How Sir James Brooke Survived the 1857 Kongsi Rebellion, and Saved the Raj of Sarawak episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 11, 2026 · 27 MIN

How Sir James Brooke Survived the 1857 Kongsi Rebellion, and Saved the Raj of Sarawak

from The Old World with Will Tanner

The White Rajah's saga concludes as we follow Sir James Brooke first into the heart of Sarawak's jungle as he fights Rentap, the last pirate king of Sarawak, in a massive jungle battle. We then turn to the city of Kuching tell the tale of how the Chinese Kongsi Rebellion of 1857 almost ended the White Raj of Sarawak for good when they sacked Kuching and destroyed the Rajah's Astana palace, with Sir James just barely escaping into the Sarawak River in his pyjamas, but was saved at the last moment by the stern bravery of Charles Brooke and the fortitious arrival of a key piece of naval technology. From the muddy waters of Sarawak's pirate and rebel-infested rivers, we then turn back to England, where Sir James finds peace and cool in retirement as his state is rebuilt thanks to the kind efforts of Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts, the beautiful heiress Sir James could have, but didn't, marry. We end with a brief summary of his life and accomplishments, preparing to turn to the second rajah.

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How Sir James Brooke Survived the 1857 Kongsi Rebellion, and Saved the Raj of Sarawak

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