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Home >>History >>History Timeline

History Timeline

Compiled by: Roderick C. Wahr

1600
The Dutch assisted the native chiefs of the Moluccas to expel the Portuguese, whose influence in these countries they acquired and have ever since steadily maintained.

The VOC Flag
Click to enlarge
Directors of the
Kamer van Hoorn
1602

On 20th March 1602 the Dutch 'Staten Generaal' issued a monopoly to trade and shipping in Asia for the duration of 21 years to the 'Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie', VOC. This patent would be extended in the years to come. The Staten Generaal also allowed the VOC to build fortresses and to deal as much damage as possible to the Portuguese and Spanish interests in Asia.
The company had six divisions or 'Kamers' in the Netherlands, in the cities Amsterdam, Middelburg, Rotterdam, Delft, Hoorn and Enkhuizen. The Kamers equipped ships themselves, the management was stipulated by the 'Heren Zeventien', a commission consisting of delegate leaders from the six Kamers, who in turn met in Amsterdam and Middelburg. The company capital (6.5 million guilders) was collected by shareholders who received dividend according to share from the profit of the return cargoes from Asia to the Republic.

1603
The first VOC fleet of twelve heavily armed ships stood under the command of Steven van der Haghen. One of his tasks was to attack the Portuguese establishments in Goa and Mozambique. The VOC established a trading post in Bantam, which the English had already done a year before.
The Spanish built a fortress on the Moluccas.
The rulers of Manado wanted to get rid of their Spanish invaders. They asked for help from the Dutch VOC in Ternate.

Clove Plant
Clove Plant 
1605

Steven van der Haghen expelled the Portuguese from the Moluccas and baptised Leitimor fortress into Fort Victoria. He drafted a contract with the inhabitants of Hitu for the supply of cloves. With Banda an agreement was made for the supply of nutmeg.

1606
The Spanyards from the Philippines invaded Fort Tidor which was abandoned by the Portuguese in Halmaheira.

1607
VOC ships for the first time entered the port of Manado to buy rice and other food produce needed as stock for the journey to China. They did not succeed because the Spanish who already controlled trade in North Sulawesi forbade it.
Governor Cornelis Mattelief from Batavia appointed Jan Lodewijk Rossingeyn to establish trade relations but it was refused by the Spanish.
The VOC maintained friendly relations with the notables of the sultanate of the Moluccas who hated the Spanyards. This happened because the Spanish had imprisoned Sultan Sahid Berkat and banished him to Manilla. The Ternate sultanate approached the Dutch as an alternative for the power of the Spanyards.

1610
Nutmeg
 Nutmeg
Efforts to approach the Minahasas were continued when the VOC leaders in Batavia appointed Captain Verhoeff who also failed. Verhoeff reported at length about the potential of the Minahasa to attract interest from Batavia to gain control over North Sulawesi for the safety of the VOC in the Moluccas.
A guarantee for safety from the VOC was obtained by Ternate when prince Sahid, Sultan Modafar was raised to the throne in 1610 without interference from the Spanish.

1614
The VOC started to consolidate a force in Ambon to take the Sulawesi Sea from the Spanish. A brief battle between the Spanish and the Dutch raged in the month of August on the islands of Siauw, which was won by the Dutch. After losing Siauw, the Spanish centered its force in Manado. To counter Dutch attacks they established a fortress on the seashore of that city facing the island Manado Tua.

1617
Steven van der Haghen was appointed Governor of Ambon.


1600 - 1629



© 2004 by Roderick. All rights reserved.write comments to: