Jan Van Hasel

The New Testament in Dutch and Malay partially translated by Jan Van Hasel, published for the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (East India Company) Het Heylige EuangeliumJan Van Hasel was a director of the Dutch East Indies Company (; VOC) who is best known for producing one the first translations of portions of the Bible in the Malay language. Very little is known about Van Hasel except for his work in translating the Bible, his mission to Ayutthaya and his appointment as the head of the VOC mission to Surat.

Background

The VOC was not only chartered with a monopoly on trade in the East Indies by the Dutch Republic but also on all aspects of Dutch involvement in the East Indies. While the VOC did not encourage missionary work, it did sponsor chaplains, both clerical and lay, for the Dutch population as well as tolerated efforts to proselytise native Roman Catholics who had been converted by Portuguese missionaries earlier, particularly in Ambon.

With the partially Protestant Reformation inspired Dutch Revolt still ongoing in the home provinces against the Roman Catholic Spanish Empire (of which Portugal was then a part of), the motivation to undermine Portuguese trade and religious influence in the East Indies may have motivated this tolerance of proselytisation.

Later career

In 1624, a Spanish ship sailing from Siam where it had taken shelter as a result of a storm, attacked the passing Dutch yacht Zeelandt at night. The Spanish entered the VOC ship with the loss of only one man. The crew and the merchandise aboard were captured. King Songtham of Ayutthaya sent a message to the Spanish commander, Don Fernando de Silva stating that he should return the ship and set the crew free, since it was captured in Siamese territorial waters. The request was refused rudely and as a result, the Spanish docked in Siam was attacked and the Zeelandt captured by the Siamese.

In 1628, Van Hasel was appointed the head of the VOC trade mission to the prosperous Mughal port city of Surat.

Not much is known about Van Hasel after that.