Paulus van Caerden
Encyclopedia
Paulus van Caerden was a Dutch
admiral
in service of the Dutch East India Company
. He was governor of the Maluku Islands
for one month.
In 1595 Van Caerden served as midshipman
on the first expedition to the East Indies
under command of Cornelis de Houtman
. When the expedition returned to Amsterdam, only 89 to 94 of the original 248 crewmembers were still alive. Eight more crewmembers died once ashore. The expedition had not been a commercial success. The Compagnie van Verre
could hardly cover the costs, but the goal of the expedition was reached; it was proven that it was possible to reach Asia
by way of the Cape of Good Hope
without being hindered by the Portuguese
.
On 21 December 1599, Pieter Both
, with Van Caerden as vice-admiral, led an expedition commissioned by the Brabantsche Compagnie
, founded by Isaac le Maire
, to the East Indies
. In 1600 the four ships arrived in the Indonesian Archipelago. Pieter Both sailed to Bantam
, while Van Caerden unsuccessfully attempted to establish trading relations with Aceh
, in the northern parts of Sumatra
.
On 8 July 1601 Van Caerden discovered the Mossel Bay
in South Africa
. The mussels found there were a welcome addition to the crew's diet. The Verendigde Landen and Hof van Holland returned to Holland in November 1601. From 1603 to 1605 Van Caerden made a journey to Brazil
with six ships.
. Once around the Cape of Good Hope, he attacked the Portuguese located at the fort San Sebastian in Mozambique
with seven, eight or eleven ships. On 29 March 1607 he laid anchor in the port of Mocambique with a number of armed ships and a force of 1060 or 1500 men. His assault was beaten off, however, and after suffering 25 casualties and 70 to 80 wounded, Van Caerden proposed a truce. On 7 May 1607 Van Caerden sent a letter to Dom Estêvão in which he threatened to pillage the entire area, unless he was bought off with a large sum of money. Dom Estêvão rejected the proposal, upon which the Dutch carried out their threat, setting the city on fire and cutting down all the trees before lifting the siege, which had lasted for two months. Van Caerden, who spotted three Portuguese Carracks close to the fort on 4 August, declined to take action and left on 26 August. Afterwards Van Caerden visited Goa
, Calicut and the Coromandel Coast
.
Two of the six ships in Van Caerden's fleet, the China and the Walcheren, were lost as a result of a seaquake caused by an eruption of the volcano
Tafasoho. On 18 July Van Caerden appointed captain Apollonius Scotte as commander of the fort at Tafasoho. Van Caerden then travelled to Moro, in the northern part of Halmahera
in a small boat, and conquered an island called Siauw, which was most likely Morotai
and was defended by ten Spanish soldiers. When admiral Paulus van Caerden returned from this unimportant undertaking, his ship was caught by two Spanish ships in the Bay of Leleda. Van Caerden surrendered to the enemy ships and was taken prisoner and taken to the fort at Gamalama
, Ternate
.
The Spanish commander initially demanded the release of all Spanish captives, the handover of Fort Malajoe, 6,000 golden ducats and the promise that Van Caerden would never return. In the end Van Caerden and ten other Dutch crewman were freed against a payment of 6,000 ducats, which Van Caerden personally provided. After Van Caerden was released by the Spaniards, he took back command of the fleet, but because of his own carelessness he was captured again at the start of July on his ship the Goede Hope. On 9 July the Spanish sent Van Caerden to Manila, where he was forced to work as a lifter for the construction of a fort.
One of the goals of the visit of Joris van Spilbergen
to Manila, possibly at the direction of the States-General
, was the release of admiral Paulus van Caerden. But van Spilbergen came too late, as Van Caerden had died in the meantime.
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in service of 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...
. He was governor of the Maluku Islands
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
for one month.
In 1595 Van Caerden served as midshipman
Midshipman
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...
on the first expedition to the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
under command of Cornelis de Houtman
Cornelis de Houtman
Cornelis de Houtman , brother of Frederick de Houtman, was a Dutch explorer who discovered a new sea route from Europe to Indonesia and managed to begin the Dutch spice trade...
. When the expedition returned to Amsterdam, only 89 to 94 of the original 248 crewmembers were still alive. Eight more crewmembers died once ashore. The expedition had not been a commercial success. The Compagnie van Verre
Compagnie van Verre
The Compagnie van Verre was a forerunner of the Dutch East India Company.-History:It was set up in 1594 by nine citizens of Amsterdam, to break Portugal's monopoly on the pepper trade. To do this, it sent an expedition of three heavily-armed ships and a pinnace under the leadership of Cornelis de...
could hardly cover the costs, but the goal of the expedition was reached; it was proven that it was possible to reach Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
by way of the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
without being hindered by the Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
.
