Pieter Both

Infobox Officeholder
name = Pieter Both


imagesize = 150px
caption = Portrait of Pieter Both
order = 1st
office = Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies
term_start = 19 December 1610
term_end = 6 November 1614
predecessor = "None"
successor = Gerard Reynst
birth_date = 1568
birth_place = Amersfoort, Dutch Republic
death_date = 6 March, 1615
death_place = Indian Ocean (near Mauritius)
birthname =

Pieter Both (1568, Amersfoort - 6 March 1615, Mauritius) was the first Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies.

Not much is known of his early years. In 1599, Both was already an admiral in the New, or Brabant Company. In that year, he traveled to the East Indies with four ships. When the newly founded Dutch East India Company set up a government for the Dutch East Indies, Pieter Both was invited to become the Governor-General. He held that position from 19 December 1610 to 6 November 1614. During that period he concluded contracts with the Moluccans, conquered Timor, and drove the Spaniards out of Tidore.

After he relinquished his position as Governor-General to Gerard Reynst, he left for the Netherlands with four ships. Two of the ships were shipwrecked near Mauritius, and Pieter Both drowned.

The second highest mountain of Mauritius is named Pieter Both after him.

External links

* [http://www.vocsite.nl/geschiedenis/personalia/both.html A short biography] in Dutch, and a picture