Company of the Moluccas
Encyclopedia
The Company of the Moluccas (French: Compagnie des Moluques) was an French trading company which was established in 1615 for trade in the East Indies
. The company received trading privileges for the Far East for a period of 18 years.
On 1 June 1604, the French king Henry IV
had already issued letter patents to Dieppe
merchants to form the Dieppe Company
, giving them exclusive rights to Asian trade for 15 years, but no ships were finally sent. Other cities such as Rouen
moanouevered to obtain trading rights.
In 1615, the regent Marie de Médicis incorporated the merchants of Dieppe and other harbours to found the Company of the Moluccas. In 1616, two expeditions were to Asia from Honfleur
in Normandy
: three ships left for India
, and two ships for Bantam
. One ship returned from Bantam in 1617 with a small cargo, and letters from the Dutch expressing their hostility towards French ships in the East Indies
. Also in 1616, two ships were sent from Saint-Malo
to Java
. One was captured by the Dutch, but the other obtained an agreement from the ruler of Pondicherry to build a fortress and a factory there, and came back with a rich cargo.
One of the main enterprises of the Company of the Moluccas was the expedition of Augustin de Beaulieu
in 1619-1622.
The company would be soon superseeded, with the creation of the Compagnie d'Orient in 1642, and the French East India Company
in 1664.
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. The company received trading privileges for the Far East for a period of 18 years.
On 1 June 1604, the French king Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
had already issued letter patents to Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
merchants to form the Dieppe Company
Dieppe Company
The Dieppe Company was founded on 1 June 1604, through the issuance of letter patents by Henry IV to Dieppe merchants. The establishment of the company give the merchants exclusive rights to Asian trade for 15 years, but no ships were finally sent.After the king's death in 1610, the charter was...
, giving them exclusive rights to Asian trade for 15 years, but no ships were finally sent. Other cities such as Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
moanouevered to obtain trading rights.
In 1615, the regent Marie de Médicis incorporated the merchants of Dieppe and other harbours to found the Company of the Moluccas. In 1616, two expeditions were to Asia from Honfleur
Honfleur
Honfleur is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie...
in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
: three ships left for India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and two ships for Bantam
Bantam (city)
Bantam in Banten province near the western end of Java was a strategically important site and formerly a major trading city, with a secure harbor on the Sunda Strait through which all ocean-going traffic passed, at the mouth of Banten River that provided a navigable passage for light craft into...
. One ship returned from Bantam in 1617 with a small cargo, and letters from the Dutch expressing their hostility towards French ships in the East Indies
East Indies
East Indies is a term used by Europeans from the 16th century onwards to identify what is now known as Indian subcontinent or South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and the islands of Oceania, including the Malay Archipelago and the Philippines...
. Also in 1616, two ships were sent from Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
. One was captured by the Dutch, but the other obtained an agreement from the ruler of Pondicherry to build a fortress and a factory there, and came back with a rich cargo.
One of the main enterprises of the Company of the Moluccas was the expedition of Augustin de Beaulieu
Augustin de Beaulieu
Augustin de Beaulieu was a French general of the 17th century, who in 1619 was put in charge of an armed expedition to the East Indies composed of three ships and called the "Fleet of Montmorency", after its sponsor the Admiral Montmorency.-Biography:Born at Rouen, Augustin de Beaulieu studied...
in 1619-1622.
The company would be soon superseeded, with the creation of the Compagnie d'Orient in 1642, and the French East India Company
French East India Company
The French East India Company was a commercial enterprise, founded in 1664 to compete with the British and Dutch East India companies in colonial India....
in 1664.