SANDOKAN - THE PIRATE OF MALAYA

The images represent two different lives of the same legendary character: Sandokan, the "Tiger of Malaysia."

The figure on the left is a vintage movie poster for the 1941 Italian film I Pirati della Malesia, while the right shows a modern book cover for the English translation of the original novel.

Who is Sandokan?

Created by the prolific Italian author Emilio Salgari in 1883, Sandokan is a fictional Bornean prince who turns to piracy after the British East India Company usurps his throne and murders his family.

Unlike the typical "villainous" pirate, Sandokan is a Robin Hood-like figure—gallant, fierce, and deeply loyal to his crew, the Tigers of Mompracem. He is almost always accompanied by his witty Portuguese sidekick, Yanez de Gomera.

The Story: The Pirates of Malaysia

While Sandokan appears in eleven novels, The Pirates of Malaysia (originally I Pirati della Malesia, 1896) is one of the most famous. Here is the gist of the plot:

• The Mission: Sandokan and Yanez set out to rescue Tremal-Naik, a Bengali hunter who has been unjustly imprisoned by the British in a penal colony.
• The Villain: Their primary antagonist is often James Brooke, the real-life historical figure known as the "White Rajah" of Sarawak (though Salgari took plenty of creative liberties with the history).
• The Romance: The series is famous for Sandokan’s tragic love for Marianna Guillonk, the "Pearl of Labuan," who is the niece of one of his British enemies.

Cultural Impact

• Literary Legend: Emilio Salgari is often called the "Italian Jules Verne." Although he never left Italy, his vivid (and sometimes hilariously inaccurate) descriptions of Southeast Asia sparked the imaginations of millions.
• On Screen: The poster on the left features Massimo Girotti, one of many actors to play the role. However, most fans today associate the character with Indian actor Kabir Bedi, who became an international superstar after the 1976 TV miniseries.

THE WHITE RAJAH

The "White Rajah" who serves as Sandokan’s arch-nemesis is based on a very real, very controversial historical figure: Sir James Brooke.

While the books paint him as a mustache-twirling villain, his actual history is a wild mix of Victorian adventure, colonial politics, and sheer audacity.

1. From Soldier to King (1841)

James Brooke was an English adventurer who sailed to Borneo in his private schooner, the Royalist. At the time, the Sultanate of Brunei was struggling with a local rebellion in the region of Sarawak.

• The Deal: Brooke helped the Sultan's uncle, Pengiran Muda Hashim, suppress the uprising.
• The Reward: In 1841, as a thank you (and a bit of a political maneuver), the Sultan granted Brooke the governorship of Sarawak.
• The Dynasty: He became the first "White Rajah," founding a dynasty that ruled Sarawak as a private kingdom for over 100 years—completely independent of the British Crown until 1946.

2. Why was he the "Villain" to Sandokan?

In the novels, Emilio Salgari depicts Brooke as a cold-blooded imperialist. This stemmed from Brooke's real-life "War on Piracy."

• Pirate Terminator: Brooke spent much of his reign using the British Royal Navy to hunt down "pirates" (mostly local Dayak and Malay groups like the Iban and the Illanun).
• Controversy: Back in England, Brooke was actually investigated by the British Parliament. Critics accused him of using the "pirate" label as an excuse to slaughter local indigenous groups who were simply resisting his rule. This historical tension is exactly what Salgari tapped into for his stories.

3. The Real-Life "Tigers"

Interestingly, Sandokan himself may have been inspired by real anti-colonial rebels:

• Syarrif Usman: A real-life pirate leader who fought James Brooke and flew a scarlet banner with a tiger on it.
• Rentap: A famous Iban warrior who famously stood against Brooke’s forces from his mountain fortress, refusing to submit to the "White King."

4. Comparison: Legend vs. Reality

Feature	Sandokan's "James Brooke"	The Real James Brooke
Goal	Total colonial domination and the death of Sandokan.	Ending piracy/headhunting and building a private empire.
Personality	Treacherous and cruel.	Paternalistic, eccentric, and complex; he actually banned Western companies from exploiting Sarawak's resources.
Legacy	The man who stole Sandokan's throne.	Defined the modern borders of Sarawak, Malaysia.

It’s a classic case of one man's "civilizer" being another man's "invader."

Google Gemini AI

2 February 2026: 9.34 p.m