The city of Batavia, or Jayakarta (former name of Jakarta), was one of the main hubs of the Dutch in the Southeast Asia route. They and the Portuguese controlled the Southeast Asian routes using their influence in Malacca and Batavia, respectively.
It was an island lying to the northwest of Java and one of the most populous places. Naturally, it was a trade hub in the area and very lucrative due to its spice abundance, like the subcontinent.
The Dutch captured it from the Sultanate of Banten, trying to put a monopoly on the spice trade route. Although largely unsuccessful due to the existence of the Empire. They still maintained considerable influence in Java.
They sourced high-quality timber, rice, textiles, and spices like cloves and nutmegs at cheap prices from the local populace for the European markets. They sold it in Europe at huge margins, making their control over the island highly lucrative.
