Dutch Imperialism: 1815-1870

The Dutch fought two major wars in the 1820s. They still did not control many areas in their imagined sphere of influence, including Aceh, Bali, much of Sulawesi and Nusa Tenggara.

Leaders among the Indonesians included:

Pattimura in Ambon in 1817

Pangeran Diponegoro in the Java War, 1825-1830

Imam Tuanku Bonjol in the Padri War in the 1830s

1841
The rajas of Badung, Klungkung, Karangasem and Buleleng on Bali sign treaties recognizing Dutch sovereignty; rajas to keep internal power. James Brooke begins creating private empire for himself in Sarawak.
1842
Dutch withdraw from east coast of Sumatra north of Palembang due to British worries. The nobility in Surakarta is arrested under suspicion of inciting revolt.
1843
Raja of Lombok accepts Dutch sovereignty. Famine in Cirebon.
1844
Rajas of Buleleng and Karangasem are dissatisfied with Dutch, and refuse to ratify treaties.
1846
Dutch attack Buleleng; other rajas secretly support anti-Dutch forces. Dutch expedition against Flores. Typhoid epidemic in Java. Dutch open coal mines on Kalimantan. Revolt in Banten.
1847
Dutch military expedition to Nias.
1848
Dutch attack Bali, then withdraw. New constitution in Netherlands: Dutch States-General has some control over colonial affairs.
1849
Dutch reduce Buleleng, north Bali; raja of Lombok attacks and takes Karangasem. Dutch take full control in Palembang.
1850
Dutch begin missionary work among Bataks of north Sumatra. Famine in Central Java. Dutch purchase remaining Portuguese posts on Flores.
1851
"Dokter-Jawa" school founded in Gambir, Batavia.
1852
Aceh sends emissary to Napoleon III of France.
1853
Dutch begin administering north Bali. Mangkunegara IV takes his title in Surakarta.
1854
Netherlands government issues regulations for the government of colonies; local rulers in the Indies are to continue to have traditional powers over their subjects, ruling on behalf of the Dutch. Aceh establishes authority over Langkat, Deli and Serdang on east coast of Sumatra ("pepper ports"). Introduction of quinine cultivation to the Priangan.
1855
Hamengkubuwono VI becomes Sultan of Yogya. Dutch military expedition to Nias.
1857
Dutch intervene in succession to Sultanate of Banjarmasin, support Tamjidillah over more popular Hidayatullah.
1858
Dutch expedition against south Sulawesi. Ratu Taha Saifuddin of Jambi refuses treaty with Dutch, flees into jungle with pusaka (emblems or heirlooms of his house), fights until 1904. Dutch take Siak in north Sumatra by treaty; define boundary as including Langkat and Deli, infringing on Acehnese territory. Nederlands-Indië government running at a deficit due to military expenses. Pakubuwono VIII becomes Susuhunan of Solo.
1859
Banjarmasin War led by Pangeran Antasari; Dutch withdraw support for Tamjidillah, send him to Bogor. Portuguese recognize Dutch claim to Flores. Dutch government bans slavery in the Netherlands Indies.
1860
"Max Havelaar" published. Dutch open Savu. Dutch abolish Sultanate of Banjarmasin, enforce direct colonial rule.	"Max Havelaar" exposed the abuses of Dutch colonial rule on Java, and put political pressure on the Netherlands government to make reforms in the colonies.
1861
Pakubuwono IX becomes Susuhunan of Solo.
1862
Hidayatullah surrenders in Banjarmasin, and is exiled to Java. Antasari dies of smallpox, guerilla war continues. Compulsory pepper cultivation ends.
1863
Dutch military expedition to Nias. British send gunboats to Langkat, other "pepper ports" on Sumatra.
1864
April 1 First Netherlands Indies postage stamp is issued. Dutch experiment with rubber cultivation in Java and Sumatra. Compulsory clove and nutmeg cultivation ends. Dutch claim Mentawai Islands.
1865
Compulsory tea and cinnamon cultivation ends. Dutch introduce tobacco to Deli and northern Sumatra.
1866
Compulsory tobacco cultivation ends.
1867
Gunung Merapi erupts near Yogya; 1000 are killed.
1869
1/3 of Savu dead from smallpox. Aceh appeals to Ottoman Empire for protection.	In 1869, the Suez Canal opened, which greatly reduced the travel time and effort between Europe and Asia by sea.
1870
Minahasa area comes under direct Dutch rule. Sultan Mahmud Syah rules Aceh until 1874.
New Agrarian Law encourages privatization of agriculture, starts to dismantle many practices of the "culture system".
