Of Rajahs and Hornbills: A timeline of Brooke Sarawak

[lukedalton]

Ooh! That's actually going to be one of the biggest butterflies in this timeline. I plan to have the Ottomans win the war (think Nasirissimo's With the Crescent Above Us) but I'm probably going to do an indirect update about that; maybe a newspaper article or a diary entry. I'm damn clueless on writing war updates, especially on European wars.

With the Ottomans winning the war and returning to Great Power-(ish) status, I can see Abu Bakar establishing closer relations with Sultan Abdul Hamid to ensure Johor's independence (though it's going to be a fine line with British Singapore close by. A visit to Queen Victoria could resolve that, or not) and provide another outlet for the sultanate's exports.

The problem with the Ottoman project their power so distant to home is that even if they win the war with the russian and get to buy time, they still have tons of problem at home as their north african possession are de facto independent and are the target of Italy, France and UK; they still own to the european a lot of money to modernize and they need more to continue the job, the massacre of christian during the war put the pubblic opinion against the Porte so even if victorious the Concert will demand some concession towards the Balkans nations under nominal Ottoman authority.
So getting involved on a so distant land can be seen as a waste of limited resources, expecially if the British are not very pleased of this move.

PS: i like Nassirissimo TL (as it's well reserchead and enterteing) but honestly when he wrote about the OTtoman Empire tend to give them a lot of free pass

 

[Al-numbers]

The problem with the Ottoman project their power so distant to home is that even if they win the war with the russian and get to buy time, they still have tons of problem at home as their north african possession are de facto independent and are the target of Italy, France and UK; they still own to the european a lot of money to modernize and they need more to continue the job, the massacre of christian during the war put the pubblic opinion against the Porte so even if victorious the Concert will demand some concession towards the Balkans nations under nominal Ottoman authority.
So getting involved on a so distant land can be seen as a waste of limited resources, expecially if the British are not very pleased of this move.

PS: i like Nassirissimo TL (as it's well reserchead and enterteing) but honestly when he wrote about the OTtoman Empire tend to give them a lot of free pass

You have a point, and the more I think about it, the sheer difference between Abu Bakar and Abdul Hamid's personalities will make them clash hard. Nevertheless, I think Abu Bakar would want at least some of Europe to recognize his state as independent (he tried hard IOTL), and so long as they do that (with or without naval backing and arms), then he'll be satisfied.

Here's what probably goes on in the Dolmabache Palace in 1878:

Abu Bakar: Please recognize my sultanate as independent.

Abdul Hamid: OK.

Abu Bakar: Can I get that in writing?

Abdul Hamid: Hmm... sure. *signs some documents and trade deals*

Abu Bakar: OKthanksbye!! *zips off to visit Queen Victoria (whom IOTL he was a close friend with)*

Considering his childhood (which will come up in the update), Abu Bakar seriously knows which lines not to cross with the British, but he also knows that he can get a better deal with them (and the rest of Europe) if he plays his cards right. I'm looking a few POD's that could make Johor a little bit...different in regards to the Malay Peninsula and the East Indies, and the Ottomans might play a part in this... even if it's in ways many won't even expect... and the Porte itself gets dragged along for the ride - maybe literally.

 

[Deleted member 67076]

Finally caught up with this. Great read Sketch.

 

[Al-numbers]

Finally caught up with this. Great read Sketch.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Al-numbers]

Mustapha Shamsuddin bin Abdul Rahman, Johor and the making of Malaya, (Kosmo Press: 2000)

If Malaya was birthed under the branches of the Malacca tree over 600 years ago, and grew up in hiding over the centuries since then, it would be in 1866 that the Peninsula began making its mark once more on world history.

In that year, one of the region's more rambunctious monarchs, Temenggung Abu Bakar of Johor, started an excursion that led him to the royal houses of Continental Europe, bringing the name of Peninsular Malaya with him. He was greeted warmly by the Ottoman Sultan in Konstantiniyye, and several figures in the British court reputedly took a liking to the "cultured man from that faraway land", as said by one observer. Even the Italian government, then scrambling over the aftermath of the Third Italian War of Independence, was impressed by the man's "surprisingly eloquent English speech".

It was these and other royal visits that made Malaya an important discussion topic once more in the wider world, and Abu Bakar was right at the center of it all. A remarkable achievement; and one more so when considering that the monarch's house was a complete newcomer even to Malaya itself.

