Albertus Henricus Wiese

Albertus Henricus Wiese in c. 1805–1810

Albertus Henricus Wiese (1761–1810) was Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies from 1805 to 1808, during which time the United Provinces became, during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, first of all the Batavian Republic and then the (Napoleonic) Kingdom of Holland. Dutch possessions in the Indies were under pressure from other European powers, particularly Great Britain, while local kings and princes took the opportunity of troubled times to try to reassert themselves. Weakness of control from the homeland led to a growth of corruption, nepotism and even lawlessness in the Dutch East Indies. It was a difficult time for any Governor-General.

Albert Wiese was born in Bremen (in present-day Germany) in 1761. He served as Governor-General during the last years of the Batavian Republic and the early years of the Kingdom of Holland. During his time in office the British invaded Java. To reassert control, the government sent the revolutionary General Daendels, who promptly took over from Wiese and tried to drive out the British. A (much) later Governor-General, and Minister for the Colonies, Johannes van den Bosch, was adjutant-general under Governor-General Wiese.

Governors-General of the Dutch East Indies (1610–1949) Dutch East India Company (1610–1800) Both (1610–14) Reynst (1614–15) Reael (1615–19) Coen (1619–23) De Carpentier (1623–27) Coen (1627–29) Specx (1629–32) Brouwer (1632–36) Van Diemen (1636–45) Van der Lijn (1645–50) Reyniersz (1650–53) Maetsuycker (1653–78) Van Goens (1678–81) Speelman (1681–84) Camphuys (1684–91) Van Outhoorn (1691–1704) Van Hoorn (1704–09) Van Riebeeck (1709–13) Van Swoll (1713–18) Zwaardecroon (1718–25) De Haan (1725–29) Durven (1729–32) Van Cloon (1732–35) Patras (1735–37) Valckenier (1737–41) Thedens (1741–43) Van Imhoff (1743–50) Mossel (1750–61) Van der Parra (1761–75) Van Riemsdijk (1775–77) De Klerck (1777–80) Alting (1780–96) Dutch East Indies (1800–1948) Van Overstraten (1796–1801) Siberg (1801–05) Wiese (1805–08) Daendels (1808–11) Janssens (1811) British occupation (1811–16) Van der Capellen (1816–26) Du Bus (1826–30) Van den Bosch (1830–33) Baud (1833–36) De Eerens (1836–40) Van Hogendorp (1840–41) Merkus (1841–44) Reynst (1844–45) Rochussen (1845–51) Van Twist (1851–56) Pahud (1856–61) Van de Beele (1861–66) Mijer (1866–72) Loudon (1872–75) Van Lansberge (1875–81) s'Jacob (1881–84) Van Rees (1884–88) Pijnacker Hordijk (1888–93) Van der Wijck (1893–99) Rooseboom (1899–1904) Van Heutsz (1904–09) Idenburg (1909–16) Van Limburg Stirum (1916–21) Fock (1921–26) De Graeff (1926–31) De Jonge (1931–36) Van Starkenborgh Stachouwer (1936–42) Van Mook (1942–48) High Commissioners Beel (1948–49) Lovink (1949)