Rights, Authority, and Autonomy

This chapter examines rights, authority, and autonomy under the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in seventeenth century Southeast Asia. Exploring how the Company managed its employees, Asian treaty partners, and diverse populations under its rule, this chapter is divided into three sections. The first delves into the instruments that granted the Company a range of powers, including the Company charter, commissions, as well as employment and disciplinary contracts. In the 1640s these were later supplemented by the Batavian Statutes. The 2nd section explores the VOC’s interactions with Asian rulers by focusing on treaties and alliances. These treaties curtailed the liberty of Asian rulers, compromised their sovereignty, and reinforced their dependency on the VOC. The 3rd section shifts attention to the VOC’s administration of ethnic and religious communities under its rule.