History
The Kleine Erasmus (Small Erasmus), hence forth Erasmus was named after Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536), founding father of humanism. Built in Rotterdam, the Erasmus started its journey in the East when it arrived at Batavia on 20 January 1623.
China
At the end of October 1623, four ships (De Groningen, De Samson, De Erasmus and De Muiden) under Francx's command started a (new) blockade of the Chincheo bay to force the Chinese with a blockade to reason.
The next few days were taken up by negotiations by messaging. Nan Chu-i suggested that Francx himself could come to Xiamen/Amoy to sign or discuss in person on a treaty[MM1] .
n 14 November Francx sailed with The Erasmus and The Muiden in the channel between Amoy and Collongsouw island. The two tall ships, Groningen and Samson, stayed at the bay of Liao-lo behind the island of Quemoy (Bontekoe p. 55).
The Dutch ambassadors were well received in the city, but not much more was happening. After three days skipper Bontekoe of De Groningen started to get worried. He decided to take a closer with by sloop. When he and his little crew rowed up the Chincheo river they saw a naval battle in full swing. The Erasmus and The Muiden were surrounded by dozens of junks and sampans. Fireships everywhere, The Muiden was on fire. And when the fire reached the gunpowder chamber the ship exploded before Bontekoe’s eyes. A little further was The Erasmus attacked by three fire ships. But she could break free and escape to open water.
The start of the Nuyts Affair
In 1628, the Dutch-Japanese relations had just about cooled down to a point well below zero, where all further trade between Japan and the VOC trading post in Hirado was put on hold. This crisis was caused by an accumulation of incidents starting in 1627, mainly revolving around cases of ill-treatment of overseas Japanese merchants by Dutch parties on Formosa (Taiwan). The main character involved was Pieter Nuyts (1598-1655).
These incidents escalated to a point where the Japanese on Formosa had taken Pieter Nuyts hostage, threatening to end his life. After a week of negotiating, the Japanese and Dutch at Formosa agreed to take five hostages on each side who were to be sent to Nagasaki, Japan. Among the five Dutch hostages was Pieter Nuyts' own 15-year old son Laurents.
Nagasaki
A Japanese junk carrying the five Dutch hostages was sent to Nagasaki, and the Erasmus followed, carrying on board five Japanese hostages. Upon arrival in Japan, the Japanese hostages were released, while the Erasmus, the crew and the Dutch hostages were arrested. The Erasmus was stripped from its sails, rigging, armament, masts and rudder and was held in a ditch with as little water as possible, while it was enclosed by a 'heavy palisade'.
On 14 March 1630, after two years of being enclosed in the shallow ditch, the Dutch deemed the hull useless and sold it for scrap, for as little as 80 taels (fl. 240).
End of the Nuyts Affair
The Nuyts Affair ended when Nuyts had to stand trial in Batavia in 1636-37, much to the desire of the Japanese. In the meanwhile, his son Lourents had died in captivity from dysentery and fever on December the 29th in 1630.
Description
Built: Rotterdam
| Skipper | Lambert Hieronymus van Brouwershaven |
|---|---|
| Tonnage | 240 ton (120 last) |