Rulers
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 rule of the first two Brookes, Sarawak's size increased tremendously as more territory was leased or annexed from Brunei. There were three White Rajahs:
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Death | Marriages | Succession right | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James of Sarawak (1841–1868) |
29 April 1803 | 11 June 1868 | officially unmarried and without legitimate issue | granted Sarawak and the title Rajah by the Sultan of Brunei | ||
| Charles of Sarawak (1868–1917) |
3 June 1829 | 17 May 1917 | Margaret Alice Lili de Windt, with whom he had six children, three surviving infancy | His uncle James named Charles as his successor | ||
| Vyner of Sarawak (1917–1946) |
26 September 1874 | 9 May 1963 | Sylvia Brett, with whom he had three daughters | son of the preceding |
All three were educated in England and are buried there at Sheepstor Church.
By and large the Brookes pursued a policy of paternalism, aimed at protecting the 'native peoples' from 'capitalist exploitation,' and as a result preventing the same levels of development which were evident in some other parts of the British Empire. While James laid much of the groundwork for the expansion of Sarawak, it was his nephew Charles who was the great builder, both in terms of public buildings such as forts and also in extending the borders of the state. While the manner of his departure was controversial, Vyner nonetheless instituted significant political reforms, including ending the absolute rule of the Rajah in 1941 ahead of the Japanese invasion by granting new powers to the Council Negeri (the parliament).
Read more about this topic: White Rajahs
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