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Jaffna Fort was built by the Portuguese at Jaffna, Sri Lanka in 1618 under Philip De Olivera following the Portuguese invasion of Jaffna. It was captured by the Dutch under Raiclop Van Goins in 1658 who expanded it. In 1795, it was taken over by the British, and remained under the control of a British garrison till 1948. As the only large military fort in the country, due to the presence of only government and military buildings within its ramparts, it was garrisoned by a detachment of the Ceylon Army.<br/><br/> Buildings inside the fort include the Governor's residence, Queen's House, Jaffna, the Garrison Parade Ground, Police quarters and several buildings from the Portuguese era.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
St. Paul's Church was originally built in 1521. In Décadas da Ásia, the seminal work of the Portuguese chronicler, João de Barros, the original structure was a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.<br/><br/>The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).<br/><br/>A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.<br/><br/>With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church.
St. Paul's Church was originally built in 1521. In Décadas da Ásia, the seminal work of the Portuguese chronicler, João de Barros, the original structure was a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.<br/><br/>The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).<br/><br/>A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.<br/><br/>With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church.
St. Paul's Church was originally built in 1521. In Décadas da Ásia, the seminal work of the Portuguese chronicler, João de Barros, the original structure was a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.<br/><br/>The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).<br/><br/>A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.<br/><br/>With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church.
St. Paul's Church was originally built in 1521. In Décadas da Ásia, the seminal work of the Portuguese chronicler, João de Barros, the original structure was a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.<br/><br/>The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).<br/><br/>A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.<br/><br/>With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church.
St. Paul's Church was originally built in 1521. In Décadas da Ásia, the seminal work of the Portuguese chronicler, João de Barros, the original structure was a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.<br/><br/>The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).<br/><br/>A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.<br/><br/>With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church.
St. Paul's Church was originally built in 1521. In Décadas da Ásia, the seminal work of the Portuguese chronicler, João de Barros, the original structure was a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.<br/><br/>The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).<br/><br/>A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.<br/><br/>With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church.
St. Paul's Church was originally built in 1521. In Décadas da Ásia, the seminal work of the Portuguese chronicler, João de Barros, the original structure was a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.<br/><br/>The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).<br/><br/>A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.<br/><br/>With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church.
St. Paul's Church was originally built in 1521. In Décadas da Ásia, the seminal work of the Portuguese chronicler, João de Barros, the original structure was a simple chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The chapel was built by a Portuguese fidalgo or nobleman, Duarte Coelho, as an act of gratitude following his escape from a storm in the South China Sea.<br/><br/>The chapel was deeded to the Society of Jesus in 1548 by the Bishop of Goa, João Afonso de Albuquerque, with the title deeds received by St. Francis Xavier. The chapel was then further enlarged in 1556 with the addition of a second floor, and a belfry tower was added in 1590. The chapel was then renamed the Igreja de Madre de Deus (Church of the Mother of God).<br/><br/>A burial vault was opened in 1592 and many people of distinction were buried there, including Pedro Martins, the second Bishop of Funay, Japan.<br/><br/>With the conquest of Malacca by the Dutch in 1641, the church was reconsecrated for Dutch Reformed use as St. Paul's Church also known as the Bovernkerk or High Church.
Christ Church is an 18th-century Anglican church in the city of Malacca (Melaka). It is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia and is within the jurisdiction of the Lower Central Archdeaconry of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia.<br/><br/> In 1641 the Dutch, in alliance with the Sultan of Johor, succeeded in displacing the Portuguese and taking over control of Malacca. Their stamp is still indelibly marked on the city in the Stadthuys or Governor’s residence, the oldest Dutch building in Southeast Asia.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese. It also traded with India and established ports, factories and warehouses there.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Gold Coast of West Africa was captured from the Portuguese by the Dutch West India Company (GWC) in 1637, and was used as a port for trading gold, as well as for its fleets’ long voyages to Asia where the Netherlands controlled majority stakes in the spice trade, and to the Americas where the GWC shipped slaves. The Gold Coast remained in Dutch hands until 1872-4 when the British moved in and made it a Crown Colony. Ghana achieved independence in 1957.<br/><br/> In this oil painting, the director-general wears a bright red jacket with richly embroidered cuffs. Below his tricorn hat he wears a wig, but a long ponytail is visible and there are traces of powder on his shoulder. Pranger points to an ivory staff of office on the table, which is covered with a green cloth bearing the initials GWC—'Geoctrooieerde Westindische Compagnie'—meaning the Dutch West India Company. Behind him a servant waits patiently, holding a ‘pajong’, a ceremonial parasol, under his arm.
