Book Excerpt! Amboina.1623, by Adam Clulow (introduction)

“A true model of globally minded historical scholarship, Clulow’s brilliant new study combines insights derived from his cutting-edge work in the digital humanities with the best traditions of archival research and interpretation. Carefully exploring the Asian context in which the dramatic events of the Amboina trial unfolded, he offers a stunning portrait of the violence, ambition, and anxiety at the heart of European empire.”

~Daniel Botsman, Yale University

In 1623, Dutch authorities executed twenty-one alleged conspirators over a plot to seize a castle on a remote set of islands in what is now eastern Indonesia, which sparked immediate outrage and controversy that would endure for centuries to come. In Amboia, 1623, Adam Clulow presents a new perspective on the case that aims to move beyond the debate over guilt or innocence. Read the excerpt for an introduction to Clulow’s masterful reinterpretation of the trial and a more detailed account of the controversial case.

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