Martinus Sonck
Encyclopedia
Martinus or Maarten Sonck (also Marten; Soncq; Sonk) (ca. 1590, Amsterdam? – August 1625, Anping) was the first Dutch
Governor of Formosa
from 1624-1625.
Sonck, who in 1612 lived in Amsterdam
, studied law at Leiden University
from October 1612 to March 1616. In 1618 Dr. Sonck was sent by the Dutch East Indies Company as “advocaat-fiscaal” (~ a district attorney) to Batavia, where he arrived in 1619. He subsequently became governor of the Banda Islands
. In 1623 he was recalled to Batavia to account for the use of excessive amounts of ammunition at gun salutes (he was to pay for it out of his own pocket). On May 4, 1624 the governing body in Batavia decided to sent him to replace Cornelis Reijersen as commander of the Dutch fort and trading base on Peng-hu, the main island of the Pescadores
west of Formosa. The Pescadores were Chinese territory, and after a failed accord, Nan Juyi the governor of Fujian
sent an army to attack Peng-hu in July 1624. On August 25, after negotiations via Li Dan, head of the illegal traders on Taiwan, Sonck succumbed under the pressure and withdrew his contingent to Formosa, where he founded Fort Zeelandia
near the town of Anping in Tainan
. The Dutch monopolized the harbour, while Zheng Zhilong, or Nicolas Iquan (郑芝龙） became a privateer
for the Dutch, attacking trade between China and Manila
. This constituted the beginning of the colonial presence of the Dutch on Formosa. Martinus Sonck was governor of Dutch Formosa for only one year, as he drowned in Anping harbour in August 1625. He was buried at Fort Zeelandia.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
Governor of Formosa
Governor of Formosa
The Governor of Formosa was the head of government during the Dutch colonial period in Taiwan, which lasted from 1624 to 1662. Appointed by the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies in Batavia , the Governor of Formosa was empowered to legislate, collect taxes, wage war and declare peace on...
from 1624-1625.
Sonck, who in 1612 lived in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, studied law at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
from October 1612 to March 1616. In 1618 Dr. Sonck was sent by the Dutch East Indies Company as “advocaat-fiscaal” (~ a district attorney) to Batavia, where he arrived in 1619. He subsequently became governor of the Banda Islands
Banda Islands
The Banda Islands are a volcanic group of ten small volcanic islands in the Banda Sea, about south of Seram Island and about east of Java, and are part of the Indonesian province of Maluku. The main town and administrative centre is Bandanaira, located on the island of the same name. They rise...
. In 1623 he was recalled to Batavia to account for the use of excessive amounts of ammunition at gun salutes (he was to pay for it out of his own pocket). On May 4, 1624 the governing body in Batavia decided to sent him to replace Cornelis Reijersen as commander of the Dutch fort and trading base on Peng-hu, the main island of the Pescadores
Pescadores
The Penghu Islands, also known as Pescadores are an archipelago off the western coast of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait consisting of 90 small islands and islets covering an area of 141 square kilometers....
west of Formosa. The Pescadores were Chinese territory, and after a failed accord, Nan Juyi the governor of Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
sent an army to attack Peng-hu in July 1624. On August 25, after negotiations via Li Dan, head of the illegal traders on Taiwan, Sonck succumbed under the pressure and withdrew his contingent to Formosa, where he founded Fort Zeelandia
Fort Zeelandia (Taiwan)
Fort Zeelandia was a fortress built over ten years from 1624–1634 by the Dutch Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, in the town of Anping on the island of Formosa, present day Taiwan, during their 38-year rule over the western part of it...
near the town of Anping in Tainan
Tainan
Tainan City is a city in southern Taiwan. It is the fifth largest after New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Taipei. It was formerly a provincial city, and in 2010, the provincial city merged with the adjacent Tainan County to form a single special municipality. Tainan faces the Taiwan Strait in...
. The Dutch monopolized the harbour, while Zheng Zhilong, or Nicolas Iquan (郑芝龙） became a privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
for the Dutch, attacking trade between China and Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. This constituted the beginning of the colonial presence of the Dutch on Formosa. Martinus Sonck was governor of Dutch Formosa for only one year, as he drowned in Anping harbour in August 1625. He was buried at Fort Zeelandia.