Hendrick Zwaardecroon
Encyclopedia
Hendrick or Henricus Zwaardecroon (26 January 1667, Rotterdam
- 12 August 1728, Batavia, Dutch East Indies) was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
from 1718 until 1725.
aboard the Purmer in December 1684 and arrived in Batavia in October 1685. During the trip he had several times been employed as secretary to Commissioner-General Van Rheede, which enabled him to make quick progress in his career with the Dutch East India Company
(VOC). In 1686 he became Bookkeeper (boekhouder) and subsequently Underbuyer (onderkoopman). In 1694, he was promoted to Buyer (koopman) and in 1694 to Senior Buyer (opperkoopman). In the same year he was appointed Commander (commandeur) in Jafnapatham
in Ceylon. He was Commissioner (commissaris) on the Malabar Coast
and acting Governor of Ceylon in 1697. He became, in 1703, Secretary to the High Government of the Indies (Hoge Regering) in Batavia, and in 1704, through the influence of the Governor-General, Joan van Hoorn
, an extraordinary member of the Dutch Council of the Indies (Raad van de Indië). Through that membership, and later because the Governor-General Christoffel van Swoll
had been trying to get him removed from the Council, preferably by promotion elsewhere, it took until 1715 before the Seventeen Lords (Heren XVII) named him as full member (gewoon lid).
, on 12 November 1718, Zwaardecroon was named Governor-General. Only on 10 September 1720, was he confirmed in this post. His dismissal, by his own desire, came on 16 October 1724, though he handed the actual office to Mattheus de Haan
only on 8 July 1725.
During his term of office, Zwaardecroon had to deal with a lot of unrest in Batavia, including arson in the dockyards and an attack on the gunpowder stores. The wealthy Pieter Eberveld, had inherited some land from his father. The government laid claim to a part of this estate. Eberveld planned an attack on the Dutchmen but some of his slaves warned the government and the attack was thwarted. He confessed on the rack and was condemned to death, along with other plotters. His house was destroyed and a wall erected around where it had stood.http://www.geheugenvannederland.nl/?/nl/items/KIT01:115137 His head was stuck on a lance and attached to the wall. A stone with an inscription was erected, indicating that never again would anything be built on that spot. http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://srv.fotopages.com/1/13489914.jpg&imgrefurl=http://tetehvie.fotopages.com/%3Fentry%3D1046761&usg=__bCozGzVzNbxcGWugNV9d1iq6x9M=&h=100&w=133&sz=4&hl=en&start=3&sig2=bjs2esu2iKAZJEd24grcxw&tbnid=CY57nJFJhrFk6M:&tbnh=69&tbnw=92&ei=_owySfDqHZfAwwHylKHBAg&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPieter%2BEberveld%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GZAZ_en-GBGB276GB276 It was only removed during the Japanese occupation (World War II
).
Zwaardecrood had always had a great interest in developing new products. He encouraged coffee-planting in Priangan in Java
so that coffee production grew quickly. From 1723, the whole of the harvest had to be delivered to the Company
. Then Zwaardecroon introduced silk production
into Java
as well as the production of vegetable dyes. Silk production was not so successful. In 1772 he re-established the Chinese tea
trade, which had been disrupted.
In 1719, Pakubuwono I
of Kartasura in East Java
died and was succeeded by his son, Amangkurat IV. Two of his brothers did not recognise his succession and rose in revolt, attacking Kartasura. This was repulsed by the Dutch occupying troops, but Zwaardecroon felt himself compelled to send more troops to East Java. The revolt was put down by 1723, but it took until 1752 until real peace was restored in the area. (Second Javanese War of Succession 1719 - 1723 http://www.studybuddy.nl/nederlands/contentindo2.html). Zwaardecroon took action against private traders, and thus got better relations with local Company
top shareholders (Bewindhouders). In 1726, he had 26 Company
servants brought to Batavia on charges of corruption.
Zwaardecroon died on 12 August 1738 in his estate at Kaduang near Batavia. He said he felt more at home with ordinary townsfolk, and so at his request he was not buried with his predecessors as Governor-General, but in the graveyard of the Portuguese Church Outside the Walls at Batavia (Portuguese Buitenkerk) in Batavia, where his grave can still be visited.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
- 12 August 1728, Batavia, Dutch East Indies) was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
The Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies represented the Dutch rule in the Dutch East Indies between 1610 and Dutch recognition of the independence of Indonesia in 1949.The first Governors-General were appointed by the Dutch East India Company...
from 1718 until 1725.
Early career
Zwaardecroon left for the East Indies as a midshipmanMidshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
aboard the Purmer in December 1684 and arrived in Batavia in October 1685. During the trip he had several times been employed as secretary to Commissioner-General Van Rheede, which enabled him to make quick progress in his career with the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
(VOC). In 1686 he became Bookkeeper (boekhouder) and subsequently Underbuyer (onderkoopman). In 1694, he was promoted to Buyer (koopman) and in 1694 to Senior Buyer (opperkoopman). In the same year he was appointed Commander (commandeur) in Jafnapatham
Jaffna Kingdom
The Jaffna kingdom , also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka was a historic monarchy that came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India...
in Ceylon. He was Commissioner (commissaris) on the Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
and acting Governor of Ceylon in 1697. He became, in 1703, Secretary to the High Government of the Indies (Hoge Regering) in Batavia, and in 1704, through the influence of the Governor-General, Joan van Hoorn
Joan van Hoorn
Joan van Hoorn was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1704 until 1709.Joan van Hoorn was born on 16 November 1653, son to the wealthy Amsterdam gunpowder manufacturer, Pieter Janszn van Hoorn and his wife Sara Bessels, a grandchild of Gerard Reynst...
