal Army was the army of the Bengal Presidency, one of the three presidencies of British India within the British Empire. The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company (EIC) until the Gover ...

, was wounded, and resigned his commission. He then bought a ship and sailed to the

Malay Archipelago The Malay Archipelago is the archipelago between Mainland Southeast Asia and Australia, and is also called Insulindia or the Indo-Australian Archipelago. The name was taken from the 19th-century European concept of a Malay race, later based ...

where, in gratitude for helping to crush a rebellion, he was rewarded by the

Sultan of Brunei The Sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state of Brunei and head of government in his capacity as prime minister of Brunei. Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates bac ...

with the position of governor of Sarawak. He then vigorously suppressed piracy in the region and, in the ensuing turmoil, restored the sultan to his throne, for which Brooke was made the

rajah Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The title has a long ...

of Sarawak. He ruled until his death. Brooke was not without detractors. He was criticised in the

British Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of ...

and officially investigated in

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

for his anti-piracy measures. He was, however, honoured and feted in London for his activities in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

. The naturalist

Alfred Russel Wallace Alfred Russel Wallace (8 January 1823 – 7 November 1913) was an English naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist, biologist and illustrator. He independently conceived the theory of evolution through natural selection; his 1858 pap ...

was one of many visitors whose published work spoke of Brooke's hospitality and achievements.

Early life

Brooke was born in

Bandel Bandel is a city in the Hooghly district of the Indian state of West Bengal. It was founded by Portuguese Empire, Portuguese settlers and falls under the jurisdiction of Chandernagore Police Commissionerate. It is a part of the area covered by ...

, near

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

Bengal Bengal ( ) is a Historical geography, historical geographical, ethnolinguistic and cultural term referring to a region in the Eastern South Asia, eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. The region of Benga ...

, but baptised in Secrole, a suburb of

Benares Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges, Ganges river in North India, northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hinduism, Hindu world.* * * * The city ...

. His father, Thomas Brooke, was an English judge in the Court of Appeal at

Bareilly Bareilly () is a city in Bareilly district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is among the largest metropolises in Western Uttar Pradesh and is the centre of the Bareilly division as well as the historical region of Rohilkhand. The city ...

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

. His mother, Anna Maria, was born in

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

and was the daughter of Scottish peer Colonel William Stuart, 9th

Lord Blantyre Lord Blantyre was a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The Scottish feudal barony of Blantyre was first documented in the 13th century. In 1606, it was elevated into the Peerage of Scotland for the politician Walter Stewart, who was thus made a ...

, and his mistress Harriott Teasdale. Brooke lived in India until he was sent to England at the age of 12 for a brief education at

Norwich School Norwich School (formally King Edward VI Grammar School, Norwich) is a private selective day school in the close of Norwich Cathedral, Norwich. Among the oldest schools in the United Kingdom, it has a traceable history to 1096 as an episcop ...

from which he ran away. Some home tutoring followed in

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

before he returned to India in 1819 as an

ensign Ensign most often refers to: * Ensign (flag), a flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality * Ensign (rank), a navy (and former army) officer rank Ensign or The Ensign may also refer to: Places * Ensign, Alberta, Alberta, Canada * Ensign, Ka ...

in the

of the British

. He saw action in

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

during the

First Anglo-Burmese War The First Anglo-Burmese War (; ; 5 March 1824 – 24 February 1826), also known as the First Burma War in English language accounts and First English Invasion War () in Burmese language accounts, was the first of three wars fought between the ...

until he was seriously wounded in 1825 and sent to England for recovery. In 1830, he arrived back in

Madras Chennai, also known as Madras ( its official name until 1996), is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state of India. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. According to the 2011 Indian ce ...

but was too late to rejoin his unit, and resigned his commission. He remained on the ship he had travelled out in, the '' Castle Huntley'', and returned home via China.

Sarawak

Brooke attempted to trade in the

Far East The Far East is the geographical region that encompasses the easternmost portion of the Asian continent, including North Asia, North, East Asia, East and Southeast Asia. South Asia is sometimes also included in the definition of the term. In mod ...

, but was not successful. In 1835, he inherited £30,000 (£3M or US$3.7M in 2022 currency), which he used as capital to purchase the ''

Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...

,'' a 142-ton

schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...

