The city of Aden

In 1614 Pieter van den Broecke began his service with the VOC. He departed from Texel on the ship Nassau as part of a fleet commanded by general Reynst. After rounding the Cape of Good Hope the fleet spent some time in the Comoros and other islands near the east African coast. Van den Broecke was sent as captain of the Nassau to explore possibilities to trade at the Red Sea area in July. After reaching the city of Aden he was received in a friendly way by the local governor, but the Pasha of Yemen would not permit the Dutch to trade at the city. The expedition then sailed on to the nearby sultanate of Shihir, where Van den Broecke succeeded in establishing trade relations and was allowed to leave personnel behind to set up a trading post.

The image shows the city of Aden. The Dutch ship Nassau lies at the foreground, with other smaller ships closer to the port. Behind the high cliffs surrounding the city are clearly visible.