Series Editor's Foreword -- Contents -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- Glossary -- Maps -- Introduction -- Geographical and historical setting -- Previous studies -- Theme and outline of this study -- Chapter One: The VOC in Maluku: Imposing the Spice Monopoly -- The European presence before the Dutch -- Establishing monopoly and the making of VOC power -- Banda -- Ambon -- Ternate and Tidore -- Chapter Two: Ruling the Local Rulers: Maintenance of the Spice Monopoly -- Expanding structure and rule -- Exploiting local forces -- The decline of the VOC -- Handling rebellious Tidore -- Chapter Three: Tidore and the Rise of Prince Nuku -- Organization and leadership of the Sultanate -- The Seram Dispute: the beginning of turmoil -- The Treaty of 1780: loss of independence -- Initial contest (1780-1783) -- The 'Tidoran Revolution' -- Sultan Tidore versus Sultan Papua and Seram -- A temporary decline and epidemic (1785-1790) -- Resurgence of forces (1791-1796) -- Chapter Four: From Rebel to Sultan -- The conquest of Tidore -- The conquest of Ternate (1798-1801) -- Negotiations for an independent Tidore (1803-1805) -- The post-Nuku struggle: the decline of Tidore (1805-1810) -- Chapter Five: Papuans and Halmaherans: Raiders and Warriors -- The Papuans of Raja Ampat -- Raja Ampat and Geelvink Bay -- The myth of the raiding leaders and Tidore -- Papuans of the Onin and Kobiai areas -- Gamrange -- The long history of raiding -- Chapter Six: The Raiders, Tidore, and Nuku -- Prince Nuku and the Papuan-Gamrange warriors -- Gamkonora and the renewed loyalty from Tidore's periphery -- Raiding (and trading) networks -- Chapter Seven: The East Seramese: Traders and Rebels -- East Seram Trading Networks -- The East Seram-Dutch relationship in the seventeenth century -- East Seram under Tidore (1700-1769) -- East Seram and Nuku.

Chapter Eight: Leadership and Local Politics in East Seram -- Leadership -- Type of leaders -- The West and South Seramese -- The North Seramese -- Chapter Nine: The English and Nuku: Guns and Spices -- English interests in Maluku -- A French interloper -- Captain Forrest and political turmoil -- Initial encounter -- An envoy to Bengkulu and Bengal -- John McCluer and John Hayes -- English country traders -- The English occupation -- Chapter Ten: The English Monopoly and the Anti-climax in Nuku's Struggle -- The clove monopoly contested again -- The English residents and the capture of Ternate -- Aborted recognition -- The anti-climax in Nuku's struggle -- Tidore-English relations in post-Nuku politics -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Appendices -- 1. List of Sultans of Tidore -- 2. List of Sultans of Ternate -- 3. List of Dutch Governors in Ternate -- 4. List of Portuguese Governors in Ternate -- 5. List of Governors of Ambon -- Bibliography -- Index -- List of Maps -- 1. East Indies -- 2. Eastern East Indies -- 3. Ternate and Tidore -- 4. Halmahera -- 5. Raja Ampat -- 6. Ambon and West Seram -- 7. Hitu and Leitimor -- 8. Lease Islands -- 9. North and Middle Seram -- 10. East Seram -- 11. West coast of New Guinea -- List of Illustrations -- 1. Fort Tolukko -- 2. Fort Orange -- 3. Soa Sio, the capital of the Sultanate of Tidore -- 4. Nuku's grave.