Amboina, or Ambon, would remain the main base of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) from 1605 until its headquarters moved to Batavia, now Jakarta, in 1619.<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
A Batavia market is in full swing in the shade of the coconut palm trees. Traders from Java, China, Bengal and Europe are depicted trading with locals. In the background is the fortfified Batavia Castle, the Asian headquarters of the Dutch East India Company. Through the centre flows the Ciliwung, also known as Kali Besar ('Great River').<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
This Acehnese flag was captured in 1840 from an Acehnese fort by First Lieutenant C.H. Bischoff of the Dutch colonial forces. Severely wounded, Bischoff was carried off by his comrades wrapped in the flag. Several days later, on 3 May 1840, Bischoff died of his wounds. Before passing away, he was promoted to the rank of captain for his heroic deed. Laboratory research has confirmed that the flag has a bullet hole and bears blood stains.<br/><br/> Although Aceh's independence had been guaranteed by the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1819, the province was supplying half of the world's pepper, and was a sought-after dominion of the European powers and local rajahs. Colonized by the Dutch, the Acehnese fought back many times between the 17th and 19th centuries.
King William I (r. 1815-40) is pictured here in the ceremonial dress of a general in the Dutch army. Over it he is wearing an ermine lined and trimmed cloak on which is the emblem of the Military Order of William, established by him in 1815. On the table are the sceptre, crown and general's bicorne. Over the edge of the table hangs a map showing part of the Indonesian archipelago with the words: 'Map of the State of Bantam, Batavia and Cheribon', referring to the the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia).<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company had dominated the trade in spices from the East Indies from 1602 until the archipelago became a Dutch colony in 1800. It remained colonized until Indonesia gained independence in 1949.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese. It also established forts and factories in India.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
Pieter Cnoll was the wealthy senior merchant representing the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in Batavia (now Jakarta), a major port and Dutch trade center in the 17th century. Cnoll was married to a Eurasian woman, Cornelia van Nijenroode, who was the daughter of a Japanese woman and Cornelis van Nieuwroode, a VOC merchant in Japan.<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
J. B. (Joannes Benedictus) van Heutsz (1851—1924), was a Dutch military commander who was appointed governor general of the Dutch East Indies in 1904 following his defeat of the Sultanate of Aceh after more than 30 years of conflict.<br/><br/> In this 1908 portrait, van Heutsz sports the orange ribbon of the insignia of the the Order of William, introduced by King Willem I in 1815. But although van Heutsz was richly rewarded for his heroic role in concluding the Aceh War, historians note that the Dutch massacred thousands of civilians, including women and children, in their determination to establish Aceh as an Dutch East Indies colony.
Herman Willem Daendels (1762 –1818) was a Dutch soldier who became Governor General of the Asian colonies. After heavy criticism of his leadership, he was replaced in 1811, and became an officer in the French army. King William I of the Netherlands then appointed Daendels Governor General of the Dutch Colonies on the west coast of Africa. He died of yellow fever there in 1818.
While Mathieuson and his wife dress in the demure Protestant Dutch style of the times, their overdressed slave holds a parasol, or 'pajong', above them. With his cane, the merchant indicates a fleet of ships belonging to the Dutch East India Company (VOC). In the background lies the partially walled city of Batavia, the hub of the VOC’s operations in Asia.<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
An oil on canvas painting by Nicolaas Pieneman depicts the events on March 28, 1830, which brought about the end of the Java War (1825-30).<br/><br/> The Javanese prince, Dipo Negoro, descends the stairs at the Dutch residence in Magelang after his surrender to General Baron de Kock. Two forlorn figures throw themselves at the prince’s feet. On the ground, in token of the surrender, lie a number of spears belonging to Dipo Negoro's followers. Gen. de Kock resolutely points to a carriage standing ready to carry Dipo Negoro into exile, contrary to a previous agreement.<br/><br/> The Netherlands would continue to rule over Indonesia until 1949.
