View source for British protectorate

{{short description|Territory over which the British government exercised limited jurisdiction}}
{{for|the period during the Commonwealth of England|The Protectorate}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

'''British protectorates''' were [[protectorate]]s under the jurisdiction of the British government. Many territories which became British protectorates already had local rulers with whom the Crown negotiated through treaty, acknowledging their status whilst simultaneously offering protection. British protectorates were therefore governed by [[indirect rule]]. In most cases, the local ruler, as well as the subjects of the ruler, were not British subjects. '''British protected states''' represented a more loose form of British [[suzerainty]], where the local rulers retained absolute control over the states' internal affairs and the British exercised control over defence and foreign affairs.{{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|pp=50–51}}

==Implementation==
When the British took over [[Cephalonia]] in 1809, they proclaimed, "We present ourselves to you, Inhabitants of Cephalonia, not as invaders, with views of conquest, but as allies who hold forth to you the advantages of British protection."<ref>{{Cite book |chapter=Papers respecting the operations in the Adriatic, 1809 |title=Accounts and Papers of the House of Commons |publisher=Great Britain, Parliament, House of Commons |year=1816 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nS5bAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA18-PA2 }}</ref> When the British continued to occupy the [[Ionian Islands]] after the [[Napoleonic wars]], they did not formally annex the islands but described them as a protectorate. The islands were constituted by the [[Treaty of Paris (1815)|Treaty of Paris]] in 1815 as the independent [[United States of the Ionian Islands]] under British protection. Similarly, [[Malta]] was a British protectorate between the capitulation of the French in 1800 and the Treaty of Paris of 1814.

The [[princely state]]s of India was another example of [[indirect rule]] during the time of Empire.<ref>Lakshmi Iyer, "Direct versus indirect colonial rule in India: Long-term consequences." ''The Review of Economics and Statistics'' (2010) 92#4 pp. 693–713 [http://www.people.hbs.edu/liyer/Iyer_Colonial_REStat.pdf online] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903053002/http://www.people.hbs.edu/liyer/Iyer_Colonial_REStat.pdf |date=3 September 2014 }}</ref> So too were many of the West African holdings.<ref>Adiele Eberechukwu Afigbo, ''The Warrant Chiefs: indirect rule in southeastern Nigeria, 1891–1929'' (London: Longman, 1972)</ref>

Other British protectorates followed. In the Pacific Ocean the sixteen islands of the Gilberts (now [[Kiribati]]) were declared a British Protectorate by Captain Davis R.N., of {{HMS|Royalist|1883|6}} between 27 May and 17 June 1892. The ''Royalist'' also visited each of the Ellice Islands, and Captain Davis was requested by islanders to raise the British flag, but he did not have instructions to declare the Ellice Islands as a protectorate.<ref name="JRdd">{{cite web |first= Jane|last= Resture|title= ''TUVALU HISTORY'' – 'The Davis Diaries' (''H.M.S. Royalist'', 1892 visit to Ellice Islands under Captain Davis)|url= http://www.janeresture.com/tuvalu_davis/index.htm|website=Janeresture.com|access-date=20 September 2011}}</ref> The nine islands of the Ellice Group (now [[Tuvalu]]) were declared a British Protectorate by Captain Gibson R.N., of {{HMS|Curacoa|1878|6}}, between 9 and 16 October of the same year.<ref name="TAHNPT">{{cite book |last1=Faaniu |first1=Simati |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NWaSHqXlS30C |title=Tuvalu: A History |publisher=University of the South Pacific/Government of Tuvalu |year=1983 |editor-last=Laracy |editor-first=Hugh |pages=127–139 |language=en |chapter=Chapter 17, Colonial Rule}}</ref> Britain defined its area of interest in the [[Solomon Islands]] in June 1893, when Captain Gibson R.N., of {{HMS|Curacoa|1878|6}}, declared the southern Solomon Islands as a British Protectorate with the proclamation of the [[British Solomon Islands Protectorate]].<ref>''Commonwealth and Colonial Law'' by [[Kenneth Roberts-Wray]], London, Stevens, 1966. P. 897</ref>

In 1894, Prime Minister [[William Ewart Gladstone]]'s government officially announced that [[Uganda]], where Muslim and Christian strife had attracted international attention, was to become a British Protectorate. The British administration installed carefully selected local kings under a programme of indirect rule through the local oligarchy, creating a network of British-controlled civil service. Most British protectorates were overseen by a Commissioner or a [[High Commissioner]], under the [[Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office|Foreign Office]], rather than a Governor under the [[Colonial Office]].

