what about if they had come into conflict with russia in Europe for one reason or another, and for political reasons they thought it would be in their interests to supply the Yakuts, even if there wasn't much profit for them?
I very much doubt it. whilst i can envisage the dutch at war with the russians in this period , i cannot see why. even if they were to come into conflict over the baltic trade , there is no way that the dutch had the resources ,time ,or infrastructure to arm and train a rag tag semi-civilised army on the far side of the world , having had to go via cape hope to get there
Then there is the military aspect of a possible russo-dutch war. it would be fought mainly at sea , and probably won by the dutch. the russian navy at this time was still vey primitive. anywhich way ,with the limited scope for the army and the relitively small dutch army compared to the russians , there is nothing to say that they would have found it difficult to fight both at once
plus at thier distance from european russia , the tsar could afford to leave them in revolt until he'd fought the dutch into submission , and then send in the
okhrana or the Cossacks.
HOWEVER , with further reasearch i have discovered a slightly silvery looking lining to this historical conundrum. Turns out that this reigon was the centre of a highly productive fur trade that started around this time. If it was as productive as the american market(with which it would have to compete) it is possible that one of the european traders would have condsidred running guns and powder to them , but they would still be fighting an uphill battle against the russian expansionist hoarde
Sir Scott
-Historian to the Tsars