Loading
  • 21 Aug, 2019

  • By, Wikipedia

VOC Opperhoofden In Japan

VOC chief traders in Japan were the opperhoofden of the Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie; VOC) in Japan during the Edo period, when Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate.

The Dutch word Opperhoofd (pl.opperhoofden, lit.'supreme head[man]'), in its historical usage, is a gubernatorial title, comparable to the English name chief factor. It was a name for the chief executive officer of a Dutch factory, in the sense of trading post led by a factor, i.e. agent. The Japanese called the Dutch chief factors kapitan (from Portuguese capitão).

The Dutch East India Company was established in 1602 by the States-General of the Netherlands to carry out colonial activities in Asia. The VOC enjoyed unique success in Japan, in part because of the ways in which the character and other qualities of its opperhoofden were perceived to differ from other competitors.

Trading posts

Map of the bay of Hirado in 1621. Dutch East India Company trading post (Netherlands flag) on the upper right. East India Company (British flag) on the upper left.

Hirado, 1609–1639

View circa 1699 of VOC compound at Hirado island, on the west coast of Kyūshū

The first VOC trading outpost in Japan was on the island of Hirado off the coast of Kyūshū. Permission for establishing this permanent facility was granted in 1609 by the first Tokugawa-shōgun Ieyasu; but the right to make use of this convenient location was revoked in 1639.

Dejima, 1639–1860

An imagined bird's-eye view of Dejima's layout and structures. Note the island's fan-shape. Japanese wood-block print made in 1780.

In 1638, the harsh Sakoku ("closed door" policy) was ordered by the Tokugawa shogunate; and by 1641, the VOC had to transfer all of its mercantile operations to the small man-made island of Dejima in Nagasaki harbor. The island had been built for the Portuguese, but they had been forced to abandon it and all contacts with Japan. Only the Dutch were permitted to remain after all other Westerners had been excluded.

The Dutch presence in Japan was closely monitored and controlled. For example, each year the VOC had to transfer the opperhoofd. Each opperhoofd was expected to travel to Edo to offer tribute to the shogun (Dutch missions to Edo). The VOC traders had to be careful not to import anything religious; and they were not allowed to bring any women, nor to bury their dead ashore. They were largely free to do as they pleased on the island; but they were explicitly ordered to work on Sunday.

For nearly 200 years a series of VOC traders lived, worked and seemed to thrive in this confined location.

In 1799 the VOC went bankrupt. The trade with Japan was continued by the Dutch Indian government at Batavia, with an interruption during the English occupation of Java, during which the English (Stamford Raffles) unsuccessfully tried to capture Dejima. After the creation of the Kingdom of The Netherlands (1815) the trade with Japan came under the administration of the Minister of the Colonies by way of the Governor General in Batavia. The directors of the trade (Opperhoofd) became colonial civil servants. From 1855 the director of the trade with Japan, Janus Henricus Donker Curtius, became "Dutch Commissioner in Japan" with orders to conclude a treaty with Japan. He succeeded in 1855 to conclude a convention, changed into a treaty in January 1856. In 1857 he concluded a commercial paragraph in addition to the treaty of 1856, thus concluding the first western treaty of friendship and commerce with Japan. His successor, Jan Karel de Wit was Dutch Consul General in Japan, though still a colonial civil servant. In 1862 the Dutch representation in Japan was transferred to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. This change was effected in Japan in 1863, Dirk de Graeff van Polsbroek becoming Consul General and Political Agent in Japan.

List of chief traders at Hirado

Hirado is a small island just off the western shore of the Japanese island of Kyūshū. In the early 17th century, Hirado was a major center of foreign trade and included British, Chinese, and other trading stations along with the Dutch one, maintained and operated by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) after 1609. The serial leaders of this VOC trading enclave or factory at Hirado were:

Hirado Chief Traders
Name Start End Ref.
Jacques Specx 20 September 1609 28 August 1612
Hendrick Brouwer 28 August 1612 6 August 1614
Jacques Specx 6 August 1614 29 October 1621
Leonardt Camps 29 October 1621 21 November 1623
Cornelis van Nijenrode 21 November 1623 1631
Pieter Stamper 1631 1631
Cornelis van Nijenrode 1631 31 January 1633
Pieter van Sante 31 January 1633 6 September 1633
Nicolaes Couckebacker 6 September 1633 1635
Maerten Wesselingh
(or Hendrick Hagenaer)
1635 1637
Nicolaes Couckebacker 1637 3 February 1639
François Caron 3 February 1639 13 February 1641

List of chief traders at Dejima

Hendrik Doeff and a Balinese servant in Dejima, Japanese painting
Pieter Albert Bik, main Dutch chief in Japan, 1842–1845, by Johann Peter Berghaus

