COUPER, JAMES [SSNE 4850]

Surname
COUPER, COOPER
First name
JAMES, JACOB
Title/rank
SIR
Nationality
SCOT
Region
EDINBURGH
Social status
OFFICER

Text source

Admiral Sir James Couper (f.1653-1702) began to make regular trips to Batavia after 1653 and continued to trade from Batavia for the next 35 years. By 1671 records show that he acted as commander of the Dutch East India Company, [Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC] settlement of Japarra. He was joined by his siblings, Elizabeth and John Couper. Whether they were permanent residents or merely visitors is not yet clear, but John's status as an Edinburgh merchant suggests there may have been trade involved between himself and the VOC. While in Batavia, the Coupers certainly took care of some private business, acting as witnesses to legal documents such as James' will, dated 28 February 1675. From this point on his career rapidly progressed to extraordinary heights. He acted as the Supercargo at Mataram (Lombok), and later commandant. Three years late he received similar status for Indermayo/Indramaju'. Eventually he became 'absolute Commander' of the region. Couper also acted as a member of the Council of Surabaja in East Java and steadily increased his military activities. Reports survive of him engaging in running battles with one local leader, Troenjja, whom he apparently pursued vigorously into the mountains of the interior. Couper thereafter led his army to Kartasura and Mataram [Lombok] in April 1680. He reported, among other things, that at Mataram his army and the allied forces of Sousouhounan had raided this once wealthy place. He noted that the Portuguese and their allies fled from the power of the Company [VOC] but that they still vigorously resisted Sousouhounan and the Javanese auxiliaries. He asked, therefore, for extra VOC troops to complete his operations. By November 1681, reports told of the death of, Balian Namoud, in a bloody battle fought against Couper's army. Within months Couper found himself with 25,000 Javanese in his retinue, of which some 5.000 were armed as auxiliaries of the VOC. They soon restored the situation for Sousouhounan against their mutual enemies. That operation ongoing, Couper received orders to negotiate with three of the indigenous princes at Cheribon [Tjirebon, Java], in an effort to end the conflict through diplomacy. Among other things he had to find a way of allowing them autonomy from Mataram, even though they still had to recognise Sousouhounan as their superior. This had apparently been achieved by January 1683 after which Couper became military governor for the west coast of Java. Couper again played a significant role in suppressing anti-Dutch revolts in August 1684 around 'Surapat/ Sourapattyt'. In part he responded to the murder of the people of Kuffeler orchestrated by some Balinese. They joined the resistance against Dutch in Cheribon but were driven out by Couper. As a reward, he received governorship over the west coast of Sumatra. In November 1688 Couper became 'Commanding Admiral' of the VOC fleet returning to the Netherlands. The ships Lands Welvaren, Waalstroom, Sion, Salland and Goudestein departed Bantam in December 1688. The following year Admiral James Couper petitioned King William of Scotland for the gift of the office of conservator of Scots privilages in the Netherlands. Couper was not successful in this request which was confirmed by the convention of Burghs on 15 August 1689. Five years later, in November 1694, it was noted that the ship De Ridderschap from the Netherlands had failed to arrive in Batavia. Also missing was the new consul-extraordinary to Batavia, Admiral Sir James Couper. The ship had departed from the Cape on the 5th of February and it was concluded, therefore, that Admiral Couper had probably perished near Madagascar earlier that year. A court case in Edinburgh in 1702 indicates that Elizabeth Couper had become involved in litigation the Estate of her brother John and in connection with James Couper's estate. It is conceivable that she was pursuing his heirs and he is certainly named in the action. In a copy of his will, we find Couper described as a merchant of the VOC from Edinburgh married to Aletta Brelius of Maastricht on the 28 February 1675. The document is witnessed by two people; Couper's brother John and their sister Elisabeth, both living in Batavia. A later will hints at a balance/or a salary of 35,500 rijksdaler with with the VOC in December of 1685.

 

Sources:

Arsip Nasional, Jakarta; Microfilm "Fiches Collecyie" Reel No.29, Group "C"Reel 29 I. Couper Jacob. f.k. Couper Jacobus - van Edenburg, koopman OI comp. 28 February 1675 f.1092. Couper Jacobus. Commander van westkust van Java 1683/4. Testamentin Testamenten Register 1683/1684. F.1092 of the 1683/84 register.f.a. Couper Jacobus - had vet Dec 1685 salso van 35,500 rsd by de OI Comp. Commandern, Batavia 1686, bl.40.f.m.Couper, Jacobus - Commdr; Cd Admiral retourvloot 29 November 1687; F. de Haan, 'Dagh Register gehouden int van Casteel Batavia vant paserende daer ter plaetse als over geheel Nederlands India anno 1680'(Hague, 1912), pp.76-78, 153, 167; RPG 'General Missiven der VOC', IV, 1675-1685 and V 1686-1697, passim; National Records of Scotland, GD 5/176, Bertram of Nesbet. Legal Summary 1702; National Records of Scotland, GD 26/7/275, petition of Couper to the King 1689; National Records of Scotland, GD 26/7/410, 15 August 1689. Extract Act of Convention of Burghs in favour of Couper's appointment as Conservator in the Netherlands; Victor Enthoven, Steve Murdoch and Eila Williamson (eds), The Navigator: The Log of John Anderson, VOC Pilot Major 1641-1643 (Brill Academic Publishers, European Expansion and Indigenous Responses VII, Leiden, 2010), Chapter 5.

Service record

THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC, JAPARA]
Arrived 1653-01-01, as MERCHANT
Departed 1672-12-31, as SUPERCARGO
Capacity MERCHANT, purpose VOC, COMMERCIAL
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC, MATARAM/LOMBOK]
Arrived 1673-01-01, as SUPERCARGO
Departed 1678-12-31, as COMMANDANT
Capacity COMMANDANT, purpose MILITARY [VOC, COMMERCIAL]
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC, INDERMAYO/INDRAMAJU]
Arrived 1678-12-31, as COMMANDANT
Departed 1680-01-31, as COMMANDANT
Capacity COMMANDANT, purpose MILITARY [VOC, COMMERCIAL]
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC, ARMY]
Arrived 1680-02-01, as COMMANDER
Departed 1682-12-31, as COMMANDER
Capacity MILITARY COMMANDER, purpose MILITARY [VOC, COMMERCIAL]
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC, CHERIBON/TJIREBON]
Arrived 1682-01-01
Departed 1683-01-31
Capacity ENVOY, purpose VOC DIPLOMACY
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC, WEST JAVA]
Arrived 1683-01-31, as GOVERNOR
Departed 1684-07-31, as GOVERNOR
Capacity MILITARY GOVERNOR, purpose MILITARY [VOC, COMMERCIAL]
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC, SUMATRA]
Arrived 1684-08-01, as GOVERNOR
Departed 1688-10-30, as GOVERNOR
Capacity GOVERNOR, purpose MILITARY [VOC, COMMERCIAL]
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, DUTCH EAST INDIES [VOC FLEET]
Arrived 1688-11-01, as SENIOR ADMIRAL
Departed 1689-12-31, as SENIOR ADMIRAL
Capacity ADMIRAL, purpose NAVAL [VOC, COMMERCIAL]
THE DUTCH REPUBLIC, VOC SHIP 'DE RIDDERSCHAP'
Arrived 1694-01-01, as CONSUL EXTRAORDINARY
Departed 1695-02-05, as CONSUL EXTRAORDINARY
Capacity CONSUL, DIPLOMAT, purpose DIPLOMACY, [VOC, COMMERCIAL]