The Dutch Empire was formed at the beginning of the 17th century. Its appearance became possible as a result of numerous trade, research, and colonial expeditions. Once it included various territories located around the world. Throughout the history of its existence, this empire has made many enemies, and the British Empire became the main one of them. Unfortunately, it is impossible to place the entire list of the colonies of the Netherlands in one small article, but read on for the largest and most significant of them.
Overseas possessions on the African continent
One of the most famous and important outposts in the west of the mainland was the so-called Slave Coast, once located on the territories of such modern states as Nigeria, Ghana, Togo and Benin. These lands were owned by the Dutch West India Company. This trading post was engaged in the supply of slaves for the plantation colonies located in America. The Dutch managed to gain a foothold on the Slave Coast with the establishment of their post in 1660 in Offrey. A little later, trade was moved to Ouidah, but due tothe beginning of political unrest, it had to be continued already in Yakima, where the Dutch erected Fort Zeelandiya. In 1760, they had to leave the last of the trading posts located in the area.
Among the African colonies of the Netherlands was Dutch Guinea (now the territory of Ghana), which was also called the Gold Coast. It consisted of several forts and trading posts, where the slave trade flourished in 1637-1871. It was mainly run by the same West India Company. The climate of these lands was not suitable for Europeans, as most of them soon died of yellow fever, malaria and other exotic diseases. At the beginning of the 19th century, the slave trade was stopped, which negatively affected the economy of the colony. They tried to establish plantations here, but they turned out to be unprofitable. In April 1871, the Dutch and the British signed the Treaty of Sumatran, according to which the Gold Coast became the property of Great Britain, which paid 47 thousand guilders for it. Thus, they lost their last holdings on the African continent.
Netherlands colonies in America
It is interesting that among the overseas territories that belonged to the Dutch, there was once also modern New York, whose name originally sounded like New Amsterdam. Willem Verhulst, one of the directors of the West India Company, is considered its founder. It was he who in 1625 chose the island of Manhattan to lay this settlement, which was bought from the Indian leader of the Manahatta tribe for 60 guilders (equivalent to today's 500-700US dollars). This settlement officially became a city in 1653, i.e. 27 years after its founding. Dutch rule here ended in 1674 after the signing of the Treaty of Westminster, according to which New York passed to the British.
The colonies of the Netherlands were not only in North but also in South America. Dutch Brazil occupied a fairly large territory, located along the northern coast of the continent. From 1624, taking advantage of the fact that Portugal was occupied by the Spaniards, the West India Company began to gradually capture the northeast of Brazil. The capital of these lands was the city of Mauritsstad (now Risifi). It was here that the headquarters of this Dutch company began to be located. After the Portuguese state was restored in 1640, it immediately began to reconquer the previously lost possessions. In early 1654, the Dutch had to withdraw from Brazil.
Colonies in the Far East
In 1590, the Portuguese visited an island off the coast of China. They named it Formosa (modern Taiwan). After 36 years, the Dutch first appeared on this land, led by Jan Kun, and then the Spaniards, who made an attempt to take possession of it. However, the East India Company managed to expel competitors from the island and make it their own. In 1661, refugees from China began to arrive here, who remained loyal to the Ming dynasty, which had been overthrown by that time. They were led by the rebellious admiral ZhengChengun. The Dutch had to capitulate and leave the island forever.
Besides Formosa, the Netherlands Empire in China had several other strongholds: Xiamen, Macau, Canton and Hainan. The Dutch also had the trading port of Dejima, which is an artificial island located in the Japanese bay of Nagasaki.
Netherlands colonies in Asia
Here were the so-called Dutch Indies. This concept included three different colonies at once:
- Land directly on the Hindustan Peninsula. These are Surat, Bengal, Malabar and Coromandel coasts. They have been subordinate to the Dutch since 1605. Their capital was the city of Cochin, located on the Malabar coast. The first trading post was located in Chinsuran. Various spices, opium and s alt were traded here. These now former colonies of the Netherlands were liberated back in 1825.
- East Indies and now Indonesia. She was considered the best of all the colonies of the Netherlands. In the second half of the 20th century, as a result of the struggle for independence, Indonesia finally gained freedom.
- Netherlands Antilles (West Indies).
Interesting facts about the Dutch in Australia
The island of Tasmania, located near the Australian mainland, was discovered by Abel Tasman. The Dutchman named it Van Diemen's Land in honor of the governor of the East Indies, who sent him on the expedition. Many colonies of the Netherlands eventually came under British jurisdiction. This is what happened to this island. In 1803 the Britishorganized a hard labor camp here.
The land called New Holland (Australia) was never developed. The fact is that the Dutch navigators, having studied the coastal part, did not find anything interesting in terms of commercial benefits. They arrived either from the northern or western side of the mainland, where the land was barren and swampy. In July 1629, the Batavia, owned by the East India Company, was wrecked off the Houtman Rocks. The surviving sailors built a small fort here, which became the first European building on Australian soil. Subsequently, colonies were still organized here, but by the British.
Conclusion
This huge colonial empire in different periods of its history either lost lands or acquired new ones. She was forced to cede many territories to Great Britain. After World War II, the colony of the Antilles was disbanded, and today only Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten remain Dutch. In addition to them, three more, located in the Caribbean Sea, still remain under the jurisdiction of the Netherlands. These are Sint Eustatius, Saba and Bonaire.
