The largest asset land swap in history occurred in 1667 when the Dutch and the English agreed to exchange Run Island in the Maluku Islands and Manhattan Island in North America. What was behind that?

Article 3 of the Breda Agreement stipulates that Run Island in Maluku, which was previously controlled by the English, becomes the property of the Dutch.

Meanwhile, Manhattan Island in America, which was a Dutch colony, officially became the property of England. Manhattan Island was formerly known as New Amsterdam. The history of one of the world's most expensive land deals began with a fruit commodity from a plant called nutmeg, or in Latin, Myristica fragrans. Long before the Gregorian calendar was referenced, nutmeg had become a lucrative commodity that drove intercontinental trade. Its prestige may have surpassed that of oil or rubber during the industrial era.

The story of Run-Manhattan is an intriguing chapter in history for the Indonesian public considering its sensational implications. Everyone knows Manhattan or New York, but few know about Run or the Banda Islands, except for Indonesians (who might also struggle to pinpoint its exact location on a map when asked). There are also opinions tinged with regret. Indonesia is seen as having inherited the worst long-term effects of the agreement, while the United States is considered to have benefited the most.

Before nutmeg seeds were smuggled and successfully planted in many places, the fragrant fruit only grew on the islands of the Banda Islands, one of which is Run Island. From Banda, nutmeg was transported by Malay, Chinese, and Indian sailors using sailing ships that followed the wind patterns. They headed to major port cities like Malacca and Calicut. Afterwards, Arab merchants took it by ship to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, carrying it in caravans to the Peninsula and Alexandria, crossing the Mediterranean waters, until it finally reached the tables of European nobility. In Europe, the price of nutmeg could soar 60,000 times the price at the place it was harvested.

A 14th-century German note mentions that the price of 0.5 kilograms of nutmeg is equivalent to "seven fat oxen"!

Nutmeg was sought after because of its myth as both a medicine and a vitalizing ingredient. Without nutmeg, the European nobility and bourgeoisie felt like they were consuming carrion and spoiled food. When the Byzantine Empire fell, nutmeg disappeared from circulation in Europe because traders found it difficult to pass through Alexandria. The Ottoman Sultanate closed the southern gateway to Europe. European sailors and their trading companies eventually began to search for the nutmeg's homeland and found it in the Banda Islands.

In the early 17th century, the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC), a Dutch trading company, arrived in the Banda Islands and began to dominate one by one of its main islands. The VOC succeeded in conquering Banda by committing genocide against the indigenous population of Banda. The number of indigenous people in Banda, which was originally 15,000, was reduced to only 600. In fact, many of the remaining indigenous people chose to leave Banda. To cultivate nutmeg plantations in Banda, the VOC imported plantation laborers from other regions in the archipelago.

Along with the power of the VOC in the major Banda islands, the English came to establish a colony on its remote islands, namely Run Island and Ay, in 1616. Knowing this, the VOC felt threatened and considered that the English were attempting to monopolize the nutmeg trade and expel the VOC. The Dutch and the English then engaged in battles for 50 years because the Dutch wanted to fully control the Banda Islands, but the English still remained on Run Island. Since 1621, the Dutch had grasped 10 out of 11 islands in Banda, except for Run Island. And finally, in order to obtain the island of Run, which is only 6 square kilometers or 600 hectares in size, the Dutch gave Niew Amsterdam, their colony in the Americas, to the English. Although the area of Niew Amsterdam was 18 times larger than Run, the agreement was very beneficial for the Dutch. Control over Run allowed the Dutch to eventually dominate the entire Banda Islands, the only nutmeg-producing region in the world at that time. However, the comparison between Run and Niew Amsterdam only applies to the past. Back then, the expanse of marshland in Niew Amsterdam indeed promised nothing, but now that place has developed into Manhattan. An area that was once merely a fur trading post has now transformed into one of the most advanced cities in the world.

"Run has sunk so much in its glory that even The Times Atlas of the World forgets to mention its existence. In the past, this island was depicted when the world map was not yet complete."

Run seems to have not moved far from the 17th century. Since the decline of nutmeg trade following the plummet in prices in the 18th century, the island seems to have been forgotten. Its fate is still remote, just like its location. Administratively, as reported by Kompas.id, Run is classified as a village in the Banda District, Central Maluku Regency. It is approximately 114 nautical miles (211 kilometers) from Ambon, the capital of Maluku Province. From Ambon, the journey to Run must pass through Naira Island, the capital of Banda District, which is about 17 nautical miles (31 kilometers) from Run.

The condition of Run is in stark contrast to Manhattan. While in Manhattan the hustle and bustle of traffic never ceases, in Run there isn't a single car. The road network on the island is merely a 2-meter wide layer of cement. The village head of Run, Lakapota, said there are only eight motorcycles on the island. He even memorized the names of their owners one by one. One of the homeowners near the small dock on the beach of Run Island has turned his house into a guest house for travelers. In front of the house, there is a sign that reads "Manhattan 2 Guesthouse." This is the island in the middle of the Banda Sea that was once on par with Manhattan.