"Battle" of The European for Spices
After England, it was the Dutch who were eager to master the spice trade in the archipelago. In 1595, Cornelis de Houtman successfully arrived in Banten. Because of his rude attitude, the Dutch were not accepted with an open arms by the Banten Sultanate. In addition because of the relationship between the Portuguese and Banten, which is still well established. The first fleet led by Cornelis de Houtman tried to reach Maluku but failed. The second fleet made it to Maluku and bought spices. The Dutch then more and more came to Maluku and other Indonesian ports so that the Portuguese were increasingly pushed to the point of being expelled from Maluku. Since that time, the Netherlands became the sole ruler of the spice trade in the archipelago and began colonialism in the Dutch East Indies under the guise of a VOC (Vereenigde OostIndische Compagnie) or East India Trade Association. |