Pieter Anthoniszoon Overtwater
Encyclopedia
Pieter Anthonisz Overtwater or over 't Water (ca. 1610 Hoorn
– 28 or 29 April 1682, Batavia, Dutch East Indies) took service in 1640, before he was a conrector of a school in Hoorn
and had no commercial experience. He was the Dutch
opperhoofd
at Dejima
in Japan from October 1642 to August 1643, and again from November 1644 to November 1645. He proposed to start a new factorij
in the north of Japan, an unacceptable proposal for the Japanese interpreter, who refused to translate it. The Japanese however were interested to learn how to use a mortar
, but Overtwater was not very willing to explain.
He was Governor of Formosa
from 1646 to 1649 and criticized. The east coast of Formosa was left by the company, being unprofitable and dangerous.
He was stationed in Ceylon and in 1666 in the Cape colony
, where he proposed that children of Malabar
slaves could be baptized. In 1677 he was fired as an extraordinary council in Batavia, being accused of corruption or unfair trade.
Hoorn
-Cities :* Purmerend * Enkhuizen * Alkmaar * Amsterdam * Lelystad * Den Helder * Leeuwarden -Towns :* Edam...
– 28 or 29 April 1682, Batavia, Dutch East Indies) took service in 1640, before he was a conrector of a school in Hoorn
Hoorn
-Cities :* Purmerend * Enkhuizen * Alkmaar * Amsterdam * Lelystad * Den Helder * Leeuwarden -Towns :* Edam...
and had no commercial experience. He was the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
opperhoofd
VOC Opperhoofden in Japan
VOC Opperhoofden in Japan were the chief traders of the Dutch East India Company in Japan during the period of the Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the Edo period.Opperhoofd is a Dutch word which literally means 'supreme head[man]'...
at Dejima
Dejima
was a small fan-shaped artificial island built in the bay of Nagasaki in 1634. This island, which was formed by digging a canal through a small peninsula, remained as the single place of direct trade and exchange between Japan and the outside world during the Edo period. Dejima was built to...
in Japan from October 1642 to August 1643, and again from November 1644 to November 1645. He proposed to start a new factorij
Factory (trading post)
Factory was the English term for the trading posts system originally established by Europeans in foreign territories, first within different states of medieval Europe, and later in their colonial possessions...
in the north of Japan, an unacceptable proposal for the Japanese interpreter, who refused to translate it. The Japanese however were interested to learn how to use a mortar
Mortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
, but Overtwater was not very willing to explain.
He was Governor of Formosa
Governor of Formosa
The Governor of Formosa was the head of government during the Dutch colonial period in Taiwan, which lasted from 1624 to 1662. Appointed by the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies in Batavia , the Governor of Formosa was empowered to legislate, collect taxes, wage war and declare peace on...
from 1646 to 1649 and criticized. The east coast of Formosa was left by the company, being unprofitable and dangerous.
He was stationed in Ceylon and in 1666 in the Cape colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
, where he proposed that children of Malabar
Malabars
Malabars is an appellation originating from the colonial era that was used by Westerners to refer to all the people of South India...
slaves could be baptized. In 1677 he was fired as an extraordinary council in Batavia, being accused of corruption or unfair trade.