This thesis studies a seventeenth-century Dutch travel account titled Vervarelyke schip-breuk van‘T Oost-Indisch Jacht Ter Schelling written by Frans Jansz. van der Heiden. The book was first...Show moreThis thesis studies a seventeenth-century Dutch travel account titled Vervarelyke schip-breuk van‘T Oost-Indisch Jacht Ter Schelling written by Frans Jansz. van der Heiden. The book was first published in 1675 and had numerous editions between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. Van der Heiden was a Dutch East India Company sailor made his journey to India in 1661. His journey was an unlucky one: within few days of his departture from Batavia, the former principle trading settlement of the Dutch east India Company, their ship Ter Schelling encountered a terrible hurricane and subsequently the author and his shipmates got shipwrecked on the coast of Bay of Bengal. After endured so many plights they managed to reach an island of Bengal. But Van der Heiden and his shipmate’s bad luck did not end there. In the course of the journey they had to join the Mughal army as conscripted soldiers and served the army for fifteen months. However, this fateful journey enabled Van der Heiden to visit some parts of eastern and north eastern India that is, Bengal, Assam and it’s neighbouring regions. During his journey he experienced the local culture, religion and society. He also made a close observation of the Mughal army and warfare. Upon his return home Van der Heiden published his book based on his travel experience. The book was written in a popular style of the period which offers sensational description of his journey and practical and real information of the areas he visited. The book has so far been largely neglected by scholars. Some scholars discard the importance of the book terming it as fictitious and unreal. They argue that the book does not provide real, interiesing and new information on Asia. The thesis demonstrates that apart from its sensational description,Vervarelyke schip-breuk van‘T Oost-Indisch Jacht Ter Schelling provides real, important and new information on Asia, particularly India, which can be used by the historians writing on these regions. The thesis shows that the book provides information on the Mughal army and Mughal warfare which very few European and even Asian sources could supply. Apart from army and warfare the book gives valuable information on the rural economy and life of ‘subaltern’ people of these regions which may offer a new perspective in studying the early modern history of India.Show less
