Empire of Exponent's colonialism in Hindia Belanda
The Empire of Exponent was the first foreign power to establish a colonial presence in Hindia Belanda. Their quest to dominate the source of the lucrative spice trade in the early 16th century, and their simultaneous Roman Catholic missionary efforts saw the establishment of numerous trading posts and forts, as well as a Romanesque cultural element that remains in modern-day Hindia Belanda. Many architectural
Establishment
After solidifying their hold on Hesperidesia throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, the Emperors of Exponent began to look elsewhere to spread their religion and draw new lands into their empire. After establishing a permanent outpost on Khayr Var, Emperor Julius II decided to prepare an expedition to the Nusantaran archipelago, in what is now Hindia Belanda, where rumour held there to be 'a vast pagan empire' rich in trade goods and spices.
Led by Titus Caelestis, the first Exponential explorers with a mandate to establish a trading post moored their ships at Anjani in 1473, a port city and capital of the weakening Anjani Empire. There Titus Caelestis and his entourage were initially well-received by Raden Parawardana V, the King or Ratoe Agong of the Anjanis, who allowed the Exponents to trade at Anjanian marketplaces.
Decline and legacy
Exponential architectural elements can be found in surviving structures built in the 1500s throughout Hindia Belanda. A monopteros in Bukit Ilias dedicated to the Shia Imams was constructed in 1578, possessing elements of Exponential and local architectures. The monopteros and its surrounding gardens can be found today within the grounds of the Shia Convocation Headquarters, from where the leader of the Esoteric Shias deliver talks every evening.