Today, most people forget that, though very influential, Abu Bakar's family were never truly the masters of Johor – the sultanate that lay to the north of British Singapore – in their own right. Prior to 1855, it was the Bendahara’s that ruled the land; a senior noble position that was akin to the sultan's viziers in the Johorean court. When the last royal line of Johor died out in 1699, the family that held the Bendahara position took the job of being sultans and remained so ever since. By all rights, Abu Bakar's family was supposed to fill the roles of the Temenggung, the chiefs of public order and master of Johor's army and navy.

However, there was one thing Abu Bakar's family had over the Bendahara’s: they were the lords of Singapore Island when Sir Stamford Raffles landed on it on the 28th of January, 1819. The family's ancestor, Temenggung Abdul Rahman, quickly realized how the geopolitical situation worked between the British, Dutch, and the native rulers in the region and sought to use the simmering tensions to get himself - and his family - ahead of everyone else (or at the very least, out of harm's way). From then on, the Temenggungs would get themselves involved in a morass of intrigue and events, but centuries of manipulations in the royal court and from British and Dutch forces had hollowed out the Bendahara’s sovereignty over their kingdom, thus making it easier for Raffles and the British to decide what goes where and who ends up with whom.[1]

Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of British Singapore. Among other things, he revived a succession dispute and - with the Temenggung's help - installed a Bendahara prince as a figurehead monarch of Johor, all to secure his island port.​

Sure enough, the simmering tensions and complicated situation between the British, Dutch and Malay nobles boiled over to shouting calls in both Johor and London. At one time, during a succession dispute in the Johorean court between two princes backed by different powers, the wife of the late sultan literally cried out "To what Adat (tradition) of succession is being followed!? Unfair deals like this will cause Johor to be destroyed!!". The resulting talks and the ensuing 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty then cleaved both the sultanate and the royal Bendahara family in two, separating mainland Johor from the Riau-Lingga Islands' region to the south. From this, it would take a further two decades for the end to come, but when it came, it was swift.

In 1855, the Bendahara head at Johor, Sultan Ali, was forced to sign a treaty that traded real power to the Temenggungs in exchange for him releasing his rights to the throne and only be the sultan of the Kesang-Muar region in northern Johor. The Temenggung family's head, Daeng Ibrahim, continued his predecessor’s way of siding with the British on Singaporean issues, leading to the British favoring him being in charge of Johor instead of the Bendaharas. There was also the fact that Sultan Ali made frequent visits to Riau-Lingga to converse with the other family branch, something that both unsettled the British and the Dutch. Thoughts of a reunified Johor Sultanate and Daeng Ibrahim's apparent trustworthiness finally culminated with the 1855 treaty which all but ensured the Temenggung family's rule in the kingdom.

From left to right: Sultan Ali of Kesang-Muar (formerly Johor) and Temenggung Daeng Ibrahim, the new ruler of the state ​

Two years later, the Bugis nobility at Lingga deposed the other Bendahara head, bringing the dynasty to it's last legs. Noticing this, Daeng sent word to the other Malay kingdoms and – with some issues straightened out with the neighboring Pahang State – finally got permission to rule Johor in his own right. Thus ended the 158-year reign of the Bendaharas (except in Kesang-Muar) and so began a new dynasty that would rule Johor until the modern age, the Temenggungs.

And it was in this environment that Daeng's eldest son, Abu Bakar, grew up in. Born in 1833, the young prince saw the rise of British Singapore as a trading port, the decline of the Bendaharas, and the rise of his family all from his own residence. Bright and inquisitive, Abu Bakar was quick to pick up on his father's footsteps on how to twist and turn events into his favor, as well as learning how to choose sides in uncertain times. It was also during this period that the boy learnt English by way of his father enrolling him in missionary schools, a decision Daeng thought would lend him well in future relations with British Singapore.

The power plays between the British, Dutch and native states also brought another lesson to the young Abu Bakar; the lesson that Johor and it's rulers would continue being pawns if the polity (and by extension, themselves) was not more known and respected in the wider world. This was the basis of the 1866 tour of Europe: to see the world and it's workings as well as to make relations with the most powerful European courts of the age. In this he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams, but he might have impressed the Continent a little bit too well...

