Governorate of Ambon

Governorate of Ambon
Gouvernement Amboyna
1605–1796
Flag of Ambon
Flag
Coat of arms of Ambon
Coat of arms
Amboina around 1651
Amboina around 1651
StatusDutch colony
CapitalFort Victoria
Common languagesDutch
Governor 
• 1605–1611
Frederick de Houtman
• 1618–1625
Herman van Speult
• 1701–1706
Balthasar Coyett
• 1724–1729
Stephanus Versluys
• 1794–1796
Alexander Cornabé
Historical eraImperialism
22 February 1605
• British takeover
1796
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Portuguese Empire
Bencoolen

Ambon was a governorate of the Dutch East India Company, consisting of Ambon Island and ten neighbouring islands.[1] Steven van der Hagen captured Fort Victoria on 22 February 1605 from the Portuguese in the name of the Dutch East India Company. Until 1619, Ambon served as the capital of the Dutch possessions in East Asia. In that year Batavia was founded to function as the staple port for the Dutch East India Company in Asia. The island was the world center of clove production until the 19th century. The Dutch prohibited the rearing of the clove-tree in all the other islands subject to their rule, in order to secure the monopoly to Ambon.

  1. ^ "Amboina". De VOC site. Retrieved 4 February 2013.