. Setting sail for

in 1838, he arrived in

Kuching Kuching ( , ), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak Ri ...

in August to find the settlement facing an uprising against the

. In

Sarawak Sarawak ( , ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. It is the largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is ...

he met the Sultan's uncle, Pengiran Muda Hashim, to whom he gave assistance in crushing the rebellion, winning the gratitude of Sultan

Omar Ali Saifuddin II Omar Ali Saifuddin II (died 18 November 1852) was the 23rd Sultan of Brunei from 1828 until his death in 1852. During his reign, Western powers such as the United Kingdom and the United States visited the country. His reign saw the British ad ...

of Brunei, who, in 1841, offered Brooke the governorship of Sarawak in return for his help. Rajah Brooke was successful in suppressing the widespread piracy in the region. However, some Malay nobles in Brunei, unhappy over Brooke's measures against piracy, arranged for the murder of Muda Hashim and his followers. Brooke, with assistance from a unit of Britain's

China Squadron The Commander-in-Chief, China, was the admiral in command of what was usually known as the China Station, at once both a British Royal Navy naval formation and its admiral in command. It was created in 1865 and deactivated in 1941. From 1831 to 1 ...

, took over Brunei and restored its sultan to the throne. In 1842, the Sultan ceded complete sovereignty of Sarawak to Brooke, who was granted the title of

Rajah of Sarawak The White Rajahs of Sarawak were a hereditary monarchy of the Brooke family, who founded and ruled the Raj of Sarawak as a sovereign state, located on the northwest coast of the island of Borneo in Maritime Southeast Asia, from 1841 to 1946. Of ...

on 24 September 1841, although the official declaration was not made until 18 August 1842. Brooke's cousin, Arthur Chichester Crookshank (1825–1891), joined his service on 1 March 1843 and was appointed as a magistrate.

Cession of Labuan to Great Britain

In 1844, Brooke began anti-pirate operations off north-east Sumatra with ships of the Royal Navy and the East India Company. On 12 February, at Murdu, he received a gunshot wound to his right arm and a spear cut to his eyebrow during the second engagement. Later in 1844, the Sultan offered to cede the island of

Labuan Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan (), is an island federal territory of Malaysia. It includes and six smaller islands off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capital is Victoria, which is best kno ...

to the British but terms were not discussed at that time. In November 1846, Captain Rodney Mundy was ordered to obtain the cession of Labuan. He negotiated the cession on 18 December 1846 and took possession of Labuan on 24 December 1846. James Brooke was appointed governor and commander-in-chief of

in 1848.

Reign

During his reign, Brooke began to cement his rule over Sarawak: reforming the administration, codifying laws and fighting piracy, which proved to be an ongoing problem throughout his rule. Brooke returned temporarily to England in 1847, where he was given the Freedom of the City of

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, appointed British

consul-general A consul is an official representative of a government who resides in a foreign country to assist and protect citizens of the consul's country, and to promote and facilitate commercial and diplomatic relations between the two countries. A consu ...

in Borneo, and created a

Knight Commander Knight Commander (or Dame Commander) is the second most senior grade of seven British orders of chivalry, three of which are dormant (and one of them continues as a German house order). The rank entails admission into knighthood, allowing the rec ...

of the

Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

(KCB). Brooke pacified the native peoples, including the

Dayaks The Dayak (; Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, older spelling: Dajak) or Dyak or Dayuh are the Indigenous groups, native groups of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic groups, located principally in the central ...

, and suppressed

headhunting Headhunting is the practice of hunting a human and collecting the severed head after killing the victim. More portable body parts (such as ear, nose, or scalp) can be taken as trophies, instead. Headhunting was practiced in historic times ...

and piracy. He had many Dayaks in his forces. Borneo and the Indian Archipelago

In 1851, Brooke was accused of using excessive force against the native people, under the guise of anti-piracy operations, leading to the appointment of a Commission of Inquiry in

in 1854. After an investigation, the commission dismissed the charges. Brooke wrote to

on leaving England in April 1853, "to assure Wallace that he would be very glad to see him at Sarawak." That invitation helped Wallace decide on the Malay Archipelago for his next expedition, an expedition that lasted for eight years and established him as one of the foremost Victorian intellectuals and naturalists of the time. When Wallace arrived in Singapore in September 1854, he found Rajah Brooke "reluctantly preparing to give evidence to the special commission set up to investigate his controversial anti-piracy activities." During his rule, Brooke suppressed an uprising by

Liu Shan Bang Liu Shan Bang () (1800 – February 24, 1857) was a Chinese gold miner in Bau, Sarawak. He was best known as the leader of the 1857 Chinese Uprising against the White Rajah James Brooke. History A Hakka born in Lufeng, Guangdong of the Qing d ...

in 1857, and managed to suppress threats from Sarawak warriors like Sharif Masahor and

Rentap Rentap (born Libau anak Ningkan; c. 1800–1863), also known as Libau Rentap, was a warrior and a recognized Iban hero in Sarawak (now a state of Malaysia) during the reign of the first White Rajah, James Brooke. His praisename, translates f ...

