France begins its expedition against Ceylon
- When
- 1672
- Where
- Trincomalee Bay; Kandyan Court
- Episodes
- 2
In March 1672, Admiral De La Haye led a French fleet to Trincomalee Bay, where they occupied islands and negotiated with King Rajasinghe. The Dutch, outmatched, initially withdrew but later returned under Van Goens to besiege the French position, leading to its capitulation.
Episodes
- Negotiations with the Kandyan Court
The French negotiated with King Rajasinghe, who sought naval support against the Dutch, leading to the dispatch of an emissary.
- French Arrival at Trincomalee
Admiral De La Haye anchored his fleet in Trincomalee Bay on 22 March 1672, overwhelming the Dutch presence.
Background and detail
French Arrival. On 22 March 1672, Admiral De La Haye anchored his fleet in Trincomalee Bay. The French fleet was approximately ten times larger than the Dutch force, causing disconcertion. The Dutch set ablaze their fort and withdrew, allowing the French to occupy two central islands in the harbour.
Diplomatic Engagement. The French found favor with King Rajasinghe, who sought naval support to impede Dutch reinforcements. Admiral De La Haye dispatched an emissary accompanied by 30 French soldiers to the Kandyan court to engage in negotiations, aiming to secure an alliance against the Dutch.
People involved
- Admiral De La Haye · French Fleet Commander
- King Rajasinghe · Kandyan King
- Van Goens · Governor of Dutch Possessions in Ceylon
Sources
- Kandyan–Dutch war (1670–1675) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-22
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.