Blood money

After punishing the mutineers, Pelsaert set about recovering the chests of silver using the divers he had brought with him

Prinsendaalder of West Friesland, United Provinces of the Netherlands, 1599. ANMM Collection 00016370 All coins ANMM Collection Transferred from Australian Netherlands Committee on Old Dutch Shipwrecks All coin images Jasmine Poole/ ANMM

The coins of Batavia

The museum’s new Pearl Trail, to be rolled out progressively this year, will highlight the treasures of our collection. Appearing in the Dutch Pearl are some of the coins found at the site of the infamous Batavia shipwreck. Will Mather has been delving into the origins of these coins and the stories of the people depicted on them.

IN OCTOBER 1628, BATAVIA left the Netherlands with a cargo of silver – 12 chests each carrying 8,000 silver coins – to trade for spices in the East Indies. Using the new route up the west coast of Australia, it struck a reef on the Houtman Abrolhos on 4 June 1629 and sank. Its commander, Francisco Pelsaert, and senior officers went looking for water, and then decided to head to the Dutch trading fort of Batavia (now Jakarta), in Java. The 268 survivors, passengers and crew were left to endure weeks of torment and brutality by the psychopathic Jeronimus Cornelisz. When Pelsaert returned in October to rescue the survivors, he found that Cornelisz and his henchmen had raped and murdered around half of them in their reign of terror. After punishing the mutineers, Pelsaert set about recovering the chests of silver using the divers he had brought with him. Ten were recovered, one was under a cannon and couldn’t be moved and another had been broken up by the mutineers and the contents scattered. Taking the ten chests, he returned to Batavia in December 1629. The coins in the National Maritime Collection are from the two chests that remained at the wreck site. The coins from the Batavia shipwreck are unusually diverse in their date and geographic range, reflecting both the scarcity of silver in the Netherlands at the time and the nation’s new role as a centre of the spice trade. The coins in the National Maritime Collection range in date from 1553 to 1628. This period covers the creation of the United Provinces of the Netherlands after its successful rebellion from Philip II of Spain and its spectacular rise as a global maritime trading power. These years also take in the growth of Protestantism in Europe and the start of the Thirty Years’ War between the Protestant and Catholic states of the Holy Roman Empire (roughly modern Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic). Around half of the coins are from the Netherlands. Of these, the majority are the federal coinage of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, consisting of the seven provinces Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel, West Friesland and Groningen. The other half are from the multiplicity of states that made up the Holy Roman Empire: duchies, counties, electorates, prince bishoprics and city states that owed their (at times nominal) allegiance to the Holy Roman Emperor. The states represented are overwhelmingly Protestant and mainly from northern Germany, in particular the silver-rich duchy of BrunswickLüneburg, whose rule was divided among various members of the Welf dynasty – a family that would go on to rule Great Britain as the Hanoverians. Two-thirds of these coins are from the self-governing free imperial cities of the empire, which were its economic powerhouses, with Frankfurt and Hamburg supplying the majority. These cities had thrown off control by feudal lords and owed their allegiance directly to the Holy Roman Emperors, whose name and titles appear on the back of their coins as guarantors of each city’s liberties and privileges.

Around half of the coins are from the Netherlands, and half from the multiplicity of states that made up the Holy Roman Empire

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Prinsendaalder of West Friesland, United Provinces of the Netherlands, 1599 In the 1590s, the United Provinces of the Netherlands reissued coins with the portrait of William the Silent, the leader of the Dutch Revolt and a national hero, who had been assassinated in 1584 with the encouragement of Philip II. He had been stadtholder (governor) of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht (originally on behalf of Philip II) and it had been hoped that he would become stadtholder, and unifying figure, of all the seven provinces. Obverse: William the Silent, sword over right shoulder, inscription ‘[DEUS F]ORTITUD[O] ET SPES NOSTRA’ (‘God is our strength and hope’) and date 1599. Verso: coat of arms of the province of West Friesland, inscription ‘MO NO ARG DOMI WEST FRISIAE’ (‘New silver money of the domain of West Friesland’).