This dancer was part of a troupe of wandering entertainers who traveled through Java in the late 19th century, performing dances and puppet shows. Indonesian shadow puppetry, known as 'wayang kulit', is one of the world’s oldest storytelling traditions. Traditional Javanese dance began as a court ritual, but over time the dances incorporated many of the stories and traditions performed in the puppet theater. The photograph was taken by the studio of Woodbury & Page, which was established in 1857 by the British photographers Walter Bentley Woodbury and James Page.
Java (Indonesian: Jawa) is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million (excluding the 3.6 million on the island of Madura which is administered as part of the provinces of Java), Java is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated places in the world. Java is the home of 60 percent of the Indonesian population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is located on western Java.<br/><br/>Much of Indonesian history took place on Java. It was the center of powerful Hindu-Buddhist empires, the Islamic sultanates, and the core of the colonial Dutch East Indies. Java was also the center of the Indonesian struggle for independence during the 1930s and 40s. Java dominates Indonesia politically, economically and culturally.<br/><br/>Formed mostly as the result of volcanic eruptions, Java is the 13th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in Indonesia. A chain of volcanic mountains forms an east-west spine along the island. It has three main languages, though Javanese is dominant, and it is the native language of about 60 million people in Indonesia, most of whom live on Java. Most of its residents are bilingual, with Indonesian as their first or second languages. While the majority of the people of Java are Muslim, Java has a diverse mixture of religious beliefs, ethnicities, and cultures.<br/><br/>Java is divided into four provinces, West Java, Central Java, East Java, and Banten, and also two special regions, Jakarta and Yogyakarta.
At the end of the 18th century, the first paper money appeared in the Netherlands Indies. The notes were issued by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) that represented the Dutch interests in the East.<br/><br/> The Dutch East Indies, or Netherlands East Indies, (Dutch: Nederlands-Indië; Indonesian: Hindia-Belanda) was the Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the former Dutch East India Company that came under the administration of the Netherlands in 1800.<br/><br/> During the 19th century, Dutch possessions and its hegemony were expanded, reaching their greatest extent in the early 20th century, defining the borders of modern-day Indonesia. The colony was based on rigid racial and social categorisations with a Dutch elite living separate from their native subjects.
Originally colonized by the Portuguese in 1511, the 10 tiny volcanic islands of Banda, or Maluku, were then administered by the Dutch East Indies Company, which plundered the islands of its spices, including nutmeg, cloves and mace. After holding the Bandanese spice trade monopoly for 200 years, the Dutch were finally expelled when the British captured the Bandas in 1810.
Rampok Macan were Javanese ceremonies which centered upon the slaying of tigers, perhaps as a symbolic way for humans to confirm their dominance over nature, but also to affirm the supremacy of the sultan, raja or ruler at the centre of the mandala or circle of power.<br/><br/>The tigers were not sacrificed, per se, but rather forced into combat that virtually guaranteed their deaths—either against spear-wielding humans or, far more spectacularly, water buffalos.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese. It also traded with India and established ports, factories and warehouses there.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
Banda Aceh’s Grand Mosque was built around the 12th century, but was burnt down during the Aceh War (1873-1904). It was rebuilt by the Dutch as a gesture of reconciliation in 1880 before hostilities broke out once more.<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies. The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese. Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
In April 1511, Portuguese conquistador Afonso de Albuquerque set sail from Goa to Malacca with a force of some 1,200 men on a fleet of 17 or 18 ships. They conquered the city on August 24, 1511, and Sultan Mahmud Shah, the last Sultan of Malacca, had to take refuge in the hinterland. Malacca became a strategic base for Portuguese expansion in the East Indies where they could exploit the spice trade.<br/><br/>In 1641, the Dutch defeated the Portuguese with the help of the Sultan of Johore. The Dutch ruled Malacca from 1641 to 1798, but they were not interested in developing it as a trading centre, placing greater importance in Batavia (Jakarta) on Java as their administrative centre.<br/><br/>Malacca was ceded to the British in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 in exchange for Bencoolen on Sumatra. From 1826 to 1946, Malacca was governed by Britain, first by the British East India Company and then as a Crown Colony.
