Jan Pieterszoon Coen

Jan Pieterszoon Coen was chief founder of the Dutch commercial empire in the East Indies. He was long considered a national hero in the Netherlands, but from the 20th century he has been looked at in a more critical light, and historians view his often violent means to have been excessive.

Coen was born at Hoorn on 8 January 1587 into a family with Calvinist principles. In 1601 he travelled to Rome to study trade in the offices of a Flemish company. In 1607 he sailed to Indonesia with the fleet of Pieter Verhoeff as assistant merchant of the Dutch East India Company (VOC). Upon his return to Holland in 1610, Coen submitted to the company’s directors a report on trade possibilities in Southeast Asia. As a result of this report, Coen was again sent overseas in 1612, with the rank of chief merchant. His commercial successes secured him further promotions: in 1613 he was appointed accountant-general of all VOC offices in East Indies, in 1614 he was made director-general, second in command, and was governor-general of the Dutch East Indies from 1618 – 1623 and from 1627 – 1629.

Through military and diplomatic means, Coen cornered the spice trade from Asia, displaced Portuguese interests and attempted to keep the English out. Also by military means, Coen founded Batavia, which he proclaimed the capital of the Dutch East Indies. Coen suddenly died on 21 September 1629, likely due to the cholera outbreak in Batavia during the second siege of the town by Sultan Agung of Mataram.