Daalder of Philip II, King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands, 1568 In 1568, Philip II was lord of all 17 provinces of the Netherlands, but that was soon to change. They were dominions he had inherited from the Dukes of Burgundy, so one side of the coin bears the cross of Burgundy and names Philip as Lord of Utrecht, one of the provinces. The other has the coat of arms of Burgundy and motto of Philip II. On annexing Portugal in 1580, Philip closed the supply of spices to the Dutch. Their response was to go to the east themselves, eventually supplanting the Portuguese in the spice trade by force. His religious and financial policies ignited revolt throughout the Netherlands, resulting in the independence of the seven northern provinces in 1581. Obverse: Burgundy coat of arms with motto of King Philip II ‘DOMINVS MIHI ADIVTOR’ (‘The Lord is my helper’). Verso: cross of Burgundy with date 1568 and inscription ‘PHS D G HISP Z REX DNS TRAIEC’ (‘Philip by Grace of God King of Spain etc Lord of Traiectum’ – the Latin for Utrecht).

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Thaler of Frederick Ulrich, Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, 1623 Frederick Ulrich became prince of Wolfenbüttel in 1613 at the age of 22, but was soon deposed by his mother because of his rampant alcoholism. The interim government proved just as ruinous and he was re-installed by his mother’s brother, Christian IV King of Denmark, in 1622. Frederick Ulrich continued to rule, if ineffectually, until his death in 1634. The Wildman often appears on the coinage of this principality, and this is a great example – wide moustaches, hairy arms and legs, holding a tree trunk, with a belt of foliage protecting his modesty. Why he appears is debatable. Obverse: Wildman with the prince’s motto ‘DEO ET PATRIAE’ (‘God and country’), date ANNO 1623 and mint mark HS. Verso: coat of arms of the prince and his name and titles ‘FRIDERIC ULRIC DG DUX BRUNSUI ET L’ (‘Frederick Ulrich by grace of God Duke of Brunswick and Luneburg’).

01 Portrait of Philip II of Spain by Sofonisba Anguissola. Anguissola, born in Italy, had a long and distinguished artistic career, including as the official court painter to King Philip II of Spain – a rare appointment for a woman. Image public domain; original painting in the collection of the Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain 02 Daalder of Philip II, King of Spain and Lord of the Netherlands, 1568. ANMM Collection 00016442

03 Thaler of Frederick Ulrich, Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, 1623. ANMM Collection 00016373

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Thaler of John Frederick, Duke of Württemberg, 1623–28 This is one of the few coins in the Batavia collection from a principality in southern Germany. John Frederick was Duke of Württemberg from 1608 to 1628. The obverse bears a very fine portrait of the Duke as a Roman general, although he was not particularly warlike. The verso shows his coat of arms.

Thaler of Dorothea Sophia, Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg, 1624 Quedlinburg was one of the very few principalities within the Holy Roman Empire ruled exclusively by women. Dorothea Sophia of Saxony was elected Lutheran Abbess and ruler of Quedlinburg in 1618, ruling until her death in 1645. Her reign therefore spanned almost the entirety of the Thirty Years War (1618–48). Obverse: coat of arms, remaining inscription ‘DOR SOPH DU SAX A QV’ (‘Dorothea Sophia Duchess of Saxony Abbess of Quedlinburg’). Verso (not shown): imperial eagle with the name of Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II.

Thaler of Catharina Belgica, regent of Hanau-Münzenberg, 1625 Catharina Belgica was a daughter of William the Silent. On the death of her husband in 1611, she became the regent for her young son, and ruled the County of HanauMünzenberg on his behalf until reluctantly handing over power to him in 1626. The coat of arms combines the House of Hanau on the left and the House of Nassau (her house) on the right. The inscription names her but not her son. The other side has the imperial double-headed eagle and the name and titles of her political opponent, the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. Catharina was one of the very few women in power at the time; her daughter Amalia Elizabeth proved far a more able ruler as regent of Hesse-Kassel during the minority of her son. Obverse: coat of arms, inscription ‘MONETA NOVA CATH BEL PVRAN TUTRIS HANA RM’ (‘New money of Catharina Belgica guardian [female] of Hanau’). Verso: imperial double-headed eagle, inscription ‘FERDINANDVS II D G ROM IMP SEMP A[VGV]S’ (‘Ferdinand II by Grace of God Holy Roman Emperor always Augustus’) and date 1625.