This watercolor by Arnold Borret (1848-88) consists of small sketches of different members of society and their various ethnic backgrounds in the Dutch colony of Suriname in the 1880s. Borret was an accomplished amateur artist who was also a lawyer and a Roman Catholic priest. He studied law at the University of Leiden and practiced in Rotterdam before becoming a clerk, in 1878, to the Supreme Court in Paramaribo. He became a priest in 1883, with the intention of working with lepers in Suriname. He died of typhus in 1888.<br/><br/> The smallest country in South America, Suriname's diversity began in the 16th century when French, Spanish and English explorers visited the area. A century later, plantation colonies were established by the Dutch and English along the many rivers in the fertile Guyana plains.<br/><br/> Disputes arose—as ever—between the Dutch and the English. In 1667, the Dutch decided to keep the nascent plantation colony of Suriname from the English, resulting from the Treaty of Breda. The English were left with New Amsterdam, a small trading post in North America, which later became New York City.<br/><br/> As a plantation colony, Surinam was still heavily dependent on manual labor, and to make up for the shortfall, the Dutch brought in contract laborers from the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) and India (through an arrangement with the British). In addition, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, small numbers of mostly men were brought in from China and the Middle East. Although Suriname's population remains relatively small, because of this unique history it is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse countries in the world.
Senanan, meaning 'Monday', was a jousting competition held at the beginning of the week in many areas of Java. More of an equestrian parade and a show of horsemanship as opposed to a bloodsport, the events were held in the main square of the town with royal dignitaries or court officials in attendance.<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies. The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese. Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
Christ Church is an 18th-century Anglican church in the city of Malacca (Melaka). It is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia and is within the jurisdiction of the Lower Central Archdeaconry of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia.<br/><br/>In 1641 the Dutch, in alliance with the Sultan of Johor, succeeded in displacing the Portuguese and taking over control of Malacca. Their stamp is still indelibly marked on the city in the Stadthuys or Governor’s residence, the oldest Dutch building in Southeast Asia.
This photograph shows the Wedono of Banjaran (a region in present-day West Java near Bandung), in front of his house, with members of his entourage. In Dutch-administered Java, a wedono was a native regional administrator. The photograph was taken by the studio of Woodbury & Page, which was established in 1857 by the British photographers Walter Bentley Woodbury and James Page.
In April 1511, Portuguese conquistador Afonso de Albuquerque set sail from Goa to Malacca with a force of some 1,200 men on a fleet of 17 or 18 ships. They conquered the city on August 24, 1511, and Sultan Mahmud Shah, the last Sultan of Malacca, had to take refuge in the hinterland. Malacca became a strategic base for Portuguese expansion in the East Indies where they could exploit the spice trade.<br/><br/> In 1641, the Dutch defeated the Portuguese with the help of the Sultan of Johore. The Dutch ruled Malacca from 1641 to 1798, but they were not interested in developing it as a trading centre, placing greater importance in Batavia (Jakarta) on Java as their administrative centre. Malacca was ceded to the British in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 in exchange for Bencoolen on Sumatra. From 1826 to 1946, Malacca was governed by Britain, first by the British East India Company and then as a Crown Colony.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese. It also traded with India and established ports, factories and warehouses there.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese. It also traded with India and established ports, factories and warehouses there.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company established itself in the East Indies [now Indonesia] in the early 1600s with a view to controlling the lucrative trade in nutmeg, mace, cloves and pepper from a tiny cluster of islands known as the Moluccas [Maluku]. English merchants associated with the British East India Company, however, were also keen to stake a claim in the spice trade, and their interests came into direct conflict with those of the Dutch.<br/><br/> Early in 1623, the Dutch local governor, Herman van Speult, believed that the English merchants, helped by Japanese mercenaries, planned to kill him and overwhelm the Dutch garrison. He ordered the arrest of the alleged plotters. Under torture they admitted their guilt, and were executed on Amboina in February 1623. The British thereafter referred to the incident as the Amboina Massacre.
