The Dutch West Indies Company ( Dutch: Geoctroyeerde West-Indische Compagnie ) is a trading company in the Republic of the United Provinces of the Netherlands , which, after being established in 1621, received from the General States monopoly on trade and colonization in America and West Africa .
| Dutch West Indies Company | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type of | public company |
| Base | 1621 |
| Abolished | 1791 |
| Reason for Abolition | nationalization |
| Founders | Willem Usselinks |
| Location | Republic of the United Provinces |
| Key figures | Willem Usselinks, Kilian van Rensselaer |
| Industry | trade |
The main areas of activity: the slave trade , trade in gold , silver , furs , sugar , ivory , and privateering (especially the robbery of Spanish ships). The company had five offices in the metropolis (including in Amsterdam and Rotterdam ) and was managed by a council of 19 merchants.
Content
- 1 heyday
- 2 sunset
- 3 See also
- 4 References
Blossom
Taking advantage of the weakening of the Portuguese colonial empire , the Dutch managed to capture the northern part of Brazil (see Dutch Brazil ), as well as Suriname and a number of islands in the West Indies (see Netherlands Antilles ). The main Dutch trading post in North America was New Amsterdam (see New Netherlands ). On the coast of Africa, a number of Portuguese territories were captured and new forts established (see Dutch Guinea ).
Sunset
The company was reorganized in 1674, but no longer had its former significance (its territories in Brazil were occupied by Portugal , and New Amsterdam and other possessions in North America by England ). Most co-owners lost their holdings in North America; the exception was Kilian van Rensselaer, whose possessions flourished (he himself gave rise to a prominent dynasty of American merchants and politicians). In 1791, shares of the West Indies company were bought by the Dutch government and it actually ceased to exist independently.
See also
- History of the Netherlands
- Colonies of the Netherlands
- Dutch colonization of Guiana
- First Anglo-Dutch War
- Second Anglo-Dutch War
- Third Anglo-Dutch War
Links
- Facsimile 15 WIC-books in connection with the events in Brazil in the XVII century (port.)
- Dutch Portuguese colonial history
- Conditions created by the burgomaster of Amsterdam , 1656 (rus.) (Nid.)