On 21 December 1599, Pieter Both
Pieter Both
Pieter Both was the first Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies.Not much is known of his early years. In 1599, Both was already an admiral in the New, or Brabant Company. In that year, he traveled to the East Indies with four ships...
, with Van Caerden as vice-admiral, led an expedition commissioned by the Brabantsche Compagnie
Brabantsche Compagnie
The Brabant Company , also known as the New Company was a precursor of the Dutch East India Company ....
, founded by Isaac le Maire
Isaac Le Maire
Isaac le Maire was a merchant for the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie and later for the Austraalse Compagnie. He is best known for his constant strife with the VOC, which ultimately led to the discovery of Cape Horn.Isaac le Maire was born in 1558 or 1559 in Tournai...
, to the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. In 1600 the four ships arrived in the Indonesian Archipelago. Pieter Both sailed to 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...
, while Van Caerden unsuccessfully attempted to establish trading relations with Aceh
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
, in the northern parts of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
.
On 8 July 1601 Van Caerden discovered the Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The mussels found there were a welcome addition to the crew's diet. The Verendigde Landen and Hof van Holland returned to Holland in November 1601. From 1603 to 1605 Van Caerden made a journey to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
with six ships.
1606–1608
On 20 April 1606 admiral Van Caerden left on an expedition from TexelTexel
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...
. Once around the Cape of Good Hope, he attacked the Portuguese located at the fort San Sebastian in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
with seven, eight or eleven ships. On 29 March 1607 he laid anchor in the port of Mocambique with a number of armed ships and a force of 1060 or 1500 men. His assault was beaten off, however, and after suffering 25 casualties and 70 to 80 wounded, Van Caerden proposed a truce. On 7 May 1607 Van Caerden sent a letter to Dom Estêvão in which he threatened to pillage the entire area, unless he was bought off with a large sum of money. Dom Estêvão rejected the proposal, upon which the Dutch carried out their threat, setting the city on fire and cutting down all the trees before lifting the siege, which had lasted for two months. Van Caerden, who spotted three Portuguese Carracks close to the fort on 4 August, declined to take action and left on 26 August. Afterwards Van Caerden visited Goa
Goa
Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
, Calicut and the Coromandel Coast
Coromandel Coast
The Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian Subcontinent between Cape Comorin and False Divi Point...
.
Two of the six ships in Van Caerden's fleet, the China and the Walcheren, were lost as a result of a seaquake caused by an eruption of the volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
Tafasoho. On 18 July Van Caerden appointed captain Apollonius Scotte as commander of the fort at Tafasoho. Van Caerden then travelled to Moro, in the northern part of Halmahera
Halmahera
Halmahera is the largest island in the Maluku Islands. It is part of the North Maluku province of Indonesia.Halmahera has a land area of 17,780 km² and a population in 1995 of 162,728...
in a small boat, and conquered an island called Siauw, which was most likely Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
and was defended by ten Spanish soldiers. When admiral Paulus van Caerden returned from this unimportant undertaking, his ship was caught by two Spanish ships in the Bay of Leleda. Van Caerden surrendered to the enemy ships and was taken prisoner and taken to the fort at Gamalama
Gamalama
Gamalama is a near-conical stratovolcano that comprises the entire Ternate island in Indonesia. The island lies off the western shore of Halmahera island in the north of Molucca Islands. For centuries, Ternate was a center of Portuguese and Dutch forts for spice trade, which have accounted for...
, Ternate
Ternate
Ternate is an island in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia. It is located off the west coast of the larger island of Halmahera, the center of the powerful former Sultanate of Ternate....
.
The Spanish commander initially demanded the release of all Spanish captives, the handover of Fort Malajoe, 6,000 golden ducats and the promise that Van Caerden would never return. In the end Van Caerden and ten other Dutch crewman were freed against a payment of 6,000 ducats, which Van Caerden personally provided. After Van Caerden was released by the Spaniards, he took back command of the fleet, but because of his own carelessness he was captured again at the start of July on his ship the Goede Hope. On 9 July the Spanish sent Van Caerden to Manila, where he was forced to work as a lifter for the construction of a fort.
One of the goals of the visit of Joris van Spilbergen
Joris van Spilbergen
Joris van Spilbergen was a Dutch naval officer of the 17th century.His first major expedition was in 1596, when he sailed to Africa....
to Manila, possibly at the direction of the States-General
States-General
The word States-General, or Estates-General, may refer to:Currently in use* States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral government of present-day Netherlands...
, was the release of admiral Paulus van Caerden. But van Spilbergen came too late, as Van Caerden had died in the meantime.