Which came first? · Tricky
Which came first: the Dutch East India Company or Handel's Messiah?
The Dutch East India Company came first, in 1602 (founded). Handel's Messiah followed 140 years later, in 1742 (premiered).
- First1602
The Dutch East India Company
company · foundedThe Dutch East India Company, from 1602, was one of the first companies to sell shares to the public.
- Second1742
Handel's Messiah
music · premieredHandel's Messiah was first performed in Dublin in 1742.
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All which-came-first pairs · About Older Than You Think · Quiz games
Years from Wikidata, each checked against the item’s English Wikipedia article on 2026-10-18. A year stands for what its label says: a founding, a first patent, a premiere.