Herman van Speult
Encyclopedia
Herman van Speult was a merchant in service of the Dutch East India Company
. Van Speult left the island Texel
in 1613, heading for Bantam
and arrived after a journey of ten months. He was formerly employed in Spain, "whence he came, if report be true, full of the pox." He was active as governor of Ambon from 1618 until 1625.
In 1618 he was appointed as governor on Ambon Island
as the succeeder of Adriaen Maertensz. Block and Steven van der Hagen
.
On the 21st of January 1623 had he prepared two ships for an expedition to islands near New Guinea
, to map more of New Guinea, and to explore for "the South Land". The crew discovered possibly the present Jardine River
and most likely Speult Land and Speult Point were named after him.
Only a few weeks later Van Speult believed that English merchants, helped by Japanese mercenaries, planned to kill him and overwhelm the Dutch garrison as soon as an English ship arrived to support them. This led to the Amboyna massacre
. It remained a source of tension between the two nations until late in the 17th century. Harman Van Speult died in the Red Sea
.
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...
. Van Speult left the island Texel
Texel
Texel is a municipality and an island in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is the biggest and most populated of the Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea, and also the westernmost of this archipelago, which extends to Denmark...
in 1613, heading for Bantam
Bantam (city)
Bantam in Banten province near the western end of Java was a strategically important site and formerly a major trading city, with a secure harbor on the Sunda Strait through which all ocean-going traffic passed, at the mouth of Banten River that provided a navigable passage for light craft into...
and arrived after a journey of ten months. He was formerly employed in Spain, "whence he came, if report be true, full of the pox." He was active as governor of Ambon from 1618 until 1625.
In 1618 he was appointed as governor on Ambon Island
Ambon Island
Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of , and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of 2 territories: The main city and seaport is Ambon , which is also the capital of Maluku province and Maluku Tengah Ambon Island is part of the...
as the succeeder of Adriaen Maertensz. Block and Steven van der Hagen
Steven van der Hagen
Steven van der Hagen was the first admiral of the Dutch East India Company . He made three visits to the East Indies, spending six years in all there. He was appointed to the Raad van Indië...
.
On the 21st of January 1623 had he prepared two ships for an expedition to islands near New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, to map more of New Guinea, and to explore for "the South Land". The crew discovered possibly the present Jardine River
Jardine River
The Jardine River is the largest river of Australia's Cape York Peninsula and is named after the pioneer Frank Jardine.-References:...
and most likely Speult Land and Speult Point were named after him.
Only a few weeks later Van Speult believed that English merchants, helped by Japanese mercenaries, planned to kill him and overwhelm the Dutch garrison as soon as an English ship arrived to support them. This led to the Amboyna massacre
Amboyna massacre
The Amboyna massacre was the 1623 torture and execution on Ambon Island , of twenty men, ten of whom were in the service of the British East India Company, by agents of the Dutch East India Company, on accusations of treason...
. It remained a source of tension between the two nations until late in the 17th century. Harman Van Speult died in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
.