Middle East: Did you mean...?

A 19th-century illustration showing officers and sepoys (Indian recruits) of the East India Company's Madras army.

This map shows all major civilizations of East Asia at the beginning of 4th century CE. Italicized texts indicate nomadic bands or tribal societies.

An 1801 map of the East Indies and Southeast Asia ( Singapore, Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Philippines).

This map shows all major civilizations of East Asia at the beginning of the 3rd century CE. Italicized texts indicate nomadic bands or tribal societies.

Dutch East India Company's warehouse and living quarters in Surat, India, as seen in April 1629 by Pieter van den Broecke (1585-1640), a Dutch cloth merchant in the service of the VOC.

An 1839 illustration showing a trooper and sepoy (Indian recruit) of the East India Company army. 27th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. (British Library, London)

A copper coin minted by the British East India Company (EIC). From Bombay, 1821.

Blue and white Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC) logo from 1650-1674. Made in Japan to order by the company's directors in Batavia (Jakarta). Date between 1615 and 1674.

Reasons why such low estimates for life expectancy during the MIddle Ages are often tossed around. From infant mortality skewing the stats, to the risks of childbirth and disease.

Pieter de Carpentier (1586-1659) - Governor General of the Dutch East Indies.