Personal life

James Brooke was "a great admirer" of the novels of

Jane Austen Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...

, and would "read them and re-read them", including aloud to his companions in Sarawak. Brooke was influenced by the success of previous British adventurers and the exploits of the

. His actions in Sarawak were directed at increasing and securing his own personal wealth, expanding the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

, and fighting

piracy Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...

and

slavery Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

. His own abilities, and those of his successors, provided Sarawak with modern infrastructure and resulted in both fame and notoriety. His appointment as rajah by the Sultan, and his subsequent knighthood, are evidence both of his shrewd negotiating and political skills, and his willingness to use violent force to suppress his opponents and achieve his goals. Among his alleged relationships was one with Badruddin, a Sarawak prince, of whom he wrote, "my love for him was deeper than anyone I knew." This phrase led to some considering him to be either homosexual or bisexual. Later, in 1848, Brooke is alleged to have formed a relationship with 16‑year‑old Charles T.C. Grant, grandson of the seventh

Earl of Elgin Earl of Elgin ( ) is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 1st Earl of Elgin, Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 Ju ...

, who supposedly reciprocated. Whether that relationship was merely a friendship or otherwise is not known. Nigel Barley, one of Brooke's recent biographers, wrote that during Brooke's final years in Burrator in Devon "there is little doubt ... he was carnally involved with the

rough trade Rough Trade may refer to: *Rough Trade (shops), London record stores *Rough Trade Records, a record label from the stores *Rough Trade Books, a publishing house from the label *Rough Trade (band), a Canadian new wave rock band * "Rough Trade" (''Am ...

Totnes Totnes ( or ) is a market town and civil parish at the head of the estuary of the River Dart in Devon, England, within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is about west of Paignton, about west-southwest of Torquay and ab ...

." However, Barley does not note from where he garnered that opinion. Others have suggested Brooke was instead "homo-social" and simply preferred the social company of other men, disagreeing with assertions he was a homosexual. Although Brooke died unmarried, he did acknowledge a son to his family in 1858. Neither the identity of the son's mother nor his birth date is clear. The son was brought up as Reuben George Walker in the Brighton household of Frances Walker (1841 and 1851 census, apparently born ). By 1858, he was aware of his connection to Brooke and, by 1871, he was recorded by the census as "George Brooke", age "40", in the parish of

Plumtree, Nottinghamshire Plumtree is a village and civil parish in the borough of Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 221, increasing to 246 at the 2011 census, and 259 at the 2021 census. It is situated 5 miles sout ...

, birthplace "Sarawak, Borneo". Rueben married Martha Elizabeth Mowbray on 10 July 1862, and had seven children, three of whom survived infancy. The oldest was named James. George died travelling to Australia, in the wrecking of the SS ''British Admiral'' on 23 May 1874. A memorial to this effect – giving a birthdate of 1834 – is in the churchyard at Plumtree. In a letter to the Foreign Office on 19 July 1915, Francis William Douglas (1874–1953), the Acting Resident for Brunei and Labuan from November 1913 to January 1915, stated that he heard from Pengiran Anak Hashima that Brooke had been married to her aunt Pengiran Fatima, the daughter of Pengiran Anak Abdul Kadir and also the granddaughter of Muhammad Kanzul Alam, the 21st Sultan of Brunei. Douglas went on to say that he had met Dr Ogilvie who told him that he had met a daughter of Rajah Brooke in 1866. She was married but "evidently had foreign blood in her." Rajah James Brooke

Succession, death and burial

Having no legitimate children, in 1861 he formally named his nephew, Captain

John Brooke Johnson Brooke John Brooke Johnson Brooke (born John Brooke Johnson, 1823 – 1 December 1868) was a soldier and Rajah Muda (heir apparent) of the Raj of Sarawak until disinherited in favour of his younger brother, Charles. He was born in South Stoke near B ...

, as his successor. Two years later, the Rajah reacted to criticism by returning to the East. After a brief meeting in Singapore, John was deposed and banished from Sarawak. James Brooke increased the charges against John to treasonous conduct and later named John's younger brother, Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke, as his successor. Brookes graves in Sheepstor

On 11 June 1868, Brooke died in Burrator,

Dartmoor Dartmoor is an upland area in southern Devon, South West England. The moorland and surrounding land has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Dartmoor National Park covers . The granite that forms the uplands dates from the Carb ...