[[Law of the United Kingdom|British law]] makes a distinction between a protectorate and a protected state. Constitutionally the two are of similar status, in which Britain provides controlled defence and external relations. However, a protectorate has an internal government established, while a protected state establishes a form of local internal self-government based on the already existing one.

Persons connected with a former British protectorate, protected state, [[mandated territory]] or [[trust territory]] may remain [[British Protected Person]]s if they did not acquire the nationality of the country at independence.

The last British protectorate proper was the British Solomon Islands, now [[Solomon Islands]], which gained independence in 1978; the last British protected state was [[Brunei]], which gained full independence in 1984.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Brunei/History | title=Brunei - History &#124; Britannica }}</ref>

== List of former British protectorates ==

===Americas===

*[[File:Flag of Barbados (1870–1966).svg|24x24px]] [[Barbados]] (1627–1652) (as a [[proprietary colony#The Caribbean|proprietary colony]] under [[William Courteen]], followed by [[James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle|James Hay I]])
*{{flag|Mosquito Coast}} (1638–1860) (over Central America's [[Miskito people|Miskito]] Indian nation)

===Arab world===
*[[File:Flag of Aden (1937–1963).svg|24px]] [[Aden Protectorate]] (1872–1963); precursor state of [[South Yemen]]{{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|p=51}}
**Eastern Protectorate States (mostly in Haudhramaut); later the [[Protectorate of South Arabia]] (1963–1967)
***[[File:Kathiri flag.svg|24px]] [[Kathiri]]
***[[File:Flag of the Mahra Sultanate.svg|24px]] [[Mahra Sultanate|Mahra]]
***[[File:Flag of Quaiti Hadramaut.svg|24px]] [[Qu'aiti]]
***[[File:Flag of the State of Upper Yafa.svg|24px]] [[Upper Yafa]] (consisted of five Sheikhdoms: [[Al-Busi]], [[Al-Dhubi]], [[Hadrami Sheikhdom|Hadrami]], [[Maflahi]], and [[Mawsata]])
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Sheikhdom of al-Hawra|Hawra]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Sheikhdom of al-`Irqa|Irqa]]
**Western Protectorate States; later the [[Federation of South Arabia]] (1959/1962-1967), including [[Colony of Aden|Aden Colony]]
***[[File:Flag of Wahidi Balhaf.svg|24px]] [[Wahidi Balhaf|Wahidi Sultanates]] (these included: [[Wahidi Balhaf|Balhaf]], [[Wahidi Azzan|Azzan]], [[Wahidi Bir Ali|Bir Ali]], and [[Wahidi Haban|Habban]])
***[[File:Flag of Beihan.svg|24px]] [[Emirate of Beihan|Beihan]]
***[[File:Flag of Dhala.svg|24px]] [[Emirate of Dhala|Dhala]] and [[Qutaibi]]
***[[File:Flag of the Sultanate of Fadhli.svg|24px]] [[Fadhli Sultanate|Fadhli]]
***[[File:Flag of the Sultanate of Lahej.svg|24px]] [[Sultanate of Lahej|Lahej]]
***[[File:Flag of Lower Yafa.svg|24px]] [[Lower Yafa]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Audhali]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Haushabi]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Upper Aulaqi Sheikhdom]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Upper Aulaqi Sultanate]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Lower Aulaqi Sultanate|Lower Aulaqi]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Alawi (sheikhdom)|Alawi]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Aqrabi]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Dathina]]
***{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Shaib]]
* {{flagicon|EGY|variant=1882}} [[Sultanate of Egypt]] (1914–1922)
* {{flagicon|UK|variant=}} {{flagicon|EGY|variant=1922}} [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan]] (1899–1956) (condominium with Egypt)

===Asia===
* [[File:Flag of the Maldives 1953.svg|24x24px]] [[Sultanate of Maldives]] (1887–1965)<ref name="mi">{{cite web|url=https://maldivesindependent.com/politics/timeline-story-of-independence-115638|title=Timeline – Story of Independence|access-date=11 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727112628/https://maldivesindependent.com/politics/timeline-story-of-independence-115638|archive-date=27 July 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* {{flag|Kingdom of Sikkim}} (1861–1947)<ref>{{citation |last=Mullard |first=Saul |title=Opening the Hidden Land: State Formation and the Construction of Sikkimese History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G_1J4tgrYDUC&pg=PA184 |year=2011 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-20895-7 |page=184}}</ref>
* [[Manipur Kingdom]] (1826–1891)<ref>{{citation |last=Phanjoubam |first=Pradip |title=The Northeast Question: Conflicts and frontiers |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OxStCwAAQBAJ |year=2015 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-34004-1 |pages=3–4}}</ref>
*Various [[British Raj]] [[Princely state|Princely States]] (1845-1947) – The princely states were lower in status than protectorates as the British reserved the right to interfere in internal matters under the principle of [[British Paramountcy]].