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01 Thaler of John Frederick Duke of Württemberg, 1623–28. ANMM Collection 00051113

02 Thaler of Dorothea Sophia, Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg, 1624. ANMM Collection 00048657

03 Thaler of Catharina Belgica, regent of Hanau-Münzenberg, 1625. ANMM Collection 00051112

04 Countess Catharina Belgica of Nassau (1578–1648). Catharina was 39 when painted in 1617 by the Hague painter Jan van Ravesteyn. Image public domain; original painting in the collection of the Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands

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The coins from the Batavia shipwreck are unusually diverse in their date and geographic range

01 Thaler of Frederick III, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, 1628. ANMM Collection 00051116

02 Thaler of the City of Hamburg, 1621. ANMM Collection 00016371

03 Thaler of the City of Frankfurt, 1623. ANMM Collection 00016377

04 Thaler of the Hanseatic League city of Magdeburg, 1628. ANMM Collection 00048667

Thaler of Frederick III, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, 1628 Minted in the year Batavia left the Netherlands, this coin bears on its obverse a fine portrait of Frederick III of the House of Oldenburg, the same family that were kings of Denmark. The area he ruled was in a grey area of shared suzerainty between Denmark and the Holy Roman Empire. Given the proximity of both this area and Denmark to the Netherlands, there are surprisingly few coins from either place in the Batavia collection. Obverse: Frederick III (1616–1659), inscription ‘FRI[EDERICUS III] G DUX SLES E[T H]OLSAT[I]’ (‘Frederick by Grace of God duke of Schleswig and Holstein’). Verso: Coat of arms with inscription ‘[VIRTU]TIS GLOR[IA M]ERCES’ (‘Gloria the reward of virtue’) and date 1628.

Thaler of the City of Hamburg, 1621 Hamburg became a free imperial city within the Holy Roman Empire in 1189 and has been self-governing since then, being one of Germany’s federal states. Hamburg was a member of the Hanseatic League and a major trading and commercial power. Its coins bear the city’s emblem, a castle with three towers. Obverse: emblem of Hamburg and date 1621, inscription ‘MONETA NOVA CIVITATIS HAMBURGENSIS’ (‘New money of the city of Hamburg’). Verso: Imperial eagle, inscription ‘FERDINANDUS II DG ROMA IMP SEM AUG’ (‘Ferdinand II by grace of God Roman Emperor always Augustus’).

Thaler of the City of Frankfurt, 1623 Frankfurt am Main became a free imperial city within the Holy Roman Empire in 1372 and continued as a self-governing city state until 1866. It was the site of imperial elections and imperial coronations. It was also an important and wealthy commercial centre, reflected in the large number of its coins found on the Batavia wreck, the most of any of the city states. Obverse: Ornate cross, inscription ‘REIPUB FRANCOFURTENSISAE MONETA NOVA’ (‘New money of the Republic of Frankfurt’). Verso: Imperial doubleheaded eagle, inscription ‘FERDINAND II DG ROM IMP SEMP AUGUS’ (‘Ferdinand II by Grace of God Holy Roman Emperor always Augustus’) with date 1623.

Thaler of the Hanseatic League city of Magdeburg, 1628

The city of Magdeburg, in Saxony, struggled to maintain its independence from its archbishop. Minted in 1628, the year Batavia left Europe, this coin shows on its obverse a woman on a fortified city gate holding aloft a victory wreath in seeming defiance. The verso has the name and titles of the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II. A year later his forces were besieging the city as a Protestant stronghold during the Thirty Years War, and in 1631 his forces stormed it, massacring 20,000 of its inhabitants and burning the city to the ground, in the most infamous atrocity of the war. These and other coins from the Batavia wreck will be on display in the Dutch part of the Pearl Trail from late May.

Further articles on the Batavia wreck and massacre can be found in Signals numbers 108 and 119.

Will Mather was formerly one of the museum’s registrars and is now our Manager of Touring Programs.