VOC History

INTRODUCTION

THE VOC
 Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie

VOC FORMATION
https://kalden.home.xs4all.nl/verm/tour-k-amsterdamboat-vocENG.html

The  Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC) was originally established as a chartered company in 1602. The Dutch Government granted it a 21-year monopoly on the Dutch spice trade (till 1623) but the VOC continued trading spices for another 176 years, till it finally ended in bankruptcy in 1799. The VOC ceased operations altogether on 31 December 1799.

The VOC was founded by Johan van Oldenbarnevelt on 20 March 1602. The VOC Headquarters was in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Asian HQ was in Batavia (Jakarta) in Java, Indonesia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy4YSbhAiRE

The VOC was the United East Indian Company, and was referred to by the British as the Dutch East India Company (Dutch EIC). It was both a trading company and also had military power. It hired Swiss and German mercenaries to safeguard Dutch trade interests in the East Indies. The mercenaries killed anyone who tried to stop Dutch forces and advancement in the East Indies.

Success of the VOC:
http://www.cultuurwijs.nl/cultuurwijs.nl/cultuurwijs.nl/i000270.html


VOC HEADQUARTERS

The VOC had 4 chambers (offices) based in Amsterdam, at the Cape of Good Hope and in Ceylon. Wherever they worked the VOC men had to report to their respective chamber, which took care of their salaries and noted what they borrowed from VOC funds and therefore owed the VOC. There were no banks then.


VOC BASES IN THE EAST INDIES

Apart from Texel Island at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, the VOC established numerous bases in Asia.

1. Colombo, Galle, Jaffna, Kandy, Kalpitiya etc in Ceylon
2. Banda Hilir in Malacca
3. Bencoolen in Sumatra and Batavia (now Jakarta) in Java, both in Indonesia
4. Canton & Macau 
5. Japan.

I took this photo of the VOC canon which was recovered from the VOC ship Batavia, which was shipwrecked in the Straits of Malacca while on its voyage home to the Netherlands. This canon was named Bunga Rambai. The canon was relocated to Fort Cornwallis in George Town, Penang. In Malay, bunga rambai refers to the flowers of the rambai tree. The rambai trees grow plentifully in hilly areas of the equatorial jungles. The small rambai fruit (buah rambai) is seasonal and edible. BUAH RAMBAI | POKOK RAMBAI | BATAVIA

VOC COMMANDERS

The VOC Dutch Commanders were in charge till they were replaced by the British East India Company (British EIC) Commanders, beginning with Colonel James Stuart in 1796. By 1824, the British EIC took over the Dutch VOC and ruled the East Indies - including Ceylon, Java and Malacca.


VOC SERVICEMEN

The VOC servicemen had a 6-year contract with the VOC which they were attached to. But many VOC men worked till they died in office. Their demise and other outcomes (ran away etc) were recorded in the respective VOC ledgers.

The VOC sent its male personnel to South Africa, Ceylon and Java. The Dutch Caucasian males then married local women in South Africa, Ceylon and Java. In Ceylon, their offspring were referred to as Dutch Burghers - they had dark complexion, looked Indian or mixed, had Dutch and British names, but had a white male founder ancestor.
http://www.vochistory.org.au/index.html


VOC DOWNFALL

The VOC ended in 1799 as a bankrupt company which suffered huge losses. It had to be terminated by the Holland Government. The VOC was no more and the British Commanders were in charge of trade in the East Indies. Jacob Bulner was no longer a Sergeant in the VOC since he was deceased by 25 March 1790, before the VOC ended.

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