===Europe===
*[[File:Flag of Cyprus (1881-1922).svg|24x24px]] [[British Cyprus]] (1871–1914) (put under British military administration 1914–22 then proclaimed a [[Crown colony]] 1922–60)
*{{flagicon|UK|variant=}} {{flagicon|Two Sicilies|variant=1815}} [[Malta Protectorate]] (1800–1813); {{flagicon|Malta|variant=1814}} [[Crown Colony of Malta]] proclaimed in 1813) (de jure part of the [[Kingdom of Sicily]] but under British protection)
* [[File:Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands.svg|24x24px]] [[United States of the Ionian Islands|Ionian islands]] (1815–1864) (a [[Greeks|Greek]] [[state (polity)|state]] and [[amical protectorate]] of Great Britain between 1815 and 1864)

===Sub-Saharan Africa===
*{{flag|Barotseland|}} Protectorate (1900–1964)
*{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Bechuanaland Protectorate]] (1885–1966)
*{{flag|British Somaliland|}} (1884–1960){{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|p=51}}
*[[File:Flag of Kenya (1895–1921).svg|24x24px]] [[East Africa Protectorate]] (1895–1920)
*[[File:Flag of The Gambia (1889–1965).svg|24x24px]] [[Gambia Colony and Protectorate]]* (1894–1965)
*[[File:Flag of Kenya (1921–1963).svg|24x24px]] [[Kenya Colony|Kenya Protectorate]]* (1920–1963)
*{{flagicon|Nigeria|colonial}} [[Colonial Nigeria|Nigeria]]* (1914-1960)
*[[File:Flag of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914).svg|24x24px]] [[Northern Nigeria Protectorate]] (1900–1914)
*{{flag|Northern Rhodesia|}} (1924–1964)
*{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Northern Territories of the Gold Coast (British protectorate)]] (1901–1957)
*{{flagicon|Nyasaland|variant=}} [[Nyasaland Protectorate]] (1893–1964) ([[File:Flag of British Central Africa Protectorate.svg|24x24px]] [[British Central Africa Protectorate]] until 1907)
*[[File:Flag of Sierra Leone 1916-1961.gif|24x24px]] [[Sierra Leone Protectorate]]* (1896–1961)
*[[File:Flag of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914).svg|24x24px]] [[Southern Nigeria Protectorate]] (1900–1914)
*{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Swaziland#British rule over Swaziland (1906–1968)|Swaziland]] (1903–1968)
*[[File:Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg|24x24px]] [[Uganda Protectorate]] (1894–1962)
*{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Walvis Bay]] (1878–1884)
*{{flag|Sultanate of Zanzibar|}} (1890–1963)
<nowiki>*</nowiki>protectorates that existed alongside a colony of the same name

===Oceania===
*{{flag|Territory of Papua|}} (1884–1888)
*[[File:Flag of the Solomon Islands (1906–1947).svg|24x24px]] [[British Solomon Islands]] (1893–1978)
*[[File:Flag of the Cook Islands Federation.svg|24x24px]] [[Cook Islands Federation|Cook Islands]] (1888–1901)
*{{flag|Gilbert and Ellice Islands|}} (1892–1916)
*{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Niue]] (1900–1901)
*{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Tokelau]] (1877–1916)

== List of former British protected states ==
As protected states, the following states were never officially part of the British Empire and retained near-total control over internal affairs; however, the British controlled their foreign policy. Their status was rarely advertised while it was in effect, it becoming clear only after it was lifted.{{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|pp=50–51}}

