The Dutch controlled Indonesia longer and had more influence on Indonesia than any other country. The Dutch had some form of influence on Indonesia from 1602 up until 1949. That is 347 years of influence. That is also more than 100 years longer than America has been recognized as an independent country. The Dutch‘s influence on Indonesia is still seen today and because Indonesia was imperialized Indonesia is still struggling. These events shaped Indonesia forever when the Dutch had that 347 years of influence on Indonesia. (20)
Late 1500’s -1600’s
The first Dutch expedition to Indonesia was in 1595. This was led by Cornelius de Houtman. In 1596 the Dutch expedition had made contact with the Portuguese and Indonesians. Then at the start of the century in 1602, the Dutch East India Company was established. Another name for the Dutch East India Company is the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie more commonly known as the VOC. The VOC was made to protect trade in the Indian Ocean and to assist in war of independence from Spain. Only a year after the VOC was created, the Dutch built their first permanent trading post in Banten, West Java. In 1611 the Dutch weren’t the only ones in Indonesia. The British established several trading posts in Indonesia. The British would remain in Indonesia until 1824. Two years later on January 27, 1613 a Dutch fleet arrived at Solor. There were nearly 30 Portuguese and 1000 natives to defend the fort for Captain Manuel Alvares. Yet after 3 months of siege, the Dutch finally had Solor Fortress on April 18, 1613. The Dutch would rename it Fort Henricus. In 1619 the Dutch would rename the city of Jayakarta to Batavia and it became the new VOC headquarters. Then on February 27, 1623 the chief factor of the English East India company, Gabriel Towerson was put on trial and then beheaded along with 9 other English men, 10 Japanese traders and one Portuguese man for conspiracy against the Dutch. This would be known as the Ambonya Massacare because it took place on the island of Ambonya. The Dutch East Indies was formed to bring all of Indonesia under one government. Not much else would happen in the 1600’s with the Dutch but a lot of violence would follow in the 1700’s. (4,8,15,19,20,24,26)
1700’s
In the 1700’s there were 3 wars which the Dutch were involved in with Indonesia: the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Javanese wars. The first Javanese War started when a slave named Surapati organized a large group of natives against the Dutch. King Amankurat of Mataram took notice and gave refuge to the slave when the Dutch attempted to capture him. (Mataram is a kingdom in central Java.) After his stay in Mataram, Surapati moved to the northeastern part of Java and named himself king. As a result of his actions the Dutch took Amankurat out of power and put Amankurat’s uncle on the Mataram throne over a period of time. His name was Pakubuwono and he and the Dutch would eventually defeat Amankurat who fled to the east with Surapati. The Dutch were still in hot pursuit of Amankurat and Surapati. In 1708 the Dutch exiled Amankurat to Sri Lanka and killed Surapati. (19,31)
In the 2nd Javanese War Pakubuwono died so there was lots of fighting about who would take his crown. The Dutch supported who they thought would do what they wanted the best. It took about 4 years of war for the Dutch to capture all their rivals. Soon after the Dutch sent them all into exile. During this the Dutch expanded their territory in Java. Finally in the 3rd and last Javanese War King Pakubuwono III faced 2 challengers to the throne. Pakubuwono received military support from the Dutch though. In 1751 the Dutch were shocked and defeated, during which their commander was brutally killed. One of the challengers agreed to the Gianti Agreement in 1755 which split Mataram in two. Pakubuwono got the Eastern half of Mataram and the challenger got the western half. The other challenger resisted until he finally made peace with the Dutch in 1757 and was given a portion of Eastern Mataram. In the 1700’s the Dutch were fighting in the Javanese wars for most of the time. (19,31)
1800’s
In 1800 the Dutch East India Trading Company was broke and slowly fell apart. All its land was then named the Dutch East Indies. In 1801 the British took over the region of Minhasa but then in 1802 the Treaty of Amiens was signed and Melaka and Maluku were returned to the Dutch. In 1817, the British got control of Melaka again. To split the land in half, the Dutch and the British would sign the Treaty of London. The Dutch would get most of Indonesia and the British would get Malaya, Singapore and other islands. In the same year the Dutch had a direct rule of Raiu. From 1825 to 1830 there was another war called the Java war. The Java war was caused by Prince Diponegoro because the Dutch built roads over the tombs of the Prince’s parents. In 1830, 15,000 European soldiers were killed and the Prince lost 200,000 civilians and soldiers in the Java war. The Prince was then set up and put in jail by the Dutch. Due to the colonization of the province of Aceh there was a war between the Dutch and the Sultanate of Aceh which lasted from 1873 to 1913. (3,8,31)
1900’s to Independance
From 1901 to 1910 the regions of Bali, Borneo, Moluccas and Sulawesi were all taken over by the Dutch. By the end of the Aceh war in 1913 the Dutch also had taken over Aceh. Not much happened until 1938 when the Dutch had turned down the independence petition proposed by the Indonesians. Four years later, the Japanese declared war on the Dutch and invaded the Dutch East Indies. From 1942 to 1945 Japan occupied the Dutch East Indies. In 1945 the Dutch regained control over the Dutch East Indies. Right after the Dutch regained control of Indonesia they declared independence against the Dutch. From 1945 until 1949 the Dutch and Indonesia fought for independence. Finally in 1949 the Dutch accepted Indonesia’s independence. (32)
