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Charles Vyner BrookeThe third and last Rajah of Sarawak from the White Rajah dynasty
Date of Birth: 30.09.1874
Country:  Dive |
Content:
- Charles Vyner Brooke: The Last Rajah of Sarawak
- Marriage and Accession
- Sarawak's Flourishing
- World War II and Sarawak's Annexation
- Legacy
- Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke
Charles Vyner Brooke: The Last Rajah of Sarawak
Charles Vyner Brooke, born on 3 September 1874, was the third and final Rajah of Sarawak from the Brooke dynasty. During his youth, Brooke served in the Sarawak civil service.
Marriage and Accession
In 1911, Brooke traveled to England and married Sylvia Brett. The following year, he returned with his wife to Sarawak. Upon the death of his father, Charles Anthony Johnson Brooke, in 1917, Charles was declared Rajah on 24 May.
Sarawak's Flourishing
Under Brooke's rule, Sarawak experienced economic prosperity due to the boom in the oil and rubber industries. This allowed for a rise in the standard of living, improved infrastructure, and economic modernization. Brooke maintained policies that fostered support among the local population. He forbade Christian missionaries and encouraged local customs, prohibiting only headhunting and cannibalism.
World War II and Sarawak's Annexation
In 1941, Japanese forces invaded Sarawak. Brooke evacuated his family to Sydney, where he remained throughout the war. He returned to Sarawak on 15 April 1946 and temporarily resumed his rule. However, on 1 July 1946, he ceded Sarawak to the British Empire, receiving a pension for himself and his three daughters.
Legacy
With the transfer of Sarawak to British control, the Brooke dynasty came to an end. Charles Vyner Brooke passed away in London on 9 May 1963, four months before Sarawak joined the Federation of Malaysia.
Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke
Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke, Brooke's nephew and heir apparent, renounced his claims to Sarawak's independence in 1951. He resided in Sussex and Scotland until 1987, when he moved to New Zealand with his second wife. He died on 2 March 2011 at the age of 99. Brooke was a renowned traveler, teacher, and the founder of the Peace Through Unity Fund.
