Using the work of anthropologist Janet Blair Montgomery McGovern, we take a closer look at the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, exploring their culture and society.

After two successive governors regularly requesting additional troops to deal with native hostility, Batavia finally relents and sends Hans Putmans troops.

We look at the confrontation between Zheng Zhilong and Hans Putmans known as the Battle of Liaoluo Bay and its aftermath.

Hans Putmans gets installed as the 4th Governor of Formosa and his primary objective is to fix the mess left by Pieter Nuyts; essentially, re-establish trade with Japan and keeping trying to open up China to trade.

In this episode we take a look at the character of Pieter Nuyts (also spelt Nuijts) and the role he played as Formosa's third governor from 1627 to 1629.

Before continuing Zheng Zhilong's story, we take a moment to look at piracy in the Taiwan Strait and surrounding seas, briefly discuss two unlikely samurai and get an understanding of the Chinese concept of the Mandate of Heaven.

A brief introduction to the background of the man who would inherit Li Dan's pirate empire and his radical departure from operating in the shadows, outside of Dutch notice.

The pirate prince who would unite the pirate bands across Southeast Asia into the first Asian multinational conglomerate.

We discuss the concept of empires and look at some of the actions and inter-actions of the Dutch on Formosa, including the massacre at Lamey Island.

We get some insight into the Europeans at the time and of the impression the Taiwanese indigenous were likely to have had of them. This will then set us up nicely for our next episode, when we look at what the Dutch did on Formosa.