Description

Book Synopsis
Sir James Brooke was an extraordinary ''eminent'' Victorian, whose life was the stuff of legend.His curious career began in 1841 when he was caught up in a war in Brunei which had started because a party of local Dayaks had refused to furl their umbrellas in the presence of the Sultan. Brooke was an opportunist who, with the Sultan''s backing, made war on the Dayaks tribespeople and eventually found himself ruling over Sarawak - a kingdom the size of England - as a result. How he achieved it is a romantic, sometimes horrifying story. Brooke is someone that George Macdonald Fraser would scarcely dare to invent. Errol Flynn wanted to play him in a movie, seventy years after his death and his dynasty is remembered throughout South-East Asia.

Trade Review
Fascinating reading * LITERARY REVIEW *
As a brief, even-handed and witty introduction to this extraordinary man [WHITE RAJAH] is hard to beat * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *
WHITE RAJAH is a unique biography of one of the most fascinating and influential men of the British Empire * GEOGRAPHICAL *

White Rajah

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    A Paperback / softback by Dr Nigel Barley

    £10.44

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    RRP £10.99 – you save £0.55 (5%)

    Order before 4pm today for delivery by Tue 25 Aug 2026.

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      Book details

      Publisher Abacus
      Published 2 October 2003
      ISBN-13 9780349116730
      978-0349116730
      ISBN-10 0349116733
      Also in:
      Biography Biography: adventurers and explorers History History and Archaeology

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      Sir James Brooke was an extraordinary ''eminent'' Victorian, whose life was the stuff of legend.His curious career began in 1841 when he was caught up in a war in Brunei which had started because a party of local Dayaks had refused to furl their umbrellas in the presence of the Sultan. Brooke was an opportunist who, with the Sultan''s backing, made war on the Dayaks tribespeople and eventually found himself ruling over Sarawak - a kingdom the size of England - as a result. How he achieved it is a romantic, sometimes horrifying story. Brooke is someone that George Macdonald Fraser would scarcely dare to invent. Errol Flynn wanted to play him in a movie, seventy years after his death and his dynasty is remembered throughout South-East Asia.

      Trade Review
      Fascinating reading * LITERARY REVIEW *
      As a brief, even-handed and witty introduction to this extraordinary man [WHITE RAJAH] is hard to beat * BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE *
      WHITE RAJAH is a unique biography of one of the most fascinating and influential men of the British Empire * GEOGRAPHICAL *

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