Narratives: Piedmont, Kuching, and Belgium
Three events, one POD. 1860-1862
Castle of Grinzane Cavour, Piedmont. 31 July 1860
Doctor Barco stared at the castle in sheer awe, barely noticing the clattering of the carriage going back down the slope of the bluff. Despite all his years in the medical profession, the middle-aged man never imagined actually working close to such a high position, let alone serving the castle's present owner.
I would be serving the most important man in all of Italy.
The structure looming before him was an edifice of brick and stone bleached pale by the sunlight, topped with small towers with arched windows peeking underneath the roof. The whole castle was placed on a bluff overlooking the landscape with rows of vineyards growing down the southern slope. For a split second, Barco wondered how the past heads of the family would have viewed their surroundings; did they took the time to admire what they had? Or did they just go through their daily business without a care for the view?
Still, this place looks fitting for a Conte.
The man grinned, realizing the irony of working with such nobility. His family was one of the few who opposed the expansion of Piedmont-Sardinia from the very beginning, though they never vented their feelings out loud like the more radical partisans of the Risorgimento. Barco could still remember his uncle ranting on family gatherings about how Italy would never be free unless all her monarchs were overthrown. He'd call me a sellout if he knew, and mother would have his head for it.
Still, he realized that simply standing around gawking would do no good for both him and his client. After introducing himself and being greeted by a very senior butler, Barco was led through a series of hallways and staircases, finally stopping before an old door. Three times the butler knocked on the wood, and a voice spoke in answer.
"Who is it?"
"It is me, with your new physician."
"Ah, send him in."
The elderly butler opened the door, revealing a room that looked as if it was stuck between the past and the present. However, there was no mistaking the large figure rising from the chair with a book clasped in his left hand. "Silvio Barco, I presume?"
"Yes." the doctor replied, "And you must be Camillo Benso?"
"...Excuse me?"
"It is as I say," the statesman replied back in accented Malay. "We shall not add any significant forces in Sentarum until the British representatives arrive first."
Inside the Rajah's office, Datu Isa was stunned. Never before had he heard such a command uttered by any member of the Brooke family since his days in the Supreme Council; not only was the acting Rajah of Sarawak ordering for inaction at one of their most nominal of regions, but he is actively ignoring the pleas of the officers and chieftains whom they swore several years ago to protect. At once, his neighbouring council member Datu Khairul pleaded. "But the Dutch have already taken hold of the southern parts, and the northern tribes are starting to waver in their support. Tuan-"
"Yes, and if we gather our fighters on such a mission, we risk confrontation with our rivals and looking like fools to the representatives, who will see the both of us fighting for nothing more than swampland. With that, we risk losing Sentarum to the Dutch in the conference, or worse. As the Rajah Muda of Sarawak, I have no intention of losing our independence."
Rajah Muda... the word bristled through the assembled Council. Datu Isa worryingly noted his companions' slights to the title. how much has changed indeed.
It is now no secret among the citizens of Kuching that their Rajah of Sarawak had to suddenly leave due to an illness, leaving the kingdom's administration to his resident nephews. However, he surprisingly conferred the title of heir to the less known person of Tuan John Brooke, and not the more active – and longer serving – Tuan Charles. Datu Isa can still remember the words he uttered prior to his ruler's departure at the docks; I fear you have made a mistake, Tuan Rajah. While Tuan John has been a part of us since the last three years, I do not think he is your best choice for this duty.
"Now then," The acting ruler of Sarawak lazily picked up a letter from the stack on the desk. "I hear that there has been a disagreement with the Chinese and the..." his words stopped as the Rajah Muda looked at the letter. Without a word, he tore through the envelope and unfurled the paper within, his eyes shifting quickly as the he read through the contents.
For Datu Isa, the sudden silence in the office was more than unnerving. "Tuan?"
Slowly, John Brooke's eyes travelled upwards from the paper to the assembled figures sitting in front of him. "We have a suitor."
Excerpt from a letter from Leopold II of Belgium to Government House of Kuching, 1 May 1862 (Kuching Library archives: obtained 1893)
__________
Footnotes:
1) Yes, Leopold II actually considered buying Sarawak.
2) John Brooke - or to be more precise, John Brooke Johnson - was another of Rajah James' nephews and was actually named heir or Rajah Muda (a title similar to Crown Prince) to Sarawak despite his other nephew's – Charles – longer experience in the country.
Castle of Grinzane Cavour, Piedmont. 31 July 1860
Doctor Barco stared at the castle in sheer awe, barely noticing the clattering of the carriage going back down the slope of the bluff. Despite all his years in the medical profession, the middle-aged man never imagined actually working close to such a high position, let alone serving the castle's present owner.
I would be serving the most important man in all of Italy.
The structure looming before him was an edifice of brick and stone bleached pale by the sunlight, topped with small towers with arched windows peeking underneath the roof. The whole castle was placed on a bluff overlooking the landscape with rows of vineyards growing down the southern slope. For a split second, Barco wondered how the past heads of the family would have viewed their surroundings; did they took the time to admire what they had? Or did they just go through their daily business without a care for the view?
Still, this place looks fitting for a Conte.
The man grinned, realizing the irony of working with such nobility. His family was one of the few who opposed the expansion of Piedmont-Sardinia from the very beginning, though they never vented their feelings out loud like the more radical partisans of the Risorgimento. Barco could still remember his uncle ranting on family gatherings about how Italy would never be free unless all her monarchs were overthrown. He'd call me a sellout if he knew, and mother would have his head for it.
Still, he realized that simply standing around gawking would do no good for both him and his client. After introducing himself and being greeted by a very senior butler, Barco was led through a series of hallways and staircases, finally stopping before an old door. Three times the butler knocked on the wood, and a voice spoke in answer.
"Who is it?"
"It is me, with your new physician."
"Ah, send him in."
The elderly butler opened the door, revealing a room that looked as if it was stuck between the past and the present. However, there was no mistaking the large figure rising from the chair with a book clasped in his left hand. "Silvio Barco, I presume?"
"Yes." the doctor replied, "And you must be Camillo Benso?"
**********
Government House, Kuching. 21 May 1862
Government House, Kuching. 21 May 1862
"...Excuse me?"
"It is as I say," the statesman replied back in accented Malay. "We shall not add any significant forces in Sentarum until the British representatives arrive first."
Inside the Rajah's office, Datu Isa was stunned. Never before had he heard such a command uttered by any member of the Brooke family since his days in the Supreme Council; not only was the acting Rajah of Sarawak ordering for inaction at one of their most nominal of regions, but he is actively ignoring the pleas of the officers and chieftains whom they swore several years ago to protect. At once, his neighbouring council member Datu Khairul pleaded. "But the Dutch have already taken hold of the southern parts, and the northern tribes are starting to waver in their support. Tuan-"
"Yes, and if we gather our fighters on such a mission, we risk confrontation with our rivals and looking like fools to the representatives, who will see the both of us fighting for nothing more than swampland. With that, we risk losing Sentarum to the Dutch in the conference, or worse. As the Rajah Muda of Sarawak, I have no intention of losing our independence."
Rajah Muda... the word bristled through the assembled Council. Datu Isa worryingly noted his companions' slights to the title. how much has changed indeed.
It is now no secret among the citizens of Kuching that their Rajah of Sarawak had to suddenly leave due to an illness, leaving the kingdom's administration to his resident nephews. However, he surprisingly conferred the title of heir to the less known person of Tuan John Brooke, and not the more active – and longer serving – Tuan Charles. Datu Isa can still remember the words he uttered prior to his ruler's departure at the docks; I fear you have made a mistake, Tuan Rajah. While Tuan John has been a part of us since the last three years, I do not think he is your best choice for this duty.
"Now then," The acting ruler of Sarawak lazily picked up a letter from the stack on the desk. "I hear that there has been a disagreement with the Chinese and the..." his words stopped as the Rajah Muda looked at the letter. Without a word, he tore through the envelope and unfurled the paper within, his eyes shifting quickly as the he read through the contents.
For Datu Isa, the sudden silence in the office was more than unnerving. "Tuan?"
Slowly, John Brooke's eyes travelled upwards from the paper to the assembled figures sitting in front of him. "We have a suitor."
**********
Excerpt from a letter from Leopold II of Belgium to Government House of Kuching, 1 May 1862 (Kuching Library archives: obtained 1893)
...Aside from the financial situation, I have also received word of several native uprisings taking hold around your possessions, resulting in a great amount of damage and further upsetting the integrity of your territories.
In light of these developments, I am willing to offer a possible solution in the form of loans to your administration, as would anyone who sees your honourable drive to civilize the island of Borneo. Besides this, I would also be willing to purchase several of the rebellious territories from Sarawak and share the potential wealth within those lands with your government. If I may be so bold, I would prefer to administer these unruly parts under my own hand and share the profits of the resources lying within them with your administration. I promise that I shall govern these areas with full respect to the natives and that the benefits of civilization shall handed to them without any delay.
Know that this offer is open until I receive a word from you directly or through an official diplomatic channel.
–Leopold, Duke of Brabant.
In light of these developments, I am willing to offer a possible solution in the form of loans to your administration, as would anyone who sees your honourable drive to civilize the island of Borneo. Besides this, I would also be willing to purchase several of the rebellious territories from Sarawak and share the potential wealth within those lands with your government. If I may be so bold, I would prefer to administer these unruly parts under my own hand and share the profits of the resources lying within them with your administration. I promise that I shall govern these areas with full respect to the natives and that the benefits of civilization shall handed to them without any delay.
Know that this offer is open until I receive a word from you directly or through an official diplomatic channel.
–Leopold, Duke of Brabant.
Footnotes:
1) Yes, Leopold II actually considered buying Sarawak.
2) John Brooke - or to be more precise, John Brooke Johnson - was another of Rajah James' nephews and was actually named heir or Rajah Muda (a title similar to Crown Prince) to Sarawak despite his other nephew's – Charles – longer experience in the country.
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