In the garden of the Governor's Palace in Batavia, Governor Matsolko was sitting leisurely on a lounge chair drinking tea.
"Oh my God! These leaves from the Ming Dynasty are really magical! It was a little bitter at first, but the more you drink it, the more memorable it becomes!" He murmured and took a sip of tea, savoring it carefully.
This is a governor who likes to enjoy himself. Unlike his predecessors who lived in a narrow fortress area, he lives in a very spacious living area in Batavia. Of course, he still has to stay in the fortress when working.
."Office is office, life is life" is his motto.
Although he likes to enjoy life, no one dares to deny his ability. If Cohen's pioneering laid the foundation for the Dutch East India Company, then Matt Solko used his unparalleled ability to make the Dutch East India Company reach the level of
The prosperity.
This governor was good at construction. Under his vigorous promotion, many colonies from Batavia to Cape Town built city halls, hospitals, orphanages, correctional homes, and barracks in the style of Dutch cities.
As well as fortresses, new types of towns sprang up in various colonies. Someone described these towns like this: "They are as clean and tidy as any town in the Netherlands, although there are not so many fine houses."
The most beautiful among them is naturally Batavia, where the Dutch East India Company is headquartered. This is not only a colonial city, but also has tree-lined streets and canals. European travelers can't help but recall it when they come here.
Some towns in the northern Netherlands gave this city a nickname: "Queen of the East".
This is a far-sighted governor.
He found that although the Dutch had snatched a large number of colonies from the Portuguese, Portuguese was still the most popular language in Arakan, Brazil, Ceylon, Molucca and other places, and even in Batavia, the headquarters of the East India Company.
, thus pointed out to the members of the Batavia Council: "Portuguese is an easy language to speak and learn. This is why we cannot ban those who have never spoken a word of Portuguese before coming here from the Rakhine area.
The reason why slaves regard Portuguese as their own language and preferentially use Portuguese instead of other languages as the main communication tool." In order to strengthen his rule, he took various measures to restrict Portuguese and promote Dutch.
He realized the strategic and logistical importance of the Cape Colony, supported the local governor's continuous expansion, and at the same time vigorously built trading posts in Persia, Bengal, Malacca, Siam and Malabar.
He continued to implement former Governor Cohen's plan to establish a trading system in Asia. He vigorously promoted the cultivation of cloves and nutmeg in Indonesia for export; he encouraged Chinese merchant ships to trade in Batavia to obtain large quantities of silk, porcelain, tea and other commodities.
These goods can be shipped to the European market for sale, which can earn huge profits, and can increase customs tax revenue when entering and leaving Bacheng Customs. Chinese merchants transport silk fabrics, porcelain, tea, dried and fresh fruits, brocades, white cotton and other items to Badawi
In Asia, huge profits can also be made. For example, Fu oranges "are only worth 5 cents per hundred catties in China, but when shipped overseas, every 4 oranges are worth 2 cents."
In terms of taxation, he vigorously promoted the "Kapitan" system, which put all retail businesses, including coastal trade contracting rights, in the hands of Kapitan (the leader). By appointing Chinese Kapitan, he controlled and indirectly ruled the overseas Chinese society. Today
, among the 21 taxes Batavia levied on gambling, retail, import and export of goods, puppet shows and other industries, overseas Chinese were responsible for 17 of them.
In short, the governor's political achievements are obvious to all. Under his leadership, the Dutch East India Company has entered its most prosperous period, and the company's net profit has been rising steadily, thus winning unanimous praise from the seventeen gentlemen on the board of directors.
"Your Excellency, good news, Commander Spearman wrote that that idiot, Sultan Hasanuddin, has surrendered, and Gowa is willing to become a vassal state of the company on Sulawesi. Commander Spearman has ordered the demolition
The Sultan’s palace, mosque and their Zomba-Op fortress in Makassar city were used to build the company’s new stronghold: Fort Rotterdam using the dismantled materials.” The good news sent by the attendant Valkener interrupted the governor’s tea tasting.
.
After defeating the Portuguese and the Sultan of Madaram, and successfully limiting competitors such as the United Kingdom and Denmark, the invincible Dutch encountered a new opponent: the Sultanate of Gowa. This was originally a small, economically backward country. The Portuguese occupied Malacca
Later, the Muslim business groups that originally used Malacca as their main distribution center came to Makassar City in western Sulawesi, promoting the economic rise of the Gowa Kingdom; after the Dutch drove away the Portuguese and occupied Malacca,
The Sultanate of Gowa further relied on the influx of exiles to once again enhance its economic status.
The Netherlands, which wanted to monopolize trade with the East, could not allow other trading cities to compete with Batavia, sharpening its sword; and the Sultan of Gowa, Hassanuddin, was a learned man who was keen on studying European astronomy and mathematical formulas.
The monarch, he continued to use the Muslim business group as an economic input link, extending olive branches to the sultanates in the Philippines in the north, and at the same time purchasing advanced weapons from Western businessmen. In addition to the necessary large quantities of matchlocks, there was also a lack of heavy artillery and gunners.
They were all trained according to the translated Spanish drills. In the southern city of Makassar, the Zomba-Op Fortress was built in Western style.
The war inevitably occurred. The Dutch won the final victory and the city of Makassar fell. There was no large port city in the entire Malacca region that could compete with Batavia, which held high the banner of monopoly.
Matsolko frowned and said, "Valkena, you should put away your arrogance and learn to respect your enemies. In any case, the Sultan is a knowledgeable and perseverant opponent."
"Okay, sir, you're right," Valkener shrugged.
"Very good Ming Dynasty tea, do you want to try it? My friend", Matsolko poured him a cup of tea and suddenly asked: "What do you think of promoting sugar cane cultivation in Java? I heard that cane sugar is used in India
and Persia are very popular”.
"This is really a good idea, sir." Valkener looked at him with admiration. This governor is really good at developing the economy and always has endless fantastic ideas in his mind!
"My friend, do you have anything else to say?" asked Matt Salko.
"I can't hide anything from you. Your Excellency, there is one thing that I feel I must report to you." Walkena paused and said: "The six sultanates of Johor, Brunei, Pattani, Sulu, Selangor, and Terengganu
An organization called the Malacca Free and Independent Alliance was established, seemingly to challenge the company's hegemony in Malacca, and it is said that China sent envoys to these countries.