Commissioned as a pilot for a Dutch fleet in 1598, William Adams sailed to the East Indies [Indonesia] via Cape Horn in South America. The expedition was prior to those of the Dutch and British East India companies, but the objective was similar—to trade their cargo for silver in South America, which was to be exchanged for nutmeg, mace, pepper and cloves in the Moluccas. A secondary option was to obtain silver in Japan.<br/><br/> Blighted severely by mutiny, scurvy, starvation and murder, Adams' fleet was much diminished when it reached Kyushu in April 1600. The Portuguese Jesuits did their best to dissuade the shogun from trading with the Dutch, but Ieyasu ignored their pleas and welcomed Adams into the fold, allowing him to trade, and inviting him to work as a naval architect.<br/><br/> Adams married a local woman and never returned to Europe. He died in Japan aged 55 in 1620. Fondly remembered in Japan as 'Anjin-sama', Adams was the inspiration for the character of John Blackthorne in James Clavell's bestselling novel 'Shogun'.
Following successful expeditions to the East Indies [Indonesia], the Dutch set up a factory and a fortress in Bantam, which was later moved to the new capital in Jakarta.<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was set up in 1602 to exploit the East Indies and, in particular, the Moluccas or Spice Islands, which were the world's major provider of nutmeg, mace, cloves and pepper. Until that point, the spice trade had been dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
After A Dutch spy, Jan Huyghen van Linschoten, copied Portuguese nautical maps while working as secretary for the Portuguese Archbishop of Goa in the 1580s, his published maps and books enabled the maritime passage to the elusive East Indies to be opened to the English and the Dutch. This allowed the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company to break the 16th century monopoly enjoyed by the Portuguese on trade with the East Indies (Indonesia) and the Spice Islands (Moluccas), though not without a great deal of bloodshed. The Portuguese East India Company lost its stranglehold on East Indies’ trade and commerce, and was liquidated in 1633.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
Jan Pieterszoon Coen (1587—1629) was an officer of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) who held two terms as its Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. Renowned for his administering skills, he was also a cruel and ruthless leader, remembered most for his quote: 'Despair not, spare your enemies not, for God is with us.' <br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
Indonesia, or the East Indies, was a Dutch colony from 1800 to 1949. However, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) dominated trade in the region and the Dutch army was based in Bantam, then Jakarta, as a deterrent while the VOC exploited the Spice Islands and their rich natural resources of nutmeg, cloves, pepper and mace.<br/><br/> The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company granted a monopoly by the Dutch government to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> In India, the VOC built ports and trading posts in Bengal (now Bangladesh) and the Coromandel Coast.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> In India, the VOC built ports and trading posts in Bengal (now Bangladesh) and the Coromandel Coast.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
The Dutch East India Company, or VOC, was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and the first company to issue stock. It was also arguably the world's first megacorporation, possessing quasi-governmental powers, including the ability to wage war, imprison and execute convicts, negotiate treaties, coin money and establish colonies.<br/><br/> The VOC was set up in 1602 to gain a foothold in the East Indies (Indonesia) for the Dutch in the lucrative spice trade, which until that point was dominated by the Portuguese.<br/><br/> Between 1602 and 1796, the VOC sent almost a million Europeans to work in the Asia trade on 4,785 ships, and netted more than 2.5 million tons of Asian trade goods.
Ternate is the major island of the Maluku Islands (Moluccas), which were known to Europeans as the Spice Islands. Together with neighbor Tidor, Ternate was the single largest producer of cloves in the world. Previously administered by warring Muslims sultans, the Spice Islands were first landed by shipwrecked Portuguese sailors in 1512. The fort was built in 1522, and Portugal fought constant battles with Ottoman-backed sultans, the Spanish, the British, and the Dutch to maintain control of the lucrative clove trade. In the 18th century, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) took governership of the islands. The demand for exotic spices finally waned in the 19th century, and Ternate was abandoned by the colonial Europeans.
Dutch naval officer Joris van Spilbergen (1568—1620) embarked on his first expedition when he went to Africa in 1596. He then set sail for Asia on May 5, 1601, commanding the fleet for the Moucheron trading company, a forerunner of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He met King Vimala Dharma Suriya of Senkadagalapura (Maha Nuvara), today known as Kandy, in Ceylon in 1602 with a view to trading for the island's cinnamon.<br/><br/> In 1607, Spilbergen, onboard Aeolus, fought at the Battle of Gibraltar. In 1614, he sailed beyond the Straits of Magellan and raided the Spanish settlements of the coast of California. He circumnavigated the earth, and returned to Holland in 1617. Spilbergen died a poor man in Bergen-op-Zoom in 1620.
