The rivalry between the Dutch and Portuguese in Asia is one of the classic themes of the early history of European expansion overseas. Yet it is often forgotten that until the end of the sixteenth century the seafarers and traders of Portugal and The Netherlands were the best of friends and close trading partners in Europe. This collection of essays seeks to explain the abrupt change in the relationship by analyzing the European interaction with the maritime world of Monsoon Asia. Portuguese as well as Dutch interests, political, commercial and personal, became closely interwoven with those of the indigenous rulers, merchants and financiers. The final outcome of the conflict in Asia was mainly determined by the different ways in which both parties were able to cope with the intricacies of Asian politics. ‘European Expansion in the Indian Ocean’ was far from a one-sided affair and its history can only be understood in terms of the interaction of both Europeans and Asians involved.
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