* {{flag|Emirate of Afghanistan|1906}} (1879–1919){{efn|The British held a [[de jure]] protected state over Afghanistan. Despite agreeing to the terms of the Treaty of Gandamak, [[Abdur Rahman Khan]] held Afghanistan as a [[De facto|de-facto]] independent state by holding external affairs with other nations such as Persia and Russia, and often opposing the British.}}{{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|p=50}}
*{{flag|Brunei|1906}} (1888–1984)
*{{flag|Bhutan|1949}} (1910–1947){{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|p=50}}
*{{flag|Kingdom of Nepal}} (1816–1923){{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|p=50}}
*{{flag|Kingdom of Egypt|1922}} (1922–1936)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://laits.utexas.edu/modern_me/egypt/3/treaty|title=Histories of the Modern Middle East|website=Laits.utexas.edu|access-date=21 April 2019}}</ref>
*{{flagicon|Malaya|variant=}} [[Federation of Malaya]] (1948–1957)
**{{flag|Federated Malay States|}} (1895–1946)
***{{flag|Negeri Sembilan|}} (1888–1895)
****[[File:Flag of Sungei Ujong.svg|24x24px]] [[Sungai Ujong]] (1874–1888)
****{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Jelebu]] (1886–1895)
***{{flag|Pahang|}} (1888–1895)
***{{flag|Perak|}} (1874–1895)
***{{flag|Selangor|}} (1874–1895)
**{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Unfederated Malay States]] (1904/09–1946)
***{{flag|Johor|}} (1914–1946)
****{{flag|Johor|1855}} [[Muar District|Muar]] (1897–1909)
***{{flag|Kedah|}} (1909–1946)
***{{flag|Kelantan|}} (1909–1946)
***{{flag|Perlis|}} (1909–1946)
***{{flag|Terengganu|}} (1919–1946)
* {{flag|Tonga|}} (1900–1970)
* {{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Persian Gulf Residency|British Residency of the Persian Gulf]] (1822–1971); headquarters based at [[Bushehr|Bushire]], [[Iran|Persia]]
**[[File:State flag of Persia (1907–1933).svg|23px]] [[Qajar Iran|Persia]] (1919–1921)
**{{flag|Bahrain|1932}} (1861–1971){{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|p=50}}
**[[File:Flag of Kuwait 1940-1961.png|23px]] [[Sheikhdom of Kuwait]] (1899–1961){{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|p=50}}
**[[File:Flag of Qatar (1936-1949).svg|24px|border]] [[Qatar]] (1916–1971)
**{{flag|Trucial States|}}; precursor state of the [[United Arab Emirates|UAE]] (1820–1971){{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|p=50}}
***[[File:Flag of Abu Dhabi.svg|24px]] [[Abu Dhabi]] (1820–1971)
***[[File:Flag of Ajman.svg|24px]] [[Ajman]] (1820–1971)
***[[File:Flag of Dubai.svg|24px]] [[Dubai]] (1835–1971)
***[[File:Flag of Fujairah (1952–1972).svg|24px]] [[Fujairah]] (1952–1971)
***[[File:Flag of Sharjah.svg|24px]] [[Ras Al Khaimah]] (1820–1971)
***[[File:Flag of Sharjah.svg|24px]] [[Sharjah]] (1820–1971)
****[[File:Flag of Sharjah.svg|24px]] [[Kalba]] (1936–1951)
***[[File:Flag of Umm al-Qaiwain.svg|24px]] [[Umm al-Qaiwain]] (1820–1971)
** {{flag|Muscat and Oman|}} (1892–1951) (informal)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/1556/1/U126805.pdf|title=Oman and the West: State Formation in Oman since 1920|author=Francis Carey Owtram |publisher=University of London |year=1999 |access-date=31 October 2020}}</ref>{{sfnp|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009|pp=50–51}}
*{{flag|Kingdom of Sarawak|}} (1888–1946)
* {{flagicon|North Borneo|variant=}} [[North Borneo]] (1888–1946)
* [[File:Flag of the Maldives 1953.svg|24x24px]] [[Sultanate of Maldives]] (1948-1965)
*{{flagicon image|No flag.svg|size=24px}} [[Eswatini#British rule over Swaziland (1906–1968)|Swaziland]] (1967–1968)

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{citation |first=James |last=Onley |title=The Raj Reconsidered: British India's Informal Empire and Spheres of Influence in Asia and Africa |journal=Asian Affairs |volume=11 |number=1 |date=March 2009 |url=https://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/iais/downloads/Onley_Raj_Reconsidered.pdf |archive-date=9 October 2022 |url-status=dead  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/iais/downloads/Onley_Raj_Reconsidered.pdf |ref={{sfnref|Onley, The Raj Reconsidered|2009}}}}

[[Category:British Empire]]
[[Category:Governance of the British Empire|Protectorate]]
[[Category:History of the Commonwealth of Nations]]