The Banda Islands are a group of 10 tiny volcanic islands in the Banda Sea, about 2,000 km east of Java, and are part of Indonesia. During the 16th and 17th centuries, these remote islands were European explorers’ most prized colony due to the fact that they were the world’s sole source of nutmeg and mace.<br/><br/> First claimed by the Portuguese in 1512, the Bandas were then seized by the Dutch and British East India Companies who vied for the rare spices, also including cloves and pepper, which could be sold in Europe for 300 times the cost.
Situated some 900 km east of Madagascar, the island of Mauritius was a tantalizingly ideal port for medieval European explorers en route to India and the East Indies. It was also unpopulated but for animals, including the dodo bird. First came the Dutch: Wybrant van Warwijk claimed the island of Mauritius for Holland on Sept. 20, 1598. They abandoned it until 1638 when the Dutch East India Company (VOC) returned to stake their claim on the island; it remained colonized by the Netherlands until 1710. The French East India Company then claimed the island in 1721; it held Mauritius as a colony until the British seized it in 1810. Mauritius finally gained independence in 1968.
Willem Ysbrandtszoon Bontekoe (1587—1657) was born in Hoorn in Holland. In 1607, at the age of 20, Bontekoe succeeded his father as captain of the ship Bontekoe. In 1617, the ship was seized by Barbary pirates and Bontekoe ended up at a slave market. He was bought free, but his ship was lost. He became a skipper for the Dutch East India Company (VOC), and made just one eventful voyage for the company (1618–25).<br/><br/> After a pleasant nine-day stay on Ile Sainte-Marie near Madagascar, things went badly wrong. A fire, caused by a shipmate accidentally setting fire to a cask of brandy, caused the gunpowder magazine to explode and sink the ship. Of the 119 still on the ship only two survived, including Bontekoe, but he was wounded. There were 70 in two lifeboats, so 72 survived. Sails were made from the shirts of the crew. They were shipwrecked at sea; some drank seawater or urine. Bontekoe did the latter until it became too concentrated. Sometimes there was relief by catching birds and flying fish, and by drinking rainwater. The hunger became so severe again that the crew decided to soon kill the cabin boys. Bontekoe writes that he was against that, so they agreed to wait three more days. Just in time, 13 days after the shipwreck, they reached land where they could eat coconuts. It was an island in the Sunda Strait, 15 miles off Sumatra.<br/><br/> Bontekoe became widely known for a journal of his adventures that was published in 1646 under the delightful title, ‘Journal or Memorable Description of the East Indian Voyage of Willem Bontekoe from Hoorn, Including Many Remarkable and Dangerous Things that Happened to Him There’.
Sukarno was born on 6 June 1901 in Blitar, eastern Java, to a Javanese schoolteacher and a Balinese mother. His name was Kusno Sosrodihardjo, but he was renamed, as per Javanese custom, after surviving a childhood illness. His name is frequently spelled Soekarno after the Dutch spelling.<br/><br/> Graduating with a degree in engineering in 1926, Sukarno became an accomplished architect in Bandung, western Java. His peers considered him modern and highly intelligent—reputedly endowed with a photographic memory—and he was fluent in nine languages. On 4 July, 1927, Sukarno and some friends founded the Partai Nasional Indonesia (PNI) with a view to fighting for Indonesian independence. Sentenced as a political prisoner in 1930, Sukarno's cause was widely reported in the Dutch East Indies and abroad, and, as a result, he was freed in 1931.<br/><br/> Forever a thorn in the Dutch side, Sukarno continued to agitate. In 1942, the invading Japanese drove the Europeans from the islands, and turned to Sukarno and other former nationalists. Two days after the Japanese surrender to the Allies, on August 17, 1945, Sukarno declared Indonesian independence. Although the Dutch returned to reclaim their colony and Sukarno was arrested, Indonesian independence was ultimately recognised.<br/><br/> Sukarno established a parliamentary democracy, but maintained strong personal control. He courted relations with the West, the Soviets and China. He was appointed President for Life in 1963, and his latter years were marked by a rule of personality cult. Sukarno was ousted from office by Gen Suharto in 1967 and held under house arrest until his death on 21 June 1970.