Coffee blight in Java.
1871
Smallpox kills 18,000 in Bali. November Treaty of Sumatra between British and Dutch: Dutch give Gold Coast to British; Dutch may send contract labor from India to Dutch Guiana; Dutch get free hand in Sumatra, British and Dutch both have trade rights in Aceh. Effect of this treaty: no more foreign objection to Dutch taking Aceh.
1872
Batak war begins in north Sumatra, lasts until 1895.
1873
Emissary from Aceh holds talks with the American consul in Singapore, but USA help is rejected by Washington. The Dutch respond with war. March Dutch bombard Banda Aceh. April Dutch invade Banda Aceh, but are forced to withdraw. November Dutch invade Aceh again, suffer heavy losses to disease.	The Dutch would waste over 30 years trying to take full control of Aceh, and would never fully succeed.
1874
Acehnese abandon Banda Aceh and retreat to the hills. Dutch announce that Sultanate of Aceh is ended. Sultan Mahmud Syah dies in jungle; Sultan Ibrahim Mansur Syah heads sultanate in hills until 1907. Teuku Umar leads the Acehnese forces. Dutch expedition to Flores. Dutch send an official to the Aru Islands.
1876
Introduction of rubber cultivation to Java. Baba Hassan leads revolt on Halmahera.
1877
Hamengkubuwono VII becomes Sultan of Yogya.	After this point, the Nederlands-Indië government operates at a loss.
1878
Compulsory sugar and coffee cultivation starts to be eliminated.
1879
R. A. Kartini born at Jepara.	Raden Adjeng Kartini R. A. Kartini is remembered today for her collected letters, works of high literary quality. Far ahead of her time, Kartini was an early advocate both for Indonesia and for the interests of women everywhere.
1880
Rail line completed from Batavia to Bandung.
1881
Dutch falsely declare Aceh War to be over, but they control nothing outside their cities and forts.
1882
Bali and Lombok become single Residency; rajas of south Bali are unhappy, but continue to fight among themselves. Aru and Tanimbar islands come under Dutch administration. Tjokroaminoto born. Sugar blight hits Java. Dutch military expedition on Seram.
1883
Krakatau erupts; 36,000 are killed in West Java and Lampung. A. J. Zijlker gets approval from Dutch to start drilling for oil in Langkat, north Sumatra. Revolt in favor of Pangeran Suryengalaga fails in Yogya.
1887
Sultans of Madura have been reduced to bupati status. Economic depression in Java.
1888
Earthquake hits Bali. Dutch Resident in Surakarta takes control of the finances of the Mangkunegara house. Revolt in Banten led by Qadiriyya. North Borneo (Sabah) becomes a British protectorate.	On Java in this period, there were over 80 local rulers keeping the title of "Sultan", "Susuhunan" or "Bupati" ruling in theory, while the Dutch held the real power.
1890
Zijlker founds company that would become Royal Dutch Shell. Dutch expedition against Flores.
1891
Mengwi in Bali taken over by Badung. Naqshbandiyya rebel in Lombok against Mataram-Balinese rule; Dutch intervene.
1893
Pakubuwono X becomes Susuhunan of Solo.
1894
Final Dutch intervention in Lombok is successful; nobility goes down in puputan; Karangasem becomes Dutch dependency. "Batak War" ends. Rebellion against Portuguese in East Timor.	A "puputan" was a suicide charge by Balinese nobility to defend their honor when all else was lost. The families of the court would put on ceremonial clothes, arm themselves with false weapons and walk directly into enemy gunfire.
1895
Jami'at Khair founded; organization dedicated to Arabic education.
1896
King Chulalongkorn of Thailand makes a state visit to the Netherlands Indies.
1898
Dutch begin exploring Irian Jaya. Van Heutsz becomes Dutch Governor of Aceh. His advisor Snouck Hurgronje introduces "Korte Verklaring", a short treaty recognizing Dutch rule, to replace older complicated agreements with local rulers; Dutch pursue alliance with uleebalangs against Islamic leaders.	Starting about this time, the Dutch began to encourage Islamic worship and practice, as long as politics were not involved. The goal was to channel Islamic enthusiasm away from politics and nationalism.
1899
R. A. Kartini begins letter-writing career. Pesantren Tebuireng, a famous Islamic school, is founded at Jombang, East Java. Teuku Umar, leader of the guerilla forces in Aceh, is killed during a Dutch ambush.

