534 Chapter 19
In time, Portugal’s success in Asia attracted the attention of other European
nations. As early as 1521, a Spanish expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan arrived
in the Philippines. Spain claimed the islands and began settling them in 1565. By
the early 1600s, the rest of Europe had begun to descend upon Asia. They wanted
to establish their own trade empires in the East.
Other Nations Challenge the PortugueseBeginning around 1600, the English
and Dutch began to challenge Portugal’s dominance over the Indian Ocean trade.
The Dutch Republic, also known as the Netherlands, was a small country situated
along the North Sea in northwestern Europe. Since the early 1500s, Spain had
ruled the area. In 1581, the people of the region declared their independence from
Spain and established the Dutch Republic.
In a short time, the Netherlands became a leading sea power. By 1600, the Dutch
owned the largest fleet of ships in the world—20,000 vessels. Pressure from Dutch
and also English fleets eroded Portuguese control of the Asian region. The Dutch
and English then battled one another for dominance of the area.
Both countries had formed an East India Company to establish and direct trade
throughout Asia. These companies had the power to mint money, make treaties, and
even raise their own armies. The Dutch East India Companywas richer and more
powerful than England’s company. As a result, the Dutch eventually drove out the
English and established their dominance over the region.
Dutch Trade OutpostsIn 1619, the Dutch established their trading headquarters
at Batavia on the island of Java. From there, they expanded west to
Analyzing Issues
How were the
Dutch able to domi-
nate the Indian
Ocean trade?
Seville
Luanda
Mozambique
Hormuz
Columbo
Delhi
Malacca
Manila
Nagasaki
Kyoto
Beijing
Guangzhou
Batavia
Mombasa
Kilwa
Cape
Town
Lisbon
Macau
Melilla
Ceuta
St. Louis
Fernando Po
Goree Is.
Gambia
Canary Is.
Madeira
Azores
Cape
Verde Is.
Bombay
Madras
Calcutta
Pondicherry
Ft. Dauphine
Mauritius
Bourbon
(Réunion)
Goa
Calicut
Cochin
Diu Daman
OTTOMAN
EMPIRE
ANGOLA
SRI
LANKA MALAYA
JAPAN
CHINA
INDIA
EAST INDIES
MOLUCCAS(SPICE IS.)
BORNEO
ENGLAND
NETHERLANDS
PORTUGALSPAIN
MADAGASCAR
PH
ILI
PP
IN
ES
JAVA
TIMOR
NEW
GUINEA
FORMOSA(TAIWAN)
SUMATRA
FRANCE
GOLD
COAST
ASIA
EUROPE
AFRICA
Cape of
Good Hope
ARABIAN
PENINSULA
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
INDIAN
OCEAN
Arabian
Sea
Strait of
Malacca PACIFIC
OCEAN
Medite
rraneanSea
0 ° 40 °E 80 °E 120 °
E
160
°E
0 ° Equator
Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Capricorn
40 °S
Dutch
English
French
Portuguese
Spanish
Dutch
English
French
Portuguese
Spanish
Dias's route
Aug. 1487– Feb. 1488
Da Gama's route
July 1497–May 1498
European
territories
European
trading posts
0 2,000 Miles
0 4,000 Kilometers
Europeans in the East, 1487–1700
GEOGRAPHY SKILLBUILDER: Interpreting Maps
1.PlaceWhy would a fort at Hormuz help the Portuguese to stop trade between the
Arabian Peninsula and India?
2.RegionWhere was the Dutch influence the greatest?