John Jourdain facts for kids
John Jourdain was an English sea captain and an important leader for the East India Company. This company was a big trading group from England. John Jourdain became the first "president" of the company's council in India. This meant he was a top boss for their business in Asia. He died on 17 July 1619.
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John Jourdain's Early Life and Voyages
John Jourdain was the sixth child in his family. His father, also named John Jourdain, was a merchant and mayor in the town of Lyme Regis, England. By 1595, young John Jourdain was already trading by himself near the Azores islands.
In December 1607, the East India Company hired him. He became a "factor," which meant he was a business agent or representative for the company. He earned £3 a month, plus £10 for his travel gear.
First Trip to India (1608)
On 25 March 1608, John Jourdain sailed to India on a ship called the Ascension. This was part of the company's Fourth Voyage. The ship first stopped at the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. Then, it visited places like Aden, Mocha, and the island of Socotra.
In August 1609, the Ascension sailed towards Surat, India. But on 3 September, the ship hit a sandbank in the Gulf of Cambay and was lost. The crew managed to reach land safely in boats. They then walked to Surat.
Most of the crew soon left for Agra, a big city in India. But Jourdain stayed in Surat. He worked hard to grow the company's trade. He also tried to keep good relationships with the local Indian officials.
Leading the Company in Asia
In early 1611, Jourdain joined Captain William Hawkins in Agra. After six months, he went back to Surat. In 1612, he sailed to the Red Sea on a ship called the Trade's Increase.
From Mocha, he traveled to Sumatra and then to Tecoa and Bantam. In November 1617, he was chosen to be the chief factor, or "president of the English," in Bantam. This was a very important job. He had to manage the company's business. He also had to solve arguments among his own staff, which was often difficult.
This important role gave Jourdain authority over almost all of the company's trading posts in the East. Only the post in Surat was separate, where Sir Thomas Roe was a special representative to the Moghul Emperor Jahangir.
At this time, the Dutch were also very active in the region. They were often rude and aggressive towards the English. They became even more dangerous rivals than the Portuguese, with whom the English had always been fighting.
Return to England and Final Voyage
Jourdain had planned to go home in late 1615. But the death of Captain Nicholas Downton delayed his return for a year. He finally arrived in England in the summer of 1617.
In November, he signed a new agreement with the company. He would work for five more years and earn £350 per year. He left England in February 1618 and arrived back in Bantam in November 1619.
By this time, the English and Dutch were fighting in the Banda Islands. An English captain named Nathaniel Courthope was trapped on Run island. After the English attacked a Dutch ship, the Dutch Governor-General, Jan Pieterszoon Coen, burned down the English trading post in Jakarta. A fight followed, with the English supporting the local people against the Dutch.
As "president of the council of India," Jourdain had some disagreements with Sir Thomas Dale, who was a commander. They argued about who was in charge. People said their arguments caused problems for the English in India. However, the dispute seemed to be settled peacefully. Sir Thomas Dale was already sick and died a few months later. Jourdain then left on a ship called the Sampson to sort out business in Patani.
John Jourdain's Death
On 2 June 1619, Jourdain's ship anchored near Patani. He reorganized an English trading post that had been set up seven years earlier. Once things were settled, he left. However, a Dutch group of ships sent by Coen chased him.
A battle began on 17 July. The English fought bravely for two hours. Then, they raised a flag of truce, which is a sign to stop fighting and talk. Jourdain went out on the ship's deck to speak with the Dutch commander, Henrick Johnson.
According to the English, the Dutch "most treacherously and cruelly shot at him with a musket." He was shot near his heart and died about half an hour later. The Dutch, however, claimed that the shooting was an accident.
