After the Iberian colonization made its Catholic Habsburg dynasty Nemesis rich and mighty, the Calvinistic Republic of the United provinces challenged it for the very control of the spice trade. Not the politically weak federal state, but ...See moreAfter the Iberian colonization made its Catholic Habsburg dynasty Nemesis rich and mighty, the Calvinistic Republic of the United provinces challenged it for the very control of the spice trade. Not the politically weak federal state, but a state within the state - the United East Indies Company (VOIC in Dutch, founded 1602), centered in new port-&exchange-metropolis Amsterdam, albeit with several regional branches. It had its own fleet and army, and colonized huge territories, mainly present Indonesia, under indirect rule ('protection' treaties). The crown jewel was a monopoly on the unique (till a French theft after 1800) muscat nut culture of the Moluccas, maintained by ruthless repression, such as the sack of Bandar after a British competition-inspired revolt, followed by the introduction of slavery. At home the fabulous profits mainly enriched the 'regent' families, bourgeois patrons of the arts (Rembrandt!) in an aristocratic age. The second pillar was the West Indies Company, whose American empire (founding New York as New Amsterdam) was soon overpowered by the British, who would overtake overall trade and financial dominance. World-scene wars and the Krakatau volcanic eruption broke the eastern empire after the Dutch state replaced the failed post-monopoly VOIC as colonizer. Written by
KGF Vissers
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