Chronology:

Chronology:

Significant Dates in Irian/New Guinea History

1511 - 12 Antonio d' Abreu and Francisco Serrano, Portugese sailors, sight New Guinea but do not go ashore

1526 - 27 The Portugese Governor of Ternate, Jorge de Menezes, Takes shelter at Warsai on the Vogelkop for some months and names the region, "Ilhas dos Papuas".

1528 The Spaniard Alvaro de Saavedra Ceron lives for one month on the Schouten Islands which he calls, "isla de oro."

1545 Inigo Oritz de Retes, Sailing along the north coast, plants the spanish flag at a spot east of the mouth of the mamberamo river on June 20^th taking possession of the island for his king and names it "Nueva Guinea".

1606 Willem Janz, a Dutchman, sails along the West and South coast. Luis Vaez de Torres, a Spanish sailor, explores the entire South and West coast and sails through the Torres Strait.

1616 Jacob Le Maire and Willem Schouten chart the North Coast.

1623 Jan Carstensz sails along the South West coast and sees a "very high mountain range [that is] in many places white with snow."

1660 Treaty between the Dutch East India Company (V.O.C.) and Tidore whereby the V.O.C. recognizes the Sultan's sovereignty over the "Papuan islands in general."

1678 First Dutch flags hoisted at West coast by Keyts.

1700 William Dampier sails along the North and West Coast. His voyage sparks the VOC again to activity.

1705 Jacob Weyland discovers and explores the Geelvink Bay.

1714 Tidore empire rescinds to the VOC its claim to Irian.

1750 Power of the VOC declines; Other nations appear in these regions.

1768 Louis de Bougainville sails along the North coast and names the Cyclop mountains near Jayapura.

1770 James Cook travels along the South West coast during his voyage around the world and goes ashore at Cook Bay. Hostile natives force a quick retreat.

1780 Prince Nuku, pretender to the throne of Tidore, flees to the Papuan islands, commences guerilla war against the Dutch.

1793 British (Or possibly the Dutch - source contradictory) establish "Fort Coronation" at Dorei Bay, Vogelkop, the first European settlement. Abandoned April 1795.

1828 Dutch settlement at Fort Du Bus, Triton Bay until 1836. Dutch formally proclaim the South West coast as a Netherlands possession - August 24^th.

1848 Netherlands Indies Government lays claim to West New Guinea as far as the 141 degrees E.L. in the name of the Sultan of Tidore.

1855 The first German missionaries, C. W. Ottow and J. G. Geissler settle on Mansinam Island, Dorei Bay, Feburary 5^th.

1862 Three Dutch missionaries of the "Utrecht Mission Society" arrive at Dorei Bay.

1875 Eastern boundary determined.

1884 British flag raised at Port Moresby - South East New Guinea declared a British Protectorate. Germans claim North East New Guinea - Kaiser Wilhelmsafen.

1895 Treaty of The Hague, whereby boundary with British New Guinea is determined which remains unchanged until today. Treaty signed May 16^th.

1898 Government Administrative posts established at Fak-Fak and Manokwari.

1902 Government post opened at Merauke.

1905 Two Roman Catholics missionaries settle at Merauke.

1907 - 15 Military explorative expeditions map all of West New Guinea except the intirior mountain ranges.

1910 Dutch flag hoisted at Hollandia, March 7^th.

1913 Franssen Herderschee climbs the Wilhelmina Top (15,585 ft) from the south on February 21^st.

1920 Van Overeem Expedition visits the Swart Valley.

1921 Kremer expedition reaches the Wilhelmina Top from the North after crossing the headwaters of the Baliem river.

1926 Netherlands - American Stirling expedition to the upper Rouffaer regions, the first expedition to use air transport.

1928 Demarcation line between Protestant and Roman Catholic missions abolished. Franciscan mission founded at Fak Fak.

1929 The Moluccan Protestant (M.P.K.) commences work in South New Guinea.

1930 First expatriate settlers arrive at Manokwari and Hollandia.

1935 Bijlmer expedition to the Charles Louis Mountains.

1936 - 7 Colijn, Dozy and Wissel climb some of the Carstensz Peaks. Ngga Pulu top (16,530 ft) reached December 5^th. Wissel dsicovers the lakes which now bear his name, December 31^st. Aerial mapping begun by the Netherlands New Guinea Petroleum Company.

1938 First Dutch Government post opened in the highlands at Enarotali, Wissel Lakes. Third Archibold expedtion made - visits the Grand Valley of the Baliem.

1939 Le Roux expedition to the Wissel lakes region . C.A.M.A and Roman Catholic missionaries begin work at the Wissel lakes.

1942 Japanese sieze all but the South Eastern part of New Guinea. They arrive in Fak Fak April 1st and at Manokwari April 12^th.

1944 Hollandia recaptured from the Japanese April 22^nd.

1949 All Dutch East Indies bar Irian are handed over to the Republic of Indonesia. The Constitution of the Government of Netherlands New Guinea is established.

1951 - 1958 Various missions begin work around Holandia, the Vogelkop area, the Baliem Valley and related locales.

1959 Dutch expedition to the Star Mountains. Juliana Peak reached.

1962 Bunker agreement signed. U.N.T.E.A. replaces Dutch Amdinistration in West New Guinea. Harrer expedition climbs Carstensz Pyramid on February 13^th(17,000 feet). Dutch defeat Indonesian naval attack

1963 May 1st - Indonesia assumes full administrative control of West Irian.

1969 Formal integration of West Irian into Indonesia after the dubiously named, "Act of Free Choice." (Sept 17th becomes official province)

1973 March 3rd, 1973, province renamed to irian Jaya (from West Irian)

1977 Indonesian paratroopers land in Baliem valley to quell OPM uprising

Sources: World Team Intl. Historical Archives