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Historie van Indien, waer inne verhaelt is avonturen die de Hollantse schepen bejegent zijn, T Eerste Boeck.

Publisher Michiel Colijn

Author Willem Lodewijcksz

Date1617

Object number00051276

NameBook

MediumVellum, paper, ink

DimensionsOverall: 180 x 248 x 16 mm
Display dimensions (Open): 180 x 495 mm

ClassificationsBooks and journals

Credit LineANMM Collection

Collections

Manuscript diaries, journals and logs

Terms

DescriptionPublished in 1617, this book is based on the journal of Willem Lodewijcksz, a clerk on board the MAURITIUS, flagship of the first Dutch fleet to voyage to the East Indies between 1595 and 1596. The voyage paved the way for further Dutch expeditions and ultimately led to the formation of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), one of the great European trading companies.HistoryEarly edition of the most important account of the very first journey of the Dutch to the East Indies under Cornelis de Houtman (1540-1599). The journal is written by Willem Lodewijcksz., a clerk on board Houtman's ship MAURITIUS, the first Dutch ship that reached the East Indies on a trip during the years 1595-97. Originally published by Cornelis Claesz in 1598, this version was published in Amsterdam in 1617 by Michiel Colijn. Brothers Cornelis (1540 -1599) and Frederik de Houtman (1571-1627) navigated and led the first Dutch trading expedition to the East Indies, an area whose trade had previously been regarded as a Portuguese monopoly. Sent to Lisbon in 1592 as commercial representatives, the brothers were imprisoned by the Portuguese for attempting to steal secret charts of East Indian sailing routes. After their release in 1595 they returned to Amsterdam, where Cornelis was appointed commander of a fleet of four merchant ships of the Verre Company, a syndicate founded by Amsterdam merchants to break Portugal's monopoly on the pepper trade. The fleet, consisting of the MAURITIUS, AMSTERDAM, HOLLANDIA and a smaller vessel* (Jacht) left Texel in April 1595 with 248 officers and men on board. The expedition (known as the First Schipvaert) followed the routes described by Jan Huygen van Linschoten who had previously voyaged to India as secretary to the Portuguese Archbishop of Goa. His publication 'Itinerario:Voyage ofte schipvaert van Jan Huyghen van Linschoten naar Oost ofte Portugaels Indien …1579-1592' effectively revealed the Portuguese route to India, opening the way for other European countries to enter the trade. After reaching the East Indies in 1596, Cornelis established trade relations with the rulers of Java, Sumatra, and Bali. In 1597 the expedition arrived back in Amsterdam. Despite a high mortality rate, a second expedition was sent to the East Indies the following year. During this voyage Cornelis de Houtman was killed and Frederik was captured in a battle against the forces of the Sultan of Aceh. Frederik studied the Malay language during his confinement and, after his release and return to Amsterdam in 1602, wrote the first Malay dictionary (1603). He later served as governor of Amboina (1605–11) and the Moluccas (1621–23). In 1619 he discovered shoals off the west coast of Australia (New Holland) which he named the Houtman Abrolhos. *According to Hordern House 2011 catalogue - The Great South Land' - the smaller vessel was the DUYFKEN. Although the DUYFKEN is not named in Lodewijcksz's account, it is in Isaac Commelin's work - Begin ende voortgangh, van de vereenighde Nederlantsche geoctroyeerde Oost-Indische Compagnie ...SignificanceThis book is significant as an account of the first Dutch expedition to the East Indies. The voyage laid the foundation for the creation of the Dutch East India Company (VOC), a company which dominated European trade to Asia for almost 300 years. The book includes pictures of Cornelis de Houtman's fleet of four vessels. These are known to have been the MAURITIUS, AMSTERDAM and HOLLANDIA. It is possible that the fourth vessel was the DUYFKEN, although this is yet to be confirmed. The voyage followed Portuguese routes revealed by Jan Huygen van Linschoten (former secretary to the Archbishop of Goa) and represents a turning point in the Portuguese monopoly of Asiatic trade.