The Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) was one of the most prized colonies of the Dutch empire. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) first arrived in the region in 1602, and by the following century had established a powerful presence.
The Dutch were attracted to the region by the lucrative spice trade. Indonesia was the only place where spices such as nutmeg and cloves could be found. The Dutch were able to establish a monopoly on the spice trade by …