@YoreHistory

UPDATE March 5, 2020

This series has exploded (for my channel) in popularity since about February 22nd 2020. Still not sure what the catalyst was but its been great to see this series get more views as it was fun to make.  I do want to talk about a few points though.

This series was NOT about justifying the colonialism of Indonesia.  For those leaving comments I would urge you to please watch the videos first THEN comment.  There are clear mentions (albeit summarized) of the poor treatment by and downright savagery at times of the VOC throughout the series and it was in no way an attempt to diminish/justify or hide from that history. However, this was a story about life of the average sailor. Some have accused it of being a romanticized account..if that is your idea of romanticizing the period I don't think i would have wanted to sail with you on your vessel. Others have levied the complaint that it is unrealistic as there is no way the typical sailor would go through all of this.  To those I would say you are correct and will explain in the next paragraph.  However, the average VOC sailor although from that era had nothing to do with the evils committed although they were sometimes complicit by association.  The VOC transported more people and tonnage of trade over the few hundred years of its existence by a wide margin over all the other European company's combined.

The primary goal for me was to tell a story that showed the underbelly of mariner life rather than the romanticized notions from movies like "The Bounty".  Every event or happenstance your sailor finds himself wrapped up in is based on factual actual experiences of VOC sailors. However, there is no one sailor other than yours that I know of that experienced ALL of them on one journey lol...again that was for the purpose of narrative, dramatic pacing and wanting to cover as much of the era and profession on board such a ship as possible.

At the end of the day it was about marine life. This was NOT a video about colonialism in Indonesia nor one on the history of the VOC as an entity. I am sensitive to that reality having studied its history and having been to Indonesia many times as an awe struck tourist and human brother (albeit a Dutch one) reveling in the majesty, diversity and complexity that is Indonesian culture.  My wife is from a country also of Malay ancestry (Philippines) and we have a grown daughter. Her country went through the Spanish version of a similar colonialism.

With all of that said...I don't believe in punishing the "son for the sins of the father"...or in this case the great great great grandfather of mine who sailed with the VOC.  That is not my sin nor my daughters nor the sin of the current Dutch nation which in its modern incarnation is comprised of a mosaic of peoples, many from or have family that lived in those once colonies.  Should we avoid dealing with history that was unpleasant? Do we, like the archaeologists who first re-discovered Pompeii, cover up the murals of history because we are uncomfortable looking at them?  History is our shared bond as humans.  History is important for ensuring we learn from its mistakes as we savor its successes. 

I try (stressed) to cover history from a neutral unbiased point of view. Watch my Persian empire series if you haven't already and honestly tell me if you felt it was as most accounts slanted towards western bias.  I would challenge anyone who jumps to that conclusion to just watch them first then post me your thoughts.  

Please feel free to post your thoughts even if they are negative as that is as much your right as our shared history is our collective right.  I only ask that you keep it civil and on point.  Thanks all and appreciate the dialogue AND your dropping by to watch the content!

@sarcasmo57

Similar to my experience onboard the Diamond Princess.

@sgt0187

Thanks to the Youtube algorithm for putting this in my recommended videos, even more so, thank you for the time and effort you have put into this.

@gevoel8293

My ancestor went on one of those VOC ships as a soldier. He took out a loan from the VOC, which basically funded his voyage, food and clothes for the voyage. For that he had to work for two years for the VOC as a soldier and earned a small salary. Lucky for me, these 17th century VOC contracts are kept in an archive in the Netherlands and it was amazing to find the contract of my ancestor and the name of the ship he went on. It has all been digitilized now and uploaded on the internet.  He was suppose to go to the East Indies but the VOC wanted to build a castle in Cape Town, South Africa,  to protect their harbour from pirots and other Europeans. So it took him more than 3 months of voyage at sea before he got to Cape Town. There he worked for the VOC to help build the Castle of Good Hope, which you can still see in Cape Town today. After two years of working for the VOC he was a "free burger". Basically a free citizen to go back to the Netherlands or keep on working for the VOC or do your own thing. He decided that he was going to start farming in the Cape and sell the produce to the VOC for more money. He obviously liked what he was doing now and with more and more Dutch farmers coming over to the Cape Colony now, he decided to stay and start a small family.  Very interesting history.

@dpeasehead

I just finished watching the first episode. This is a great presentation! I am curious about where the Netherlands got the the wood which was required to build and to maintain those enormous fleets of merchant and naval  vessels.

@Jleelowrey

I couldn't figure out how to send you a private message, so I'll do it here. This is remarkably great. Please do more like this, I've been thinking about this unremarkable sailor's story for days. You have something here in your story telling. Thank you, I can't wait for more.

@DutchBane

my ancestor (admiral lichthart) was a west indies admiral in the 17th century, he is even on wikipedia. everyone up to my son is named after him and all of us besides my son ( he is 3) have served in the dutch navy (warships until 1932, from then on out we my greatgrandad, grandad, father and i have served on submarines). videos like this really give me something to connect to my roots. thank you

@Damremont18

A young man in the 17th century would have never taken a coach to Amsterdam. A young man would have walked the entire distance with a bag on his back with all his worldly possessions inside. Nor would he have a horse. Only the well off would have had a horse to take him to his destination.

@Hilts931

Tremendous series! Found this completely by accident and I'm glad I did. Your narration is great to listen to and the topics are interesting. Subscribed!

@pavanatanaya

The longest 5years of my life was a three hour flight on Delta Airlines

@volkerwendt3061

Wonderful series, prettily researched and beautifaully narrated. Thanks a lot for this.

@tellemhowbeer3517

Awesome vid again. Im hooked. Cheers from Texas

@unknownauthor1869

Please make 2 & 3 also should make one on the Caribbean during the Buccaneer days such as 1660 with a Buccaneer crew.

@SamIAmSXE

Just discovered your channel. Absolutely loving your content! Can't wait for the next part!

@davethomas6911

My wife and I are listening to your videos together. Keep up the good work

@SailorDoggo

Keep going. Your content is premium and amazingly informative. Infotainment. Just keep grinding and soon enough algorithm will make it worth the effort.

@powerhavengaming2854

Excellently done, cant wait to see the rest

@simeon2851

So here we all are, full circle on a dreary ship called The Quarantine.

@antonludwigaugustvonmacken8680

This channel is a godsend. Love the content

@whynottalklikeapirat

When someone ask "could you have survived ..." there is a certain type of person who will immediately jump up and go "yeah, damn straight I could do it, switch to "Hell" difficulty NOW!!!" 

Personally I tend to meet them as an instructor on dive boats, loaded with action bling, supersize dive knives and strange tech fins with few scratches. Dressed for anything and everything more so than the actual occasion.

They in turn tend to overheat in their suits, messing about, fully geared up with all that stuff in the sun. Then seasickness sets in. On descent a foggy mask, water in the nose and a bit of sensory overload. Perhaps the undetected loss of a dangling camera upon the subsequent hasty, tunnel vision exit. 

Back on board - the sulking glances, the "ear pain" excuses, the egos that must be placated, the rewriting of history, the pointing out of other peoples flaws and culpabilities. The push for a refund as an emotional buffer and the return slip as proof of the operators general lack of professionalism.

And then of course onwards to new adventures and fresh non-learning experiences ...