Kingdom of Sarawak

Kingdom of Sarawak
Independent kingdom (to 1888), Protectorate of the United Kingdom
1841–1946
Flag Coat of arms
Motto Dum Spiro Spero (English: While I breathe , I hope) (Malay: Berharap Selagi Bernafas)
Anthem Gone Forth Beyond the Sea
Capital		Kuching
Languages		English, Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh, Sarawak Malay, Chinese etc.
Government		Monarchy
White Rajah
•	1841–1868	James Brooke
•	1868–1917	Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke
•	1917–1946	Charles Vyner Brooke
Legislature		Council Negri
Historical era		Brooke Raj
•	Independence	24 September 1841
•	Protectorate	14 June 1888
•	Ceded as British Colony	30 June 1946
Area		124,450 km² (48,050 sq mi)
Currency		Sarawak dollar
Preceded by Succeeded by Bruneian Empire Japanese occupation of British Borneo Japanese occupation of British Borneo British Military Administration (Borneo)
Today part of		Malaysia

The Kingdom of Sarawak was a state in Borneo established in 1841 by James Brooke receiving independent kingdom status from the Sultanate of Brunei as a reward for helping fight piracy and insurgency. Its statehood and identity as a sovereign country was first recognised by the United States in 1850 and then the United Kingdom in 1863. In 1888 Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke, the successor of James Brooke, accepted a British protectorate, which it remained until 1946, when the third ruler Charles Vyner Brooke ceded his rights to the United Kingdom. Sarawak gained self-government from the British on 22 July 1963 and formed the Federation of Malaysia together with Singapore, North Borneo and the Federation of Malaya on 16 September 1963. However, it never restore its full independence and sovereignty as enjoyed during the rule of the White Rajahs.

Sarawak was part of the Sultanate of Brunei in Borneo. During the reign of Pangeran Indera Mahkota, Sarawak was in chaos from piracy and insurgency. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1827–1852) the Sultan of Brunei, ordered Pengiran Muda Hashim in 1839 to restore order and it was during this time that James Brooke visited Sarawak. Pangeran Muda Hashim initially requested assistance but James Brooke refused. Brooke was by then an independent adventurer with his own ship having left military employment in India after recovering from serious battle injuries. In 1841, James Brooke paid another visit to Sarawak and this time he agreed to assist Pangeran Muda Hashim. The success in defeating the pirates and insurgents led to the signing of a treaty in 1841 ceding as a reward Sarawak and Serian to James Brooke. Thereafter, on 24 September 1841, Pangeran Muda Hashim bestowed the title Rajah on James Brooke. He effectively became the Rajah of Sarawak and founded the White Rajah Dynasty of Sarawak, later extending his administration through an agreement with the Sultan of Brunei. The uniqueness of this arrangement in becoming a Rajah without any intent of colonising or imperialism mesmerised the British public's imagination and gave further impetus to exploration and rise to "man who would be king" adventurers in exotic locales.

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Wikipedia