Dejima (出島) was a fan-shaped artificial island in the bay of Nagasaki. This island was a Dutch trading post during Japan's period of maritime restrictions (海禁, kaikin, 1641–1853) during the Edo period. The serial leaders of this VOC trading factory at Dejima were:

Dejima Chief Traders
Name Start End Ref.
Maximiliaen Le Maire 14 February 1641 30 October 1641
Jan van Elseracq 1 November 1641 29 October 1642
Pieter Anthoniszoon Overtwater 29 October 1642 1 August 1643
Jan van Elseracq 1 August 1643 24 November 1644
Pieter Anthonijszoon Overtwater 24 November 1644 30 November 1645
Renier van Tzum 30 November 1645 27 October 1646
Willem Verstegen [Versteijen] 28 October 1646 10 October 1647
Frederick Coyett 3 November 1647 9 December 1648
Dircq Snoecq 9 December 1648 5 November 1649
Anthony van Brouckhorst 5 November 1649 25 October 1650
Pieter Sterthemius 25 October 1650 3 November 1651
Adriaen van der Burgh 1 November 1651 3 November 1652
Frederick Coyett 4 November 1652 10 November 1653
Gabriel Happart 4 November 1653 31 October 1654
Leonard Winninx 31 October 1654 23 October 1655
Joan Boucheljon 23 October 1655 1 November 1656
Zacharias Wagenaer [Wagener] 1 November 1656 27 October 1657
Johannes Bouchelion 27 October 1657 23 October 1658
Zacharias Wagenaer [Wagener] 22 October 1658 4 November 1659
Johannes Bouchelion 4 November 1659 26 October 1660
Hendrick Indijck 26 October 1660 21 November 1661
Dirck van Lier 11 November 1661 6 November 1662
Hendrick Indijck 6 November 1662 20 October 1663
Willem Volger 20 October 1663 7 November 1664
Jacob Gruijs 7 November 1664 27 October 1665
Willem Volger 28 October 1665 27 October 1666
Daniel Six 18 October 1666 6 November 1667
Constantin Ranst de Jonge 6 November 1667 25 October 1668
Daniel Six [Sicx] 25 October 1668 14 October 1669
François de Haze 14 October 1669 2 November 1670
Martinus Caesar 2 November 1670 12 November 1671
Johannes Camphuys 22 October 1671 12 November 1672
Martinus Caesar 13 November 1672 29 October 1673
Johannes Camphuys 29 October 1673 19 October 1674
Martinus Caesar 20 October 1674 7 November 1675
Johannes Camphuys 7 November 1675 27 October 1676
Dirck de Haze 27 October 1676 16 October 1677
Albert Breevinck 16 October 1677 4 November 1678
Dirck de Haas 4 November 1678 24 October 1679
Albert Breevinck 24 October 1679 11 November 1680
Isaac van Schinne 11 November 1680 31 October 1681
Hendrick Canzius 31 October 1681 20 October 1682
Andreas Cleyer 20 October 1682 8 November 1683
Constantin Ranst de Jonge 8 November 1683 28 October 1684
Hendrick van Buijtenhem 25 October 1684 7 October 1685
Andreas Cleyer 17 October 1685 5 November 1686
Constantin Ranst de Jonge 5 November 1686 25 October 1687
Hendrick van Buijtenhem 25 October 1687 13 October 1688
Cornelis van Outhoorn 13 October 1688 1 November 1689
Balthasar Sweers 1 November 1689 21 October 1690
Hendrick van Buijtenhem 21 October 1690 9 November 1691
Cornelis van Outhoorn 9 November 1691 29 October 1692
Hendrick van Buijtenhem 29 October 1692 19 October 1693
Gerrit de Heere 19 October 1693 7 November 1694
Hendrik Dijkman 7 November 1694 27 October 1695
Cornelis van Outhoorn 27 October 1695 15 October 1696
Hendrik Dijkman 15 October 1696 3 November 1697
Pieter de Vos 3 November 1697 23 October 1698
Hendrik Dijkman 23 October 1698 12 October 1699
Pieter de Vos 21 October 1699 31 October 1700
Hendrik Dijkman 31 October 1700 21 October 1701
Abraham Douglas 21 October 1701 30 October 1702
Ferdinand de Groot 9 November 1702 30 October 1703
Gideon Tant 30 October 1703 18 October 1704
Ferdinand de Groot 18 October 1704 6 November 1705
Ferdinand de Groot 26 October 1706 15 October 1707
Hermanus Menssingh 15 October 1707 2 November 1708
Jasper van Mansdale 2 November 1708 22 October 1709
Hermanus Menssingh 22 October 1709 10 November 1710
Nicolaas Joan van Hoorn 10 November 1710 31 October 1711
Cornelis Lardijn 31 October 1711 7 November 1713
Cornelis Lardijn 7 November 1713 27 October 1714
Nicolaas Joan van Hoorn 27 October 1714 19 October 1715
Gideon Boudaen 19 October 1715 3 November 1716
Joan Aouwer 3 November 1716 24 October 1717
