Opperhoofd
Opperhoofd is a Dutch word (plural Opperhoofden) which literally means 'supreme head[man]'. The Danish counterpart Opperhoved is also treated here.
In modern Dutch, Opperhoofd remains in use for a native Tribal chief, such as a Sachem of American Indians. Despite the superlative etymology, it can be applied to several Chiefs in a single native community.
However this article is devoted to its more former, historical use as a gubernatorial title, comparable to the English Chief factor, for the chief executive officer of a Dutch factory in the sense of trading post, as lead by a Factor, i.e. agent.
Dutch colonial Opperhoofden
In Asia
- the factory established on 20 September 1609 at Hirado by the Dutch East India Company (VOC), next in 1641, as the Dutch factory was moved by order of the Shogunate thereto, on Deshima (Desjima in purist Dutch, or latinized Decima) Island, in Nagasaki Bay; it was maintained under the Dutch state after the 1795 end of VOC administration till on 28 February 1860 Deshima was abandoned.
In Africa
- The Dutch Fort Lijdzaamheid (Lydsaamheid), established March 1721 at Delagoa Bay,
near modern day Mozambique's capital Maputo (then called Lourenço Marques), under the
VOIC (Dutch East India Company; as a naval point of support), subordinated to
the Dutch Cape colony. Its Opperhoofden (Chiefs) were:
- March 1721 - May 1721 Willem van Taak
- May 1721 - 1722 Casparus Swertner
- from April till 28 August 1722, pirates led by Taylor occupied the settlement
- 1722 - May 1724 Jean Michel
- June 1724 - 1726 Jan van de Capelle (1st time)
- 1726 - 8 January 1727 Jan de Koning
- 8 January 1727 - 27 December 1730 Jan van de Capelle (2nd time); after that date the post is abandoned
- Mauritius, since 1638 a Dutch colony under the chartered Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOIC 'United East India Company'), was governed by an Opperhoofd/Commande(u)r until it was on 17 February 1710 (for the second and final time) abandoned by the Dutch, and on 6 September 1718 claimed for France (renamed Île de France, like the French region around Paris).
Danish colonial Opperhoved
The etymologically perfectly parallel title Opperhoved (singular) had a similar gubernatorial use (sometimes rendered in English as Station Chief), notably in the Danish Gold Coast (in present Ghana).
- For the incumbents, see Colonial Heads of Danish Gold Coast
See also
Sources and references
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