Late 1500’s -1600’s
The first Dutch expedition to Indonesia was in 1595. This was led by Cornelius de Houtman. In 1596 the Dutch expedition had made contact with the Portuguese and Indonesians. Then at the start of the century in 1602, the Dutch East India Company was established. Another name for the Dutch East India Company is the Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie more commonly known as the VOC. The VOC was made to protect trade in the Indian Ocean and to assist in war of independence from Spain. Only a year after the VOC was created, the Dutch built their first permanent trading post in Banten, West Java. In 1611 the Dutch weren’t the only ones in Indonesia. The British established several trading posts in Indonesia. The British would remain in Indonesia until 1824. Two years later on January 27, 1613 a Dutch fleet arrived at Solor. There were nearly 30 Portuguese and 1000 natives to defend the fort for Captain Manuel Alvares. Yet after 3 months of siege, the Dutch finally had Solor Fortress on April 18, 1613. The Dutch would rename it Fort Henricus. In 1619 the Dutch would rename the city of Jayakarta to Batavia and it became the new VOC headquarters. Then on February 27, 1623 the chief factor of the English East India company, Gabriel Towerson was put on trial and then beheaded along with 9 other English men, 10 Japanese traders and one Portuguese man for conspiracy against the Dutch. This would be known as the Ambonya Massacare because it took place on the island of Ambonya. The Dutch East Indies was formed to bring all of Indonesia under one government. Not much else would happen in the 1600’s with the Dutch but a lot of violence would follow in the 1700’s. (4,8,15,19,20,24,26)
1700’s
In the 1700’s there were 3 wars which the Dutch were involved in with Indonesia: the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Javanese wars. The first Javanese War started when a slave named Surapati organized a large group of natives against the Dutch. King Amankurat of Mataram took notice and gave refuge to the slave when the Dutch attempted to capture him. (Mataram is a kingdom in central Java.) After his stay in Mataram, Surapati moved to the northeastern part of Java and named himself king. As a result of his actions the Dutch took Amankurat out of power and put Amankurat’s uncle on the Mataram throne over a period of time. His name was Pakubuwono and he and the Dutch would eventually defeat Amankurat who fled to the east with Surapati. The Dutch were still in hot pursuit of Amankurat and Surapati. In 1708 the Dutch exiled Amankurat to Sri Lanka and killed Surapati. (19,31)
In the 2nd Javanese War Pakubuwono died so there was lots of fighting about who would take his crown. The Dutch supported who they thought would do what they wanted the best. It took about 4 years of war for the Dutch to capture all their rivals. Soon after the Dutch sent them all into exile. During this the Dutch expanded their territory in Java. Finally in the 3rd and last Javanese War King Pakubuwono III faced 2 challengers to the throne. Pakubuwono received military support from the Dutch though. In 1751 the Dutch were shocked and defeated, during which their commander was brutally killed. One of the challengers agreed to the Gianti Agreement in 1755 which split Mataram in two. Pakubuwono got the Eastern half of Mataram and the challenger got the western half. The other challenger resisted until he finally made peace with the Dutch in 1757 and was given a portion of Eastern Mataram. In the 1700’s the Dutch were fighting in the Javanese wars for most of the time. (19,31)
1800’s
In 1800 the Dutch East India Trading Company was broke and slowly fell apart. All its land was then named the Dutch East Indies. In 1801 the British took over the region of Minhasa but then in 1802 the Treaty of Amiens was signed and Melaka and Maluku were returned to the Dutch. In 1817, the British got control of Melaka again. To split the land in half, the Dutch and the British would sign the Treaty of London. The Dutch would get most of Indonesia and the British would get Malaya, Singapore and other islands. In the same year the Dutch had a direct rule of Raiu. From 1825 to 1830 there was another war called the Java war. The Java war was caused by Prince Diponegoro because the Dutch built roads over the tombs of the Prince’s parents. In 1830, 15,000 European soldiers were killed and the Prince lost 200,000 civilians and soldiers in the Java war. The Prince was then set up and put in jail by the Dutch. Due to the colonization of the province of Aceh there was a war between the Dutch and the Sultanate of Aceh which lasted from 1873 to 1913. (3,8,31)
1900’s to Independance
From 1901 to 1910 the regions of Bali, Borneo, Moluccas and Sulawesi were all taken over by the Dutch. By the end of the Aceh war in 1913 the Dutch also had taken over Aceh. Not much happened until 1938 when the Dutch had turned down the independence petition proposed by the Indonesians. Four years later, the Japanese declared war on the Dutch and invaded the Dutch East Indies. From 1942 to 1945 Japan occupied the Dutch East Indies. In 1945 the Dutch regained control over the Dutch East Indies. Right after the Dutch regained control of Indonesia they declared independence against the Dutch. From 1945 until 1949 the Dutch and Indonesia fought for independence. Finally in 1949 the Dutch accepted Indonesia’s independence. (32)