Nathaniel Courthope

Nathaniel Courthope was an English merchant navy officer involved in the wars between England and the Dutch over the spice trade.

Courthope was born into the wealthy family of cloth-makers in Kent. He inherited £200 in his father’s will. In 1609, at age 24 he was hired by the English East India Company and went to Spice Islands, the historical name for Moluccas in Indonesia. They have been known as the Spice Islands due to the nutmeg, mace and cloves that were originally found only there. By 1616 he held a post of factor at Sukadana in Borneo.

On December 1616, Courthope landed with two of his ships, Swan and Defence, on Run which was the smallest of the Banda Islands with the mission of breaking the Dutch hold on the nutmeg supply. King James I of England was accepted as sovereign of the island, and Run was therefore considered to be the first English overseas colony.

Courthope entered an alliance with the islanders and fortified the island which came under the Dutch siege. Although his ships were lost, and supplies of food and water scarce he didn’t gave up and left his post although he received several allowances by Company’s Directors.

Courthope died of a Dutch shot during their attack in 1620. After four years of siege the English and their local allies departed the island.