, an extraordinary member of the Dutch Council of the Indies (Raad van de Indië). Through that membership, and later because the Governor-General Christoffel van Swoll
Christoffel van Swoll
Christoffel van Swoll was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 17 November 1713 until his death.He was born in 1663 in Amsterdam. On 19 December 1683, he left for Batavia on board the Juffrouw Anna as an assistant in the service of the Dutch East India Company. He arrived in Batavia on...
had been trying to get him removed from the Council, preferably by promotion elsewhere, it took until 1715 before the Seventeen Lords (Heren XVII) named him as full member (gewoon lid).
Governor-general of the Dutch East Indies
The day after the death of Christoffel van SwollChristoffel van Swoll
Christoffel van Swoll was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 17 November 1713 until his death.He was born in 1663 in Amsterdam. On 19 December 1683, he left for Batavia on board the Juffrouw Anna as an assistant in the service of the Dutch East India Company. He arrived in Batavia on...
, on 12 November 1718, Zwaardecroon was named Governor-General. Only on 10 September 1720, was he confirmed in this post. His dismissal, by his own desire, came on 16 October 1724, though he handed the actual office to Mattheus de Haan
Mattheus de Haan
Mattheus de Haan was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1725 to 1729. .He was born in Dordrecht in 1663. On 26 October 1671 he left for the Indies, where his father had been appoined as Underbuyer in the Dutch East India Company...
only on 8 July 1725.
During his term of office, Zwaardecroon had to deal with a lot of unrest in Batavia, including arson in the dockyards and an attack on the gunpowder stores. The wealthy Pieter Eberveld, had inherited some land from his father. The government laid claim to a part of this estate. Eberveld planned an attack on the Dutchmen but some of his slaves warned the government and the attack was thwarted. He confessed on the rack and was condemned to death, along with other plotters. His house was destroyed and a wall erected around where it had stood.http://www.geheugenvannederland.nl/?/nl/items/KIT01:115137 His head was stuck on a lance and attached to the wall. A stone with an inscription was erected, indicating that never again would anything be built on that spot. http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://srv.fotopages.com/1/13489914.jpg&imgrefurl=http://tetehvie.fotopages.com/%3Fentry%3D1046761&usg=__bCozGzVzNbxcGWugNV9d1iq6x9M=&h=100&w=133&sz=4&hl=en&start=3&sig2=bjs2esu2iKAZJEd24grcxw&tbnid=CY57nJFJhrFk6M:&tbnh=69&tbnw=92&ei=_owySfDqHZfAwwHylKHBAg&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPieter%2BEberveld%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GZAZ_en-GBGB276GB276 It was only removed during the Japanese occupation (World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
).
Zwaardecrood had always had a great interest in developing new products. He encouraged coffee-planting in Priangan in Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
so that coffee production grew quickly. From 1723, the whole of the harvest had to be delivered to the Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
. Then Zwaardecroon introduced silk production
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
into Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
as well as the production of vegetable dyes. Silk production was not so successful. In 1772 he re-established the Chinese tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
trade, which had been disrupted.
In 1719, Pakubuwono I
Pakubuwono II
Pakubuwono II was the last ruler of Kartasura and the first Susuhunan...
of Kartasura in East Java
East Java
East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and islands to its east and to its north East Java is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the eastern part of the island of Java and includes neighboring Madura and...
died and was succeeded by his son, Amangkurat IV. Two of his brothers did not recognise his succession and rose in revolt, attacking Kartasura. This was repulsed by the Dutch occupying troops, but Zwaardecroon felt himself compelled to send more troops to East Java. The revolt was put down by 1723, but it took until 1752 until real peace was restored in the area. (Second Javanese War of Succession 1719 - 1723 http://www.studybuddy.nl/nederlands/contentindo2.html). Zwaardecroon took action against private traders, and thus got better relations with local Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
top shareholders (Bewindhouders). In 1726, he had 26 Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
servants brought to Batavia on charges of corruption.
Zwaardecroon died on 12 August 1738 in his estate at Kaduang near Batavia. He said he felt more at home with ordinary townsfolk, and so at his request he was not buried with his predecessors as Governor-General, but in the graveyard of the Portuguese Church Outside the Walls at Batavia (Portuguese Buitenkerk) in Batavia, where his grave can still be visited.
Sources
- Site in Dutch on the Dutch East India Company (VOC) http://www.vocsite.nl/geschiedenis/personalia/zwaardecroon.htmll
- Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch-Indië, Part Soek-Zij.
- Putten, L.P. van, 2002. - Ambitie en onvermogen : gouverneurs-generaal van Nederlands-Indië 1610-1796.
- Site in Dutch - http://www.bezuidenhout.nl