Christiaen van Vrijbergh[e] 24 October 1717 13 October 1718
Joan Aouwer 13 October 1718 21 October 1720
Roeloff Diodati 21 October 1720 9 November 1721
Hendrik Durven 9 November 1721 18 October 1723
Johannes Thedens 18 October 1723 25 October 1725
Joan de Hartogh 25 October 1725 15 October 1726
Pieter Boockestijn 15 October 1726 3 November 1727
Abraham Minnedonk 3 November 1727 20 October 1728
Pieter Boockestijn 22 October 1728 12 October 1729
Abraham Minnedonk 12 October 1729 31 October 1730
Pieter Boockestijn 31 October 1730 7 November 1732
Hendrik van de Bel 7 November 1732 27 October 1733
Rogier de Laver 27 October 1733 16 October 1734
David Drinckman 16 October 1734 4 November 1735
Bernardus Coop [Coopa] à Groen 4 November 1735 24 October 1736
Jan van der Cruijsse 24 October 1736 13 October 1737
Gerardus Bernardus Visscher 13 October 1737 21 October 1739
Thomas van Rhee 22 October 1739 8 November 1740
Jacob van der Waeijen 9 November 1740 28 October 1741
Thomas van Rhee 29 October 1741 17 October 1742
Jacob van der Waeijen 17 October 1742 9 November 1743
David Brouwer 5 November 1743 1 November 1744
Jacob van der Waeijen 2 November 1744 28 December 1745
Jan Louis de Win 30 December 1745 2 November 1746
Jacob Baelde 3 November 1746 25 October 1747
Jan Louis de Win 28 October 1747 11 November 1748
Jacob Baelde 12 November 1748 8 December 1749
Hendrik van Homoed 8 December 1749 24 December 1750
Abraham van Suchtelen 25 December 1750 18 November 1751
Hendrik van Homoed 19 November 1751 5 December 1752
David Boelen 6 December 1752 15 October 1753
Hendrik van Homoed 16 October 1753 3 November 1754
David Boelen 4 November 1754 25 October 1755
Herbert Vermeulen 25 October 1755 12 October 1756
David Boelen 13 October 1756 31 October 1757
Herbert Vermeulen 1 November 1757 11 November 1758
Johannes Reijnouts 12 November 1758 11 November 1760
Marten Huijshoorn 12 November 1760 30 October 1761
Johannes Reijnouts 31 October 1761 2 December 1762
Fredrik Willem Wineke 3 December 1762 6 November 1763
Jan Crans 7 November 1763 24 October 1764
Fredrik Willem Wineke 25 October 1764 7 November 1765
Jan Crans 8 November 1765 31 October 1766
Herman Christiaan Kastens 1 November 1766 20 October 1767
Jan Crans 21 October 1767 8 November 1769
Olphert Elias 9 November 1769 16 November 1770
Daniel Armenault 17 November 1770 9 November 1771
Arend Willem Feith 10 November 1771 3 November 1772
Daniel Armenault [Almenaault] 4 November 1772 22 November 1773
Arend Willem Feith 23 November 1773 10 November 1774
Daniel Armenault [Almenaault] 11 November 1774 28 October 1775
Arend Willem Feith 28 October 1775 22 November 1776
Hendrik Godfried Duurkoop 23 November 1776 11 November 1777
Arend Willem Feith 12 November 1777 28 November 1779
Isaac Titsingh 29 November 1779 5 November 1780
Arend Willem Feith 6 November 1780 23 November 1781
Isaac Titsingh 24 November 1781 26 October 1783
Hendrik Caspar Romberg 27 October 1783 August 1784
Isaac Titsingh August 1784 30 November 1784
Hendrik Caspar Romberg 30 November 1784 21 November 1785
Johan Fredrik van Rheede tot de Parkeler 22 November 1785 20 November 1786
Hendrik Caspar Romberg 21 November 1786 30 November 1787
Johan Frederik van Rheede tot de Parkeler 1 December 1787 1 August 1789
Hendrik Casper Romberg 1 August 1789 13 November 1790
Petrus Theodorus Chassé 13 November 1790 13 November 1792
Gijsbert Hemmij 13 November 1792 8 July 1798
Leopold Willem Ras 8 July 1798 17 July 1800
Willem Wardenaar 16 July 1800 14 November 1803
Hendrik Doeff 14 November 1803 6 December 1817
Jan Cock Blomhoff 6 December 1817 20 November 1823
Johan Willem de Sturler 20 November 1823 5 August 1826
Germain Felix Meijlan 4 August 1826 1 November 1830
Jan Willem Frederik van Citters 1 November 1830 30 November 1834
Johannes Erdewin Niemann 1 December 1834 17 November 1838
Eduard Grandisson 18 November 1838 November 1842
Pieter Albert Bik November 1842 31 October 1845
Joseph Henrij Levijssohn 1 November 1845 31 October 1850
Frederik Cornelis Rose 1 November 1850 31 October 1852
Janus Henricus Donker Curtius 2 November 1852 28 February 1860

See also

References

  1. ^ Historigraphical Institute (Shiryō hensan-jo), University of Tokyo, "Diary of Nicolaes Couckebacker"; retrieved 1 February 2013.
  2. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Nicolaes Couckebacker"; retrieved 1 February 2013.
  3. ^ Dejima opperhoofden chronology; Caron chronology Archived 17 January 2005 at the Wayback Machine (in German); Boxer, Charles Ralph, ed. (1935). A True Description of the Mighty Kingdoms of Japan & Siam. p. lxii; Shiryō, "Diary of François Caron"; retrieved 1 February 2013.
  4. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Maximiliaen Le Maire"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  5. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Jan van Elseracq"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  6. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Pieter Anthonisz Overtwater"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  7. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Pieter Jan van Elseracq"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  8. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Pieter Anthonisz Overtwater"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  9. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Renier van Tzum"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  10. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Willem Verstegen"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  11. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Frederick Coyet"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  12. ^ Shiryō, "Diary of Dircq Snoecq"; retrieved 2013-2-1.
  13. ^ Kornicki, Peter F. "European Japanology at the End of the Seventeenth Century," Bulletin of School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Vol. 56, No. 3 (1993). pp. 510.
  14. ^ Kornicki, p. 507.

Sources

  • Blomhoff, J.C. (2000). The Court Journey to the Shogun of Japan: From a Private Account by Jan Cock Blomhoff. Amsterdam.
  • Blussé, L. et al., eds. (1995–2001) The Deshima [sic] Dagregisters: Their Original Tables of Content. Leiden.
  • Blussé, L. et al., eds. (2004). The Deshima Diaries Marginalia 1740–1800. Tokyo.
  • Boxer. C.R. (1950). Jan Compagnie in Japan, 1600–1850: An Essay on the Cultural, Artistic, and Scientific Influence Exercised by the Hollanders in Japan from the Seventeenth to the Nineteenth Centuries. Den Haag.
  • Caron, F. (1671). A True Description of the Mighty Kingdoms of Japan and Siam. London.
  • Clulow, A. (2014). The Company and the Shogun: The Dutch Encounters with Tokugawa Japan. New York.
  • (in Dutch) de Winter, Michiel. (2006). "VOC in Japan: Betrekkingen tussen Hollanders en Japanners in de Edo-periode, tussen 1602–1795" ("VOC in Japan: Relations between the Dutch and Japanese in the Edo-period, between 1602–1795").
  • Doeff, H. (1633). Herinneringen uit Japan. Amsterdam. [Doeff, H. "Recollections of Japan" ISBN 1-55395-849-7]
  • Edo-Tokyo Museum exhibition catalog. (2000). A Very Unique Collection of Historical Significance: The Kapitan (the Dutch Chief) Collection from the Edo Period—The Dutch Fascination with Japan. Catalog of "400th Anniversary Exhibition Regarding Relations between Japan and the Netherlands," a joint project of the Edo-Tokyo Museum, the City of Nagasaki, the National Museum of Ethnology, the National Natuurhistorisch Museum" and the National Herbarium of the Netherlands in Leiden, the Netherlands. Tokyo.
  • Leguin, F. (2002). Isaac Titsingh (1745–1812): Een passie voor Japan, leven en werk van de grondlegger van de Europese Japanologie. Leiden.
  • Nederland's Patriciaat, Vol. 13 (1923). Den Haag.
  • Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779–1822. London.
  • Siebold, P.F.B. v. (1897). Nippon. Würzburg e Leipzig.
  • Titsingh, I. (1820). Mémoires et Anecdotes sur la Dynastie régnante des Djogouns, Souverains du Japon. Paris.
  • Titsingh, I. (1822). Illustrations of Japan; consisting of Private Memoirs and Anecdotes of the reigning dynasty of The Djogouns, or Sovereigns of Japan. London.

Further reading

32°44′37″N 129°52′23″E / 32.743525°N 129.873022°E / 32.743525; 129.873022