Pulau Run is a small island in the Banda Sea, eastern Indonesia. In the 17th century, it held enormous global value. The island was one of the few places on Earth where nutmeg grew naturally. At the time, nutmeg was more valuable than gold in Europe.
Nutmeg was not just a spice. Europeans believed it could cure disease and preserve food. Demand was extreme and supply was limited. This pushed colonial powers to fight for control of the Banda Islands. The Dutch East India Company aimed to dominate the entire nutmeg trade.
England disrupted that plan by claiming Pulau Run in 1616. It became England’s first overseas colony. The island blocked the Dutch from achieving a total monopoly. Decades of naval war followed between England and the Dutch, spreading from Southeast Asia to North America.
In 1667, both sides chose negotiation over war. Through the Treaty of Breda, the Dutch gained Pulau Run. England took control of New Amsterdam. The Dutch focused on spice wealth. England secured land that later became New York City. History judged the trade very differently than the men who signed it.