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

, in south-west England, having suffered three strokes during his last ten years, and was buried at the graveyard of St Leonard's Church in

Sheepstor Sheepstor is a village, civil parish and former manor on the western side of Dartmoor in the county of Devon, England. In 2001, its population was 53, down from 95 in 1901. For administrative purposes the parish is grouped with the parishes of ...

In popular culture

Fictionalised accounts of Brooke's exploits in Sarawak include ''

Kalimantaan ''Kalimantaan'' is a novel by C. S. Godshalk offering a fictionalized account of the exploits of James Brooke in Sarawak on Borneo. The novel won the 1998 Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction. Plot introduction The novel uses of a variety ...

'' by C.S. Godshalk and ''The White Rajah'' by

Nicholas Monsarrat Lieutenant Commander Nicholas John Turney Monsarrat FRSL RNVR ( 22 March 19108 August 1979) was a British novelist known for his sea stories, particularly '' The Cruel Sea'' (1951) and ''Three Corvettes'' (1942–1945), but perhaps known be ...

. Another book, also called ''The White Rajah'', by Tom Williams, was published by JMS Books in 2010. Brooke is also featured in ''

Flashman's Lady ''Flashman's Lady'' is a 1977 novel by George MacDonald Fraser. It is the sixth of the Harry Paget Flashman, Flashman novels. Plot introduction Presented within the frame of the supposedly discovered historical Flashman Papers, this book descr ...

'', the sixth book in

George MacDonald Fraser George MacDonald Fraser (2 April 1925 – 2 January 2008) was a Scottish author and screenwriter. He is best known for a series of works that featured the character Harry Paget Flashman, Flashman. Over the course of his career he wrote eleven n ...

's meticulously researched ''

The Flashman Papers ''The Flashman Papers'' is a series of novels and short stories written by George MacDonald Fraser, the first of which was published in 1969. The books centre on the exploits of the fictional protagonist Harry Flashman. He is a cowardly Britis ...

'' novels. James Brooke was the main antagonist in the second and third novels of

Emilio Salgari Emilio Salgari (, but often erroneously ; 21 August 1862 – 25 April 1911) was an Italian writer of action adventure swashbucklers and a pioneer of science fiction. In Italy, his extensive body of work was more widely read than that of Dante ...

Sandokan Sandokan is a fictional late 19th-century pirate created by Italian people, Italian author Emilio Salgari. His adventures first appeared in publication in 1883. Sandokan is the hero of 11 adventure novels. Within the series, Sandokan is known ...

series. In the 1976 TV production he was played by

Adolfo Celi Adolfo Celi (; 27 July 1922 – 19 February 1986) was an Italian film actor and director. Born in Curcuraci, Messina, Sicily, Celi appeared in nearly 100 films, specialising in international villains. Although a prominent actor in Italian ...

. Brooke was also a model for the hero of

Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, ; 3 December 1857 – 3 August 1924) was a Poles in the United Kingdom#19th century, Polish-British novelist and story writer. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the Eng ...

's novel ''

Lord Jim ''Lord Jim'' is a novel by Joseph Conrad originally published as a serial in '' Blackwood's Magazine'' from October 1899 to November 1900. An early and primary event in the story is the abandonment of a passenger ship in distress by its crew, ...

'', and is briefly mentioned in

Rudyard Kipling Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English journalist, novelist, poet, and short-story writer. He was born in British Raj, British India, which inspired much ...

's short story "

The Man Who Would Be King "The Man Who Would Be King" (1888) is a story by Rudyard Kipling about two British adventurers in British India who become kings of Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan. The story was first published in '' The Phantom 'Rickshaw and Other T ...

Charles Kingsley Charles Kingsley (12 June 1819 – 23 January 1875) was a broad church priest of the Church of England, a university professor, social reformer, historian, novelist and poet. He is particularly associated with Christian socialism, the workin ...

dedicated the novel ''

Westward Ho! Westward Ho! is a seaside village near Bideford in Devon, England. The A39 road provides access from the towns of Barnstaple, Bideford, and Bude. It lies at the south end of Northam Burrows and faces westward into Bideford Bay, opposite Sau ...

