VOYAGE THROUGH THE SOUTH CHINA SEA, 1622穿越中國南海之旅 1622
This article analyzes the experience of Willem Ysbrantsz Bontekoe, whose 1622 travel narrative offers a unique perspective on European encounters and confrontations in the South China Sea. Through an analysis of Bontekoe’s account, the text addresses the Dutch attempt to conquer Macau, an action tha...
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| Published in: | Review of Culture |
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| Format: | Articles |
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Instituto Cultural de Macau
October 2004
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| Online Access: | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40012/3828 |
| Summary: | This article analyzes the experience of Willem Ysbrantsz Bontekoe, whose 1622 travel narrative offers a unique perspective on European encounters and confrontations in the South China Sea. Through an analysis of Bontekoe’s account, the text addresses the Dutch attempt to conquer Macau, an action that reflected the shift in Dutch colonial policy from peaceful negotiations to aggressive military actions, within the context of the relations between Spain and the Netherlands and the anti-Iberian alliances with the English. The article also investigates the military strategies, the multilateral profile of the forces involved (including Japanese, Malays, and peoples of Banda and Gujarat), and the reactions of the Portuguese defenders and local civilians, who, despite Dutch superiority, managed to repel the invasion, resulting in the disastrous withdrawal of the Dutch to Penghu. Furthermore, based on Bontekoe’s testimony, the article discusses the dynamics of European confrontation in the region and the complexity of maritime, commercial, and military relations in the seventeenth century. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of Bontekoe’s narrative as a source for understanding colonial history, European rivalries, and the prominence of local actors in the maritime and cultural context of the South China Sea, reinforcing the role of military strategies in shaping the colonial landscape in Asia. |
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| ISSN: | 1682-1106 |