Dutch Settlement in Ceylon
- When
- 1638
- Where
- Off the coast of Goa; Batticaloa, Ceylon
- Episodes
- 2
In 1638, the Dutch signed a treaty with Rajasinghe II to confront Iberian powers, though the agreement was never implemented. Following a naval victory off Goa, Dutch forces under Admiral Westerwolt captured the Portuguese fort at Batticaloa in May 1638.
Episodes
- Naval Victory off Goa
Dutch forces defeated the Portuguese fleet in a decisive sea engagement off the coast of Goa.
- Capture of Batticaloa
Dutch forces, allied with Sinhalese troops, conquered the Portuguese fort at Batticaloa in Ceylon.
Background and detail
Military Action. On January 4, 1638, Dutch forces defeated the Portuguese fleet off Goa. Admiral Adam Westerwolt then led a fleet of five ships and 800 men to attack the Portuguese fort at Batticaloa. In coalition with Sinhalese forces, the Dutch conquered the fort on May 18, 1638.
Diplomatic Complexity. The Dutch signed the Kandyan Treaty of 1638 with Rajasinghe II and planned a war against their common enemy. However, both parties engaged in double-dealing to outwit each other. Consequently, the treaty of 1638 was never implemented.
People involved
- Adam Westerwolt · Dutch Admiral
- Rajasinghe II · Treaty signatory
- Jan Thijssen Payart · Dutch Captain
Sources
- Dutch Ceylon Wikipedia
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.