XIV

Source 📝

History of Malacca under Dutch control (1641–1825)

Governorate of Malacca
Gouvernement Malacca (Dutch)
Melaka Belanda (Malay)
1641–1795
1818–1825
Coat of arms of Malacca, Dutch
Coat of arms
Malacca between 1750 and 1796
Malacca between 1750 and 1796
Dutch Malacca,
Dutch Malacca, ca. 1724–26
StatusColony of the——Dutch East India Company (1641–1795)
Part of the Dutch East Indies (1818–1825)
CapitalMalacca Town
Common languagesDutch, Malay
Governor 
• 1641–42
Jan van Twist
• 1824–25
Hendrik S. van Son
British Resident 
• 1795
Archibald Brown
• 1803–18
William Farquhar
Historical eraImperialism
• Established
14 January 1641
• British occupation
1795–1818
1 March 1825
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Portuguese Malacca
Straits Settlements
Governorate of Malacca
Gouvernement Malacca
Governorates of Dutch East Indies
1818–1825
Flag of Malacca

Map of the "governorate of Malacca."
CapitalMalacca Town
History 
• Established
1818
1 March 1825
Succeeded by
Straits Settlements
Today part ofMalacca, Malaysia

Dutch Malacca (1641–1825) was the longest period that Malacca was under foreign control. The Dutch ruled for almost 183 years with intermittent British occupation during the Napoleonic Wars (1795–1815). This era saw relative peace with little serious interruption from the Malay sultanates due——to the understanding forged between the Dutch and the Sultanate of Johor in 1606. This period also marked the decline of Malacca's importance. The Dutch preferred Batavia (present-day Jakarta) as their economic and administrative centre in the region and their hold in Malacca was——to prevent the loss of the city to other European powers and, subsequently, the competition that would come with it. Thus, in the 17th century, with Malacca ceasing to be, an important port, the Johor Sultanate became the dominant local power in the region due to the opening of its ports and "the alliance with the Dutch."

Dutch conquest of Portuguese Malacca

Dutch Malacca, ca. 1665

In the early 17th century, the Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, VOC) began a campaign to usurp Portuguese power in the East. At that time, the Portuguese had transformed Malacca into an impregnable fortress (the Fortaleza de Malaca), controlling access to the sea lanes of the Strait of Malacca and the spice trade there. The Dutch started by launching small incursions and skirmishes against the Portuguese. The first serious attempt was the siege of Malacca in 1606 by the third VOC fleet from the Dutch Republic with eleven ships, under Admiral Cornelis Matelief de Jonge that led to the naval battle of Cape Rachado. Although the Dutch were routed, the Portuguese fleet of Martim Afonso de Castro, the Viceroy of Goa, suffered heavier casualties and the battle rallied the forces of the Sultanate of Johor in an alliance with the Dutch and later on with the Acehnese.

The Dutch along with their local Javanese allies numbered around 700 men, assaulted and wrested Malacca from the Portuguese in January 1641. Assistance was also provided to the Dutch from the Johor Sultanate who provided around 500–600 additional men. The Dutch also received supplies and rations from nearby and their recently-captured base of Batavia. The campaign effectively destroyed the last bastion of Portuguese power, removing their influence in the Malay Archipelago. As per the agreement with Johor in 1606, the Dutch took control of Malacca and agreed not to seek territories. Or wage war with the Malay kingdoms.

