Genesis and Nemesis of the First Dutch Colonial Empire in Asia and South Africa, 1596–1811

Gerrit Knaap, Ph.D. (1985) University of Utrecht, is Emeritus Professor at that University.

"Knaap has been among the few historians paying special attention to the military side of the [Dutch East India Company]. [...] [This book] will prove invaluable, especially for historians that do not read Dutch but who can profit from making comparisons to the [Dutch East India Company]." - Philipp Huber in Tijdschrift voor Zeegeschiedenis, 42 (2), 2023.

• Expansion in History Series Editor’s PrefaceAcknowledgementsList of MapsList of IllustrationsGlossary and AbbreviationsIntroduction1 Prelude to Empire1 A Young Nation Ready for Ocean-Going Expansion2 Proto-Companies on the Way to Asia3 Proto-Companies on the Road to Unity4 The VOC in a European Context5 Conclusion2 Foundation of Empire1 The VOC’s Role in Asia According to the Instructions Issued to the Admirals2 The First Admirals: War, Success and Stagnation3 Governor-General Pieter Both, His Instruction and the Twelve Years’ Truce4 Coen’s First Term of Office: Batavia, the English, Banda, the Iberians5 Coen Back Home and His Second Term of Office in the Empire6 Conclusion3 Expansion of Empire1 Van Diemen against Portugal: Blockades, Sieges, Conquests2 Gunboat Diplomacy, Special Theatres of War, Remote Places3 Endgame with Portugal: Ceylon, Malabar and Other Theatres of War4 Difficulties with the English and the French5 The Cloves Secured: Amboina6 The Cloves Secured: Maluku7 Formosa Won and Lost8 Finale in the Eastern Archipelago: Makassar9 Ceylon: Van Goens’ War against Kandy and Other Troubles10 Breaking out of Bridgehead Batavia: Intervention in Mataram11 Breaking out of Bridgehead Batavia: Intervention in Bantam12 Conclusion4 Consolidation of Empire1 Consolidation versus Intervention2 The First Two Javanese Succession Wars3 In the Northern Arabian Sea: Slow Retreat from a Far Periphery4 The VOC in Malabar: From Strength to Weakness5 The Chinese Massacre in Batavia and the Chinese War in Mataram6 The High Government between Factionalism and Reform7 The Third Javanese War of Succession and the Division of Mataram8 Problems in the Eastern Archipelago: Wajo, Gowa, Timor and Tidore9 Problems at Java’s Western and Eastern Fringes10 Problems in the Malakka Straits and Expansion in Borneo11 Dutch Hegemony in Ceylon Secured: The War with Kandy12 European Confrontations: The French and the Ostendeners13 European Confrontations: The Seven Years’ War14 Conclusion5 Demise of Empire1 The Fourth Anglo-Dutch War2 Further Problems in Malabar, the Malakka Straits, Borneo and Tidore3 New Initiatives for a Better Defence4 Revolution in Europe5 The First British Assault6 The Peace of Amiens and the Resumption of Hostilities7 Marshall Daendels in Java8 The Second British Assault, the End of Dutch Empire9 Conclusion6 The Empire’s Naval and Army Personnel1 Recruitment of Personnel in the Netherlands and Europe2 From the Netherlands to the East and Back3 Conditions of the Military Men and the Sailors after Arrival in the East4 Temporary Armed Forces: Civilian Militias, the Amboinese Hongi and Others5 Armed Personnel Recruited in the East6 Primary Labour Conditions of Military Men and Sailors7 Statistics of the Armed Personnel of the Empire8 Quality and Costs of Armed Forces’ Personnel9 Conclusion7 The Empire’s Ships, Fortifications and Weapons1 Ships Built in the Netherlands2 Shipbuilding and Repairs in the East3 Dutch Naval Power in the East4 Fortifications: Necessity for the Empire5 Fortifications: Construction, Maintenance, Classification6 Heavy Fire-Arms: Artillery at Sea and Ashore7 Portable Weaponry: Proximity and Short Distance Weapons8 Projectiles, Gunpowder and Other Military Requirements9 Costs of Ships, Fortifications and Weaponry10 Conclusion8 The Empire’s Voyages, Garrisons and Military Practices1 Outward- and Homeward-Bound Voyages2 In the Capital of Empire: Batavia3 In Other Garrison Towns4 In the Far Periphery5 Expeditions at Sea and on the Coast6 Expeditions on Land7 Landscapes of Foes and Friends of the Empire8 Genocidal Behaviour9 Imperial Decision Makers: A Proto-Civil Service10 Conclusion9 The First Dutch Colonial Empire in the East: Empire among Empires1 European Colonial Powers Surrounding the Indian Ocean2 Characteristics of the First Dutch Colonial Empire in the East3 The Dutch Colonial Empire and the Great Asian Empires4 The Military Revolutions of the Early Modern Era5 ConclusionEpilogue Statistics Table 1: Seamen and military men in the VOC empire, five year intervalsTable 2: Seamen and military men in the VOC empire, 1760, according to rankTable 3: Seamen and military men in the VOC empire, 1760, according to provinceTable 4: The fleet of the VOC in its empireTable 5: Fortifications of the VOC per category, circa 1790, according to provinceTable 6: Weapons of the VOC according to category, circa 1790Sources and LiteratureNationaal Archief, Abbreviated NA, The HaguePrinted Sources, Monographs and ArticlesIndex