Dutch City and Fort of Malacca De Stad en Kasteel Malacca (nl) Melaka Belanda (ms)
1641–1795 1818–1825
Flag until 1795 Coat of arms
Malacca between 1750 and 1796
Dutch Malacca, ca. 1724–26
Status	Dutch colony
Capital	Malacca Town
Common languages	Dutch, Malay
Governor
• 1641–42	Jan van Twist
• 1824–25	Hendrik S. van Son
British Resident
• 1795	Archibald Brown
• 1803–18	William Farquhar
Historical era	Imperialism
• Established	14 January 1641
• British occupation	1795–1818
• Relinquished by treaty	1 March 1825
Preceded by Succeeded by Portuguese Malacca Straits Settlements

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 time also marked the decline of the importance of Malacca. 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 ceased 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 the 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 Straits 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 also received help from the Johor Sultanate of around an additional 500–600 men. The Dutch also received supplies and rations from nearby and their recently-captured base of Batavia.^[1] 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
Prehistoric Malaysia Prehistoric Malaysia
Early kingdoms Gangga Negara 2nd–11th century Langkasuka 2nd–14th century Chi Tu 2nd–6th century Pan Pan 3rd–5th century Kedah Tua 5th–9th century Pahang Tua 5th–15th century Melayu 7th–14th century Srivijaya 650–1275 Majapahit 1293–1500
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 Besut Kingdom 1780–1899 Setul Kingdom 1808–1916 Reman Kingdom 1810–1902 Kubang Pasu Kingdom 1839–1864
Colonial era Portuguese Malacca 1511–1641 Dutch–Portuguese War 1601–1661 Dutch Malacca 1641–1824 Pahang Kingdom 1770–1881 Straits Settlements 1786–1946 Siamese invasion of Kedah 1821–1826 Anglo-Dutch Treaty 1824 Burney Treaty 1826 Naning War 1831–1832 Kingdom of Sarawak 1841–1946 Separation of Perlis from Kedah 1843 Crown Colony of Labuan 1848–1946 Pahang Civil War 1857–1863 Larut Wars 1861–1874 Klang War 1867–1874 Pangkor Treaty 1874 Perak War 1875–1876 British Malaya / Borneo 1874–1946 Jementah Civil War 1879 North Borneo 1882–1946 Pahang Uprising 1891–1895 Federated Malay States 1895–1946 Anglo-Siamese Treaty 1909 Unfederated Malay States 1909–1946 Battle of Penang 1914 Kelantan rebellion 1915
World War II Japanese occupation of Malaya / Borneo 1941–1945 Malayan campaign 1941–1942 Bornean Campaign 1941–1942 Battle of Muar 1942 Parit Sulong Massacre 1942 Battle of Singapore 1942 Sook Ching 1942 Syburi 1942 Sandakan Death Marches 1942–1945 Si Rat Malai 1943–1945 Jesselton revolt 1943–1944
Formative era BMA of Malaya/Borneo 1945–1946 Crown Colony of N. Borneo 1946–1963 Crown Colony of Sarawak 1946–1963 Anti-cession movement 1946–1963 Malayan Union 1946–1948 Federation of Malaya 1948–1963 Malayan Emergency 1948–1960 Batang Kali massacre 1948 Bukit Kepong incident 1950 Baling Talks 1955 Malayan Independence 1957 Singapore Self-governance 1959 North Borneo Self-governance 1963 Konfrontasi 1963–1966 Sarawak Self-governance 1963 Formation of Malaysia 1963 Singapore in Malaysia 1963–1965 ASEAN Declaration 1967 Second communist insurgency 1968–1989 13 May incident 1969 Declaration of Rukun Negara 1970 New Economic Policy 1971–1990 Peace Agreement of Hat Yai 1989
Barisan Nasional era Federal Territory of KL 1974 Pedra Branca dispute 1979–2008 South China Sea dispute (Spratly) 1980–present Federal Territory of Labuan 1984 Memali incident 1985 Operation Lalang 1987 Constitutional crisis 1987–1988 National Development Policy 1990–2000 Vision 2020 1991–2020 Royal Immunity Amendments 1993 Financial crisis 1997–1998 1998 Commonwealth Games 1998 Reformasi Movement 1998–2022 Nipah virus outbreak 1998–1999 Twin Towers Grand Opening 1999 Federal Territory of Putrajaya 2001 1Malaysia 2009-2018 H1N1 pandemic in Malaysia 2009–2010 1MDB scandal 2015–present
Multi-party era GE14 2018 COVID-19 pandemic 2020–present Political crisis 2020–2022 Movement Control Order 2020–2021 State of Emergency 2021 COVID-19 vaccination 2021–2022 Constitutional amendment 2021 GE15 2022 Sabah political crisis 2023
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 Ligitan and Sipadan dispute 1969–2002 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 MH653 incident 1977 Kelantan Emergency 1977 Dawn Raid 1981 1985 Lahad Datu ambush 1985 Memali Incident 1985 Sabah Emergency 1986 Ming Court Affair 1987 Taufiqiah Al-Khairiah madrasa fire 1989 Bright Sparklers disaster 1991 Highland Towers collapse 1993 MH2133 incident 1995 Tropical Storm Greg 1996 Al-Ma