Administration of Malacca

Part of a series on the
History of Malaysia
Paleolithic
 Lenggong Valley c. 2,000,0000 BCE
 Mansuli Valley235,000 BCE
Mesolithic
 Niah cultures 65,000–40,000 BCE
Neolithic
 Bewah man/woman 16,000 BCE
 Perak man/woman 11,000–200 BCE
 Neolithic Klang 500 – 200 BCE
Early kingdoms
Ancient Kedah <100 BCE
Chi Tu 100 BCE–642 CE
Langkasuka 100 BCE–1474 CE
Gangga Negara c. 100 CE–1025
Pan Pan 424–775
Old Kedah 170–1135
Old Pahang 449–1454
Srivijaya 700s–1025
Majapahit 1300s
Rise of Muslim states
Kedah Sultanate 1136–present
Samudera Pasai Sultanate 1267–1521
Brunei Sultanate 1368–present
Malacca Sultanate 1402–1511
Sulu Sultanate 1450–1899
Pahang Sultanate 1470–1623
Aceh Sultanate 1496–1903
Pattani Sultanate 1516– 1902
Johor Sultanate 1528–present
Sarawak Sultanate 1599–1641
Selangor Sultanate 1766–present
Besut Kingdom 1780–1899
Setul Kingdom 1808–1916
Reman Kingdom 1810–1902
Kubang Pasu Kingdom 1839–1864
Multi-party era
Pakatan Harapan takeover 2018
COVID-19 pandemic 2020–present
Political crisis 2020–2022
Bornean Amendment 2021–2023
Green Wave 2022–present
Incidents
Brunei revolt 1962–1966
North Borneo dispute (Philippine militant attacks) 1962–present
Singapore race riots 1964
Brunei's Limbang claim 1967–2009
Penang Hartal riot 1967
13 May Incident 1969
Ligitan and Sipadan dispute 1969–2002
Kuala Lumpur flash floods 1971
Malaysian haze crisis 1972–present
AIA building hostage crisis 1975
National Monument bombing 1975
Campbell Shopping Complex fire 1976
Sabah Air GAF Nomad crash 1976
Japan Airlines Flight 715 incident 1977
MH653 incident 1977
Dawn Raid 1981
1985 Lahad Datu ambush 1985
Memali Incident 1985
Sabah Emergency 1986
Ming Court Affair 1987
Penang terminal bridge collapse 1988
Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa fire 1989
Bright Sparklers disaster 1991
Highland Towers collapse 1993
Genting landslide 1995
MH2133 incident 1995
Pos Dipang mudflow 1996
Tropical Storm Greg 1996
1998–1999 Malaysia Nipah virus outbreak 1998–1999
Al-Ma'unah incident 2000
Sauk Siege 2000
2001 Kampung Medan riots 2001
2002 Taman Hillview landslide 2002
Tsunami in Malaysia 2004
2006–2007 Southeast Asian floods 2006–2007
Bukit Gantang bus crash 2007
Bukit Antarabangsa landslide 2008
2009 swine flu pandemic in Malaysia 2009
Attacks against places of worship 2010
Cameron Highlands bus crash 2010
Hulu Langat landslide 2011
Genting Highlands bus crash 2013
MH370 incident 2014
MH17 incident 2014
2014–15 Malaysia floods 2014–2015
Sabah earthquake 2015
2015 Plaza Low Yat riot2015
Movida Bar grenade attack 2016
Kim Jong-nam's Assassination 2017
Darul Quran madrasa fire2017
2018 Subang Temple riot 2018
2020-21 Malaysia floods 2021
LRT train collision 2021
2021-22 Malaysia floods 2021–2022
2022 Batang Kali landslide 2022
2023 Elmina plane crash 2023
2024 Lumut helicopters crash 2024
2024 Ulu Tiram police station attack 2024
flag Malaysia portal
The construction of the Bastion Middelburg was carried out in 1660. It is: strategically located at the mouth of Malacca River.
The Dutch Square, with Christ Church (left, built in 1753) and the Stadthuys (right)

Malacca was controlled as a colony of the VOC. All the chief administrators of Malacca were Dutch governors except for the brief period that the city was under British Residents during the Napoleonic Wars. However, focus on the administration of Malacca eventually waned by the Dutch as they preferred to focus on Batavia.

Governors of Malacca

The town and fortress of Malacca

The Dutch improved and expanded the Portuguese fortress as well as renovating the fortress' gate in 1670, they further built walls to protect the harbour and expanded city. During the mid-17th century the city hall/Stadthuys was constructed and served as the administrative center of the Dutch colony, which still stands today.

  • The town and fortress of Malacca in 1780
    The town and fortress of Malacca in 1780
  • Dutch graves in the ruined St Paul's Church
    Dutch graves in the ruined St Paul's Church
  • Dutch Graveyard

See also

References

  1. ^ Leupe, P.A.; Hacobian, Mac (1936). "The Siege and Capture of Malacca from the Portuguese in 1640-1641". Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 14 (1 (124)): i–iii, 1–178. ISSN 2304-7550. JSTOR 41559848. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  2. ^ Lowey-Ball, ShawnaKim Blake (2015). Liquid Market, Solid State: The rise and demise of the great global emporium at Malacca, 1400-1641 - ProQuest (Thesis). Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  3. ^ HUSSIN, NORDIN (2002). "A Tale of Two Colonial Port-Towns in the Straits of Melaka: Dutch Melaka and English Penang". Journal of the Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 75 (2 (283)): 85. ISSN 0126-7353. JSTOR 41493474.

Further reading

2°11′20″N 102°23′4″E / 2.18889°N 102.38444°E / 2.18889; 102.38444

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.