Empire by Treaty?: The role of written documents in European overseas expansion, 1500-1800

Martine Van Ittersum

doi:10.5117/9789462983298/ch06

Empire by Treaty? The role of written documents in European overseas expansion, 1500-1800

Martine Van Ittersum

Humanities

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Treaty-making was integral to European imperialism and colonialism in the early modern period. Europeans did not seek to enter into equal treaties with indigenous rulers or peoples, but to conclude agreements that advanced their own claims to trade and/or territory. Two case studies – the Banda Islands and the Hudson Valley in the seventeenth century – serve to illustrate this point. Of course, the extent to which Europeans achieved their aims depended on local power constellations in Africa, Asia or the Americas, and the diplomatic fallout back in Europe. Still, in a world of endemic violence, treaty and alliance making were essential preparations for the next round of warfare and, thus, empire-building.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	The Dutch and English East India Companies
Subtitle of host publication	Diplomacy, Trade and Violence in Early Modern Asia
Publisher	Taylor and Francis - Balkema
Pages	153-178
Number of pages	26
ISBN (Electronic)	9781040799659
ISBN (Print)	9789462983298
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5117/9789462983298/ch06
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2025

Keywords

Banda Islands
claims making
Dutch West India Company (WIC)
Hudson Valley
international law
treaty making

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Arts and Humanities
General Social Sciences
General Economics,Econometrics and Finance

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.5117/9789462983298/ch06

Cite this

@inbook{af6317c4101847058facf69d3ddf6578,

title = "Empire by Treaty?: The role of written documents in European overseas expansion, 1500-1800",

abstract = "Treaty-making was integral to European imperialism and colonialism in the early modern period. Europeans did not seek to enter into equal treaties with indigenous rulers or peoples, but to conclude agreements that advanced their own claims to trade and/or territory. Two case studies – the Banda Islands and the Hudson Valley in the seventeenth century – serve to illustrate this point. Of course, the extent to which Europeans achieved their aims depended on local power constellations in Africa, Asia or the Americas, and the diplomatic fallout back in Europe. Still, in a world of endemic violence, treaty and alliance making were essential preparations for the next round of warfare and, thus, empire-building.",

keywords = "Banda Islands, claims making, Dutch West India Company (WIC), Hudson Valley, international law, treaty making",

author = "Ittersum, \{Martine Van\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Adam Clulow and Tristan Mostert/Taylor \& Francis Group 2018.",

year = "2025",

month = oct,

day = "1",

doi = "10.5117/9789462983298/ch06",

language = "English",

isbn = "9789462983298",

pages = "153--178",

booktitle = "The Dutch and English East India Companies",

publisher = "Taylor and Francis - Balkema",

}

TY - CHAP

T1 - Empire by Treaty?

T2 - The role of written documents in European overseas expansion, 1500-1800

AU - Ittersum, Martine Van

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Adam Clulow and Tristan Mostert/Taylor & Francis Group 2018.

PY - 2025/10/1

Y1 - 2025/10/1

N2 - Treaty-making was integral to European imperialism and colonialism in the early modern period. Europeans did not seek to enter into equal treaties with indigenous rulers or peoples, but to conclude agreements that advanced their own claims to trade and/or territory. Two case studies – the Banda Islands and the Hudson Valley in the seventeenth century – serve to illustrate this point. Of course, the extent to which Europeans achieved their aims depended on local power constellations in Africa, Asia or the Americas, and the diplomatic fallout back in Europe. Still, in a world of endemic violence, treaty and alliance making were essential preparations for the next round of warfare and, thus, empire-building.

AB - Treaty-making was integral to European imperialism and colonialism in the early modern period. Europeans did not seek to enter into equal treaties with indigenous rulers or peoples, but to conclude agreements that advanced their own claims to trade and/or territory. Two case studies – the Banda Islands and the Hudson Valley in the seventeenth century – serve to illustrate this point. Of course, the extent to which Europeans achieved their aims depended on local power constellations in Africa, Asia or the Americas, and the diplomatic fallout back in Europe. Still, in a world of endemic violence, treaty and alliance making were essential preparations for the next round of warfare and, thus, empire-building.

KW - Banda Islands

KW - claims making

KW - Dutch West India Company (WIC)

KW - Hudson Valley

KW - international law

KW - treaty making

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105023791366

U2 - 10.5117/9789462983298/ch06

DO - 10.5117/9789462983298/ch06

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:105023791366

SN - 9789462983298

SP - 153

EP - 178

BT - The Dutch and English East India Companies

PB - Taylor and Francis - Balkema

ER -