'' (1855) to Brooke. In 1936,

Errol Flynn Errol Leslie Thomson Flynn (20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959) was an Australian and American actor who achieved worldwide fame during the Golden Age of Hollywood. He was known for his romantic swashbuckler roles, frequent partnerships with Oliv ...

intended to star in a film for

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

of Brooke's life, titled ''The White Rajah'', based on a script by Flynn himself. However, although the project was announced for filming, it was never made. In September 2016, a film based on Brooke's life was to be made in

with the support of Abang Abdul Rahman Johari of the

Government of Sarawak The Sarawak Government is an authority governing Sarawak, one of the States and federal territories of Malaysia, Borneo states of Malaysia, and is based in Kuching, the state capital. The state government adheres to and is created by both the C ...

, with writer

Rob Allyn Rob Allyn (born October 18, 1959) is a former political consultant to conservative politicians, turned film producer, screenwriter, media company owner and ''New York Times'' best-selling author. He is chairman and CEO of Margate House Films, ba ...

and

Sergei Bodrov Sergei Vladimirovich Bodrov ( rus, Серге́й Влади́мирович Бодро́в, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej bɐˈdrof; born 28 June 1948) is a Russian film director, screenwriter, and producer. In 2003 he was the president of the jury at the ...

as its director. The Brooke Heritage Trust, a non-profit organisation, was to serve as the film's technical advisors, with one of them being

Jason Brooke Jason Desmond Anthony Brooke FRAS (born 22 April 1985) is the grandson of the last Rajah Muda of Sarawak, Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke, and a prominent representative of the Brooke dynasty in Sarawak, modern-day Malaysia. Background Born i ...

, the current heir of the Brooke family. The film, titled '' Edge of the World'', directed by

Michael Haussman Michael Haussman is an American director, writer, and artist, living in Rome, Italy. Career Michael Haussman's music videos have won several awards, including six MTV Video Music Awards and a Museum of Modern Art Award. Past films include ...

, was released in 2021.

Honours and Arms

British Honours

* KCB:

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

, ''1848''

Arms

Source:

Legacy

Species named after Brooke

Some Bornean plant

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

were named in Brooke's honour: * ''Rhododendron brookeanum'', a flowering plant named by

Hugh Low Sir Hugh Low, (10 May 182418 April 1905) was a British colonial administrator and naturalist. After a long residence in various colonial roles in Labuan, he was appointed as British administrator in the Malay Peninsula where he made the first t ...

and

John Lindley John Lindley Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidology, orchidologist. Early years Born in Old Catton, Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four c ...

, now included in ''

Rhododendron javanicum ''Rhododendron javanicum'' is a rhododendron species native to Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This evergreen shrub grows to with bright orange flowers in spring. Plants may be terrestrial or epiphyte, epiphytic. Some forms from the Ph ...

'' * Rajah Brooke's pitcher plant (''

Nepenthes rajah ''Nepenthes rajah'' is a carnivorous plant, carnivorous pitcher plant species of the family (biology), family Nepenthes, Nepenthaceae. It is endemic (ecology), endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in Sabah, Malaysian Born ...

''), a

pitcher plant Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants known as pitfall traps—a prey-trapping mechanism featuring a deep cavity filled with digestive liquid. The traps of pitcher plant are considered to be "true" pitcher plants and are formed by specialized ...

named by

Joseph Dalton Hooker Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker (30 June 1817 – 10 December 1911) was a British botanist and explorer in the 19th century. He was a founder of geographical botany and Charles Darwin's closest friend. For 20 years he served as director of the Ro ...

also insects: * Rajah Brooke's birdwing (''

Trogonoptera brookiana ''Trogonoptera'' is a genus of birdwing butterflies from the rainforests of the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Natuna, Sumatra, Palawan, and various small islands west of Sumatra. Their large size and stunning colors makes them highly prized by ...

''), a butterfly named by Alfred R. Wallace * Rajah Brooke's stag beetle, ''Lucanus brookeanus'' Snellen Van Vollenhoven, 1861 = ''

Odontolabis ''Odontolabis'' is a genus of beetles belonging to the family Lucanidae. Description The species of the genus Odontolabis are large (males up to 9 cm), oblong and shiny. Usually males have more or less enlarged head and jaws. The head and the pr ...

brookeana'', collected by Alfred R. Wallace three species of reptiles: * Brooke's house gecko, ''

Hemidactylus brookii ''Hemidactylus brookii'', also known commonly as Brooke's house gecko and the spotted house gecko, is a widespread species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. Etymology The specific name, ''brookii'', is in honor of British adventurer James Bro ...

'' * Brooke's sea snake, ''

Hydrophis brooki ''Hydrophis brookii'' is a species of venomous sea snake in the subfamily Hydrophiinae of the family Elapidae. The species is native to bodies of water in Southeast Asia. Etymology The specific name, ''brookii'', is in honor of British advent ...

i'' * Brooke's keeled skink, ''

Tropidophorus brookei ''Tropidophorus brookei'', also known commonly as Brook's keeled skink and Brooke's keeled skink, is a species of lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to the island of Borneo. Etymology The specific name, ''brookei'', is in ...

'' and a snail: * ''Bertia (Ryssota) brookei'' (Adams & Reeve, 1848)

Places named after Brooke

In 1857, the native village of Newash in

Grey County Grey County is a county in the province of Ontario. The county is located in the Southwestern Ontario region, and is a part of the Georgian Triangle. At the time of the 2021 Canadian census the population of the county was 100,905. Owen Sound is ...

, Ontario, Canada, was renamed Brooke and the adjacent township was named Sarawak by William Coutts Keppel (known as Viscount Bury, later the 7th Earl of Albemarle) who was Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Canada. James Brooke was a close friend of Viscount Bury's uncle,

Henry Keppel Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Keppel, (14 June 1809 – 17 January 1904) was a Royal Navy officer. His first command was largely spent off the coast of Spain, which was then in the midst of the First Carlist War. As commanding officer of the co ...

having met in 1843 while fighting pirates off the coast of Borneo.Jacob, Gertrude L. ''The Raja of Saráwak: An Account of Sir James Brooke''. London: Macmillan, 1876, vol. 1, ch. XIII. Townships to the northwest of Sarawak were named Keppel and Albemarle. In 2001, Sarawak and Keppel became part of the township of

Georgian Bluffs Georgian Bluffs is a township (Canada), township in southwestern Ontario, Canada, in Grey County located between Colpoy's Bay, Ontario, Colpoy's Bay and Owen Sound on Georgian Bay. The township was incorporated on January 1, 2001, by amalgamatin ...

; Albemarle joined the town of South Bruce Peninsula in 1999. Keppel-Sarawak School is located in

Owen Sound Owen Sound (2021 Canadian Census, 2021 Census population 21,612) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. The county seat, seat of government of Grey County, it is located at the mouths of the Pottawatomi River, Pottawatomi and Sydenham River ...

, Ontario.

Brooke's Point Brooke's Point, officially the Municipality of Brooke's Point (), is a municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 73,994 people. The Pearl of Lao Tzu, formerly considered the wo ...

, a major municipality on the island of

Palawan Palawan (, ), officially the Province of Palawan (; ), is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is located in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of . The capital and largest c ...

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, is named after him. Both Brooke's Lighthouse and Brooke's Port are historical landmarks in Brooke's Point and are believed to have been constructed by James Brooke. Today, owing to erosion and the constant movement of the tides, only a few stones can still be seen at the Port. The remnants of the original lighthouse tower are still visible, although the area now has a new lighthouse.

Notes

:a.The term ''

Rajah Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. The title has a long ...

'' reflects traditional usage in Sarawak and English writing, although ''

Raja Raja (; from , IAST ') is a noble or royal Sanskrit title historically used by some Indian subcontinent, Indian rulers and monarchs and highest-ranking nobles. The title was historically used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. T ...

'' may be better orthography in Malay.

References

Sources

* Barley, Nigel (2002), ''White Rajah'', Time Warner: London. . * Cavendish, Richard, "Birth of Sir James Brooke", ''History Today''. April 2003, Vol. 53, Issue 4. * Doering, Jonathan
"The Enigmatic Sir James Brooke."
''Contemporary Review'', July 2003. (Book review of ''White Rajah'' by Nigel Barley. Little, Brown. .) * Jacob, Gertrude Le Grand
''The Raja of Saráwak: An Account of Sir James Brooks. K.C.B., LL.D., Given Chiefly Through Letters and Journals''
London: MacMillan, 1876. * Rutter, Owen (ed) ''Rajah Brooke &

Baroness Burdett Coutts Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts ( Burdett; 21 April 1814 – 30 December 1906) was a British philanthropist, the daughter of Sir Francis Burdett, 5th Baronet and Sophia, formerly Coutts, daughter of banker Thomas Co ...

. Consisting of the letters from Sir James Brooke to Miss Angela, afterwards Baroness, Burdett Coutts'' 1935. * Wason, Charles William. ''The Annual Register: A Review of Public Events at Home and Abroad for the Year 1868.'' London: Rivingtons, Waterloo Place, 1869
pp. 162–163