**********

​

Alessandro Astolfi, Italy and the East Indies: A Study on Colonialism, (Vinci Publishing; 1994)

...the rapid ascent of the Kingdom of Italy was an eye-opening spectacle to the Great Powers of mainland Europe, especially so when just two years before, what was to become the new Italian state was an uncomely mélange (some would say hodgepodge) of kingdoms, states, and duchies all scattered throughout the Italian Peninsula.

But unified they did, and with unification came new aspirations, and a substantial section of Italian nationalists believed that the kingdom should have its own colonial empire to mark itself as a true Great Power. There were several voices calling for an expansion of Italian influence in the Mediterranean Sea, but there were a few who espoused that the Italian state should have its own great worldwide empire such as those of the British or the Dutch.

There was certainly some traction in this. The Count of Cavour and first Prime Minister of the kingdom, Camillo Benso, thought that Italian colonialism was a step to becoming toe-to-toe with the Great Powers of Europe. However, the age of New Imperialism did not strike the new Italian state easily. By the time the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed on the 17th of March, 1861, most of the reigning colonial empires had already gained a few hundred years head start with many of the of the world's coastal regions (bar the Americas) being under their sway. Nevertheless, throughout the early 1860's there was a noticeable increase in Italian companies trading with the wider world, with Italian interests trailing close behind.

However, one of the first signs of blatant Italian colonialism came not from a company, but from a person. In 1865, a solitary figure waked the floor of the Italian Parliament espousing that the Sultanate of Aceh was willing to accept Italian protection against the nearby Dutch East Indies. That man was Celso Cesare Moreno, a Genoan sailor who worked his way up in the Navy and handled foreign shipping in the East Indies. While there, he became acquainted with the Acehnese royal family and – through close intimacy with said family – heard of their deepest secrets and their grave suspicions; the sultanate was protected by the British Empire, but they feared that their protection might not last.

Photo of Celso Cesare Moreno, circa 1879-1885​

There was considerable interest in the venture – both King Victor Emannuel II and Camillo Benso were interested in Italy having their first protectorate – but at the same time, everyone knew that going against Great Britain was a cause that would end in utter failure, particularly to a country that still has internal disputes on how to define itself. There was also concern for the new Italian Navy being untested and untrained for such a long and arduous mission. Still, there was lingering interest in the proposal among the nationalists enough to carry it to the next year, and that was when everything changed.

The first sign was the Third Italian War of Independence, which pitted the kingdom against the Austrian Empire over the region of Veneto. The Italian nationalists had lusted over the former Serene Republic and wanted to absorb it into the state, but waited until German backing was secured before full war could be commenced. Due to the Prime Minister's ability to level parliamentary factions and military rivalries, the Italian state made considerable headway in both land and sea against the Austrians, culminating in the famous Battle of Lissa which proved to be a testing ground and christening for the Italian Navy. The success of the battle proved that the Navy was capable enough to fend for itself against foreign threats, but it was soon overshadowed by what followed.

Prior to 1866, almost no one in Florence knew of the Maharajah Abu Bakar of Johor, but his surprise visit to Florence – the first monarch from Asia to do so – made him an overnight sensation in the capital. Returning from a visit to Queen Victoria's court, the man's sojourn to Italy was twofold; to see the country that had defeated the Austrian Empire, and to establish friendly relations with a new Great Power. Despite the language barrier, he was greeted warmly by both the king and Prime Minister, who would then be surprised at the man’s manners and English speech, of which Abu Bakar was “surprisingly eloquent”. Furthermore, his tales of the Malay Peninsula set off new ideas amongst the colonial lobbyists, as well as rekindling the Aceh question.[2]

Maharajah Abu Bakar of Johor, the first Southeast Asian monarch to tour Continental Europe​

With such events happening, it was no surprise that the Italian government began looking seriously at South East Asia; with a proven Navy and a monarch willing to discuss relations, the government began looking at ways to acquire its first colonies and protectorates in the east. Aceh came up immediately, and it was soon discovered that the sultanate was not fully protected by Great Britain; the naval power only ensured its independence should a foreign threat jeopardized the polity’s stability. With that discovered, the nationalists argued that it was plausible, though highly risky, to actually pry away the sultanate through diplomacy; but before talks could begin with London, The Count of Cavour and Prime Minister of Italy, Camillo Benso, passed away of malaria on August 10, 1867.

With the stresses of war and the headache of balancing a squabbling government, it was no wonder that the man went out the way he did, not to mention that his best personal physician died in a carriage accident the same day the war guns went silent. Still, when the Conte passed on, the balance of power in the Italian Parliament came loose, and the Aceh question almost got lost in the legislative chaos that followed. When the question resurfaced the following year, the part about prior talks with London were mysteriously abandoned and in 1869, a squadron of the Italian Navy was hastily sent to South East Asia on a threefold mission; to make Aceh a protectorate, to inquire on the Malay Peninsula (mainly Johor); and to find new places to establish Italian colonies.

And with this, they would set in stage some of the most important events in the region’s history…

__________

Footnotes:
1) As you can guess, there was a lot more to the Temenggung’s rise to power than just what is written, but I was afraid that writing down the succession disputes and everyone’s plans and manipulations would just bloat the entire update beyond reason, so I had to keep it really generalized. I wish I could write just how did Raffles and the Temenggung placed a figurehead sultan on the throne, but that would fill an entire update by itself.

2) See Post 284.

 

[Deleted member 67076]

Sweet. The Italian Empire begins.

 

[FleetMac]

Sweet. The Italian Empire begins.

Nobody expects the Italian Empire, it seems .

And yes, I'm still following this TL with great interest, keep up the good work!

 

[Archangel]

keep up the good work!

Seconded!

 

[Al-numbers]

Sweet. The Italian Empire begins.

Nobody expects the Italian Empire, it seems .

"...And now, you will see to your left the British, Dutch, German, and American Empire clichés, all of which are mysteriously unused by the author..."

Of course, this doesn't mean Italy's place in the sun is guarenteed. Sure, they're more confident and competent ITTL, but they're heading towards a region that already has quite a history with colonialism and terretorial deals, and everyone who's established there might not like it if another Great Power suddenly drops in.

And yes, I'm still following this TL with great interest, keep up the good work!

Seconded!

Thanks!

 

[Jonathan Edelstein]

Hopefully Abu Bakar hasn't outsmarted himself and drawn Italy's imperial attention to Johor, or (possibly more likely) created the conditions for a great-power war over control of the Malay states.

 

[Al-numbers]

Hopefully Abu Bakar hasn't outsmarted himself and drawn Italy's imperial attention to Johor, or (possibly more likely) created the conditions for a great-power war over control of the Malay states.

No that's one thing he wouldn't expect when he first decided to visit Florence!

Well, lets just say that both the British and the Dutch won't like it very much if another Great Power suddenly drops in to take it's own slice of SE-Asia, especially if said Great Power didn't have any talks with them prior to their arrival. The Malay states themselves might be in for a ride with all the different naval powers around, especially the northeastern ones under Siamese rule (looking at you Terengganu, Kelantan, and Pattani).

Speaking of Great Power wars over exotic territories, I may need to think of what'll happen to New Guinea...

 

[xt828]

Speaking of Great Power wars over exotic territories, I may need to think of what'll happen to New Guinea...

A chance for Australia to enter the chronicle, hooray.

 

[Al-numbers]

A chance for Australia to enter the chronicle, hooray.

Hmm... maybe, but for some reason I have this weird feeling of wanting to see Italy and Germany duke it out for the last scraps of the East Indies and the remaining Pacific islands. One of my original goals of this TL is to create a different Southeast Asia, and having two newcomers fighting for New Guinea or the Solomons brings a certain "wait, is that possible? Can I do that?" in me.

If I may ask, how seriously does Australia view the Solomons and New Guinea? I know that Queensland did a few raids in the Solomons to get contract workers, but I know zilch about how they view New Guinea. If it's possible, I want to make the entire eastern New Guinea to be under one power or maybe Italy and Germany.

Wait, is it possible for the area to be under three naval powers?

 

[xt828]

Hmm... maybe, but for some reason I have this weird feeling of wanting to see Italy and Germany duke it out for the last scraps of the East Indies and the remaining Pacific islands. One of my original goals of this TL is to create a different Southeast Asia, and having two newcomers fighting for New Guinea or the Solomons brings a certain "wait, is that possible? Can I do that?" in me.

If I may ask, how seriously does Australia view the Solomons and New Guinea? I know that Queensland did a few raids in the Solomons to get contract workers, but I know zilch about how they view New Guinea. If it's possible, I want to make the entire eastern New Guinea to be under one power or maybe Italy and Germany.

Wait, is it possible for the area to be under three naval powers?

Well, the claiming of the Territory of New Guinea came about when news spread to Australia (Queensland, specifically) of a German newspaper article advocating the German takeover of the island. The Queensland government dispatched the nearest Magistrate post-haste to Port Moresby to claim New Guinea for Queensland and Britain. When London was informed, they refused to accept the New Guinea claim and forced Queensland to back down, only reversing course when the Australian colonies agreed to collectively pay for the protectorate. As far as I know it's the only example of a colony forming a protectorate.

Basically, the Australian colonies will be deeply concerned at even the possibility of another power gaining control over Papua, enough to precipitate action on their own. The Australian colonies were historically deeply paranoid about Great Powers in the Pacific - Fort Lytton in Brisbane was established in 1880 in response to fears of possible attack from Russia, by way of example, and by the 1880s New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria had all established navies, including the rather powerful for the region HMVS Cerberus.

Regarding the Solomons, the British and Queensland governments seem to have view the blackbirding as something which ought to be controlled and regulated by them, so de facto they may view the Solomons as in the British sphere of influence.

For Italian and expanded German colonies in the Pacific and Asia, I think you probably need to look to the Spanish holdings.

 

[lukedalton]

Well, the claiming of the Territory of New Guinea came about when news spread to Australia (Queensland, specifically) of a German newspaper article advocating the German takeover of the island. The Queensland government dispatched the nearest Magistrate post-haste to Port Moresby to claim New Guinea for Queensland and Britain. When London was informed, they refused to accept the New Guinea claim and forced Queensland to back down, only reversing course when the Australian colonies agreed to collectively pay for the protectorate. As far as I know it's the only example of a colony forming a protectorate.

Basically, the Australian colonies will be deeply concerned at even the possibility of another power gaining control over Papua, enough to precipitate action on their own. The Australian colonies were historically deeply paranoid about Great Powers in the Pacific - Fort Lytton in Brisbane was established in 1880 in response to fears of possible attack from Russia, by way of example, and by the 1880s New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria had all established navies, including the rather powerful for the region HMVS Cerberus.

Regarding the Solomons, the British and Queensland governments seem to have view the blackbirding as something which ought to be controlled and regulated by them, so de facto they may view the Solomons as in the British sphere of influence.

For Italian and expanded German colonies in the Pacific and Asia, I think you probably need to look to the Spanish holdings.

Still an italian colony in New Guinea almost existed in OTL but a mix of indecision on the italian side and the British not really warm about it bringed the enterprise to an end...and the German took the place for them. So if Italy is quicker (and that's clearly possible if they have already a presence there) and can prepare better the diplomatic road as in better them that the Germans, Rome can get the place, or at least the northern part like Germany

 

[Al-numbers]

Basically, the Australian colonies will be deeply concerned at even the possibility of another power gaining control over Papua, enough to precipitate action on their own. The Australian colonies were historically deeply paranoid about Great Powers in the Pacific - Fort Lytton in Brisbane was established in 1880 in response to fears of possible attack from Russia, by way of example, and by the 1880s New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria had all established navies, including the rather powerful for the region HMVS Cerberus.

So New Guinea is technically an Australian protectorate? That’s interesting. Okay, so the folks down under are really protective of their surrounding regions from being under foreign powers. Considering that there would be two naval powers roving around for colonies on their doorstep ITTL, I would imagine they would be more jumpy. The coming British-Dutch (and maybe Sarawakian) complications in Maritime Southeast Asia would probably muddle things up even more.

As for the Solomons, I remember Bougainville being under foreign colonization for a while, so there is a chance of Germany or Italy nibbling some of the northern islands if they’re quick enough. Whether this will provoke a direct reaction from Melbourne is up in the air, though. And the Spanish Pacific holdings might be under Japan’s gaze earlier than OTL, so that’ll make things interesting in the Chinese sense.

Still an italian colony in New Guinea almost existed in OTL but a mix of indecision on the italian side and the British not really warm about it bringed the enterprise to an end...and the German took the place for them. So if Italy is quicker (and that's clearly possible if they have already a presence there) and can prepare better the diplomatic road as in better them that the Germans, Rome can get the place, or at least the northern part like Germany

I dimly remember what you said way back about a ruler (or sultan?) in the Kai islands accepting Italian protection in the East Indies, but got chased out by the Dutch. ITTL, it might not be the British who’ll be cold against Italy, it might be Batavia. the reaction from the DEI might be more severe due to Rome appearing at a delicate time in Dutch-British relations*, and if the Italian fleet lands in North Borneo, no matter which territory they land in, then all bets are off. Italy may have made it to east earlier ITTL, but it might not be an easy ride for them in the long-run.

Next update would probably deal with British-Dutch-Brooke relations when the Italian fleet arrives, and then a return to Sarawak.

*note to self: mention Franco-Prussian war in Kuching and maybe Johor.

 

[NickBana]

The Greatest Game!!!

Great Power territorial ambitions in Malaya?

Hmmm, I do remember back in secondary school that the Russians attempt to buy Langkawi from Sultan of Kedah. He almost agreed to it because hey, the damn Brits backstab him one too many times(look how Penang affair turned out) and find the reason to spite the Brits!

As for the Germans, they was interested in either Kelantan, Terengganu or Pattani.

Of course, the German and Russian plan was not succeeded because British threatens the Malay Sultans of the Siamese invasion. The British was the only reason why the Siam don't invade south.

Would be interesting if their plan worked...

EDIT: Oh, BTW, if the British colonial authorities managed to convince Charles to allow Sarawakians to be hired as colonial police, I think a lot of rebellions in Malaya would be crushed quickly, I think(nearest recruiting station than, let say, India).

 

[Al-numbers]

Great Power territorial ambitions in Malaya?

What else? I still find it difficult to believe that almost no one on this site knows just how everyone wanted Southeast Asia. The Russians wanted us! The Germans wanted us! The United States even got permission to build a base in Terengganu! ( Hello, alternate timelines~) The only Great Power that’s not going to appear ITTL would probably be Austria-Hungary, and I’m still considering putting a better Von Overbeck or Sámuel Teleki planting the Österreich-Ungarn flag on Mount Kinabalu (if only for Rule of Cool).

I was not joking when I said I’m trying to build a different Southeast Asia, and TTL’s more complicated Great Power diplomacy might lead the way to that.

EDIT: Oh, BTW, if the British colonial authorities managed to convince Charles to allow Sarawakians to be hired as colonial police, I think a lot of rebellions in Malaya would be crushed quickly, I think(nearest recruiting station than, let say, India).

Possible, but that would quickly make Sarawak the bogeyman of most Malays and Malay monarchs which might bite the Brooke family in the ass once the mid-1900’s comes around. Besides, there’s no law that states that the Dayaks can’t learn stuff abroad, or pick up some radical nationalist traits from the Malays and whatnot. On the other hand, a fearsome Dayak force would end rebellions quickly and be a cheaper solution to recruiting Indian/Sikh soldiers. I’ll see where this goes once the next few updates come around.

 

[xt828]

So New Guinea is technically an Australian protectorate? That’s interesting. Okay, so the folks down under are really protective of their surrounding regions from being under foreign powers. Considering that there would be two naval powers roving around for colonies on their doorstep ITTL, I would imagine they would be more jumpy. The coming British-Dutch (and maybe Sarawakian) complications in Maritime Southeast Asia would probably muddle things up even more.

As for the Solomons, I remember Bougainville being under foreign colonization for a while, so there is a chance of Germany or Italy nibbling some of the northern islands if they’re quick enough. Whether this will provoke a direct reaction from Melbourne is up in the air, though. And the Spanish Pacific holdings might be under Japan’s gaze earlier than OTL, so that’ll make things interesting in the Chinese sense.

A protectorate over Papua was declared by Queensland in 1883, rejected by Britain but then affirmed on the basis of being funded by Australia in 1884, and it was formally annexed to the Empire in 1888. In 1902 it was formally transferred to Australian control, which lasted until independence in 1975. That being said, from 1884 the northern half of the eastern half of Papua was under German control as Kaiser-Wilhelmsland, part of the colony of German New Guinea, which also included the Bismarck Islands, the North Solomon Islands, Palau, Nauru, the Carolines, the Marianas and the Marshalls. So there's quite a few lines to be drawn on the map. Apparently the Bismarcks - particularly the islands today called New Britain and New Ireland - were reasonably successful as colonial ventures, if that helps.

 

[Ephraim Ben Raphael]

Just read through this TL, I'm now subscribed.