Dutch Imperialism: 1870-1910

During this period the Dutch tried to take complete control of all the areas they claimed. This was the era of "high imperialism", when powers such as Britain and France were facing competition from new colonial powers such as Germany and Italy, and most unclaimed parts of Africa, Asia and the Pacific were being taken by one power before another could get an opportunity. The "Netherlands Indies" were vital to the Dutch economy: the profits from coffee, tobacco, oil, and other products helped finance the industrialization of the Netherlands.

1900
Raja of Gianyar on Bali submits to Dutch authority. Upper schools at Bandung, Magelang and Probolinggo reorganized to train Javanese candidates for local civil service.
1901
Jambi placed under control of Dutch Resident of Palembang during succession question and related unrest. Zijlker's Royal Dutch oil company expands to Kalimantan. Dutch place garrison on Mentawai Islands. Sukarno born. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands announces "Ethical Policy" towards the Indies.	By this time, the Dutch government was sending more money to support the Netherlands Indies than it was collecting from the Indies in revenues. Most of the cash flow from the Indies to the Netherlands after 1900 was in the hands of private businesses.
1902
Dutch end restrictions on the hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
1903
Sultan of Aceh, Tuanku Daud Syah, surrenders to Dutch, but keeps secret contact with guerillas. Dutch begin opening MULO schools for elementary education.
1904
Taha of Jambi killed by Dutch. Dutch military expedition takes control of Batak region of Sumatra.
1905
August Dutch forces land at Pare Pare. Major Dutch advance on Sulawesi; Bugis, Makasar, Toraja areas are taken for good. Acehnese resistance contacts Japanese consul in Singapore for help. Dutch occupy Mentawai islands. First trade union founded for railway workers.
1906
September Major Dutch advance on Bali: Dutch invade at Sanur; Dutch naval force shells Denpasar. Nobility of Badung commits puputan. King of Tabanan is captured by Dutch, but commits suicide. Klungkung falls in final puputan. Rubber production takes off in Sumatra with new plant varieties. Dutch take direct control of Sumba.
1907
Dutch military puts down rebellion in Flores, takes complete control. Unrest finally put down in Jambi. Aceh guerillas attack Dutch in Banda Aceh. King Sisingamangaraja of the Bataks revolts against the Dutch. Zijlker's Royal Dutch oil company merges with Shell Transport and Trading to become Royal Dutch Shell. Dutch send police to the Tanimbar Islands to stop intertribal conflict.
1908
Klungkung revolts against Dutch; nobility commits suicide by puputan to preserve their honor. Dutch intervene in local conflicts on Sumbawa, take tighter control. Butung comes under direct Dutch rule. VSTP (rail workers union) founded, accepts Indonesian members. May 20 Budi Utomo is founded among upper-class Javanese students in Jakarta. October Budi Utomo holds congress in Yogya. Indische Vereeniging founded for Indonesian students in the Netherlands.	Budi Utomo was a less political organization, primarily devoted to the promotion of Javanese culture. It's interest was limited to Javanese culture.
1909
Sarekat Dagang Islamiyah founded by Kyai Haji Samanhudi in Jakarta; Tjokroaminoto rises to leadership.
1910
Islamic resistance in Aceh decimated. Jami'at Khair replaced by Al-Irsyad (Jamiat Islam al Irsyad al Arabia), organization for Arab Muslims in Indonesia. Dutch expedition to Komodo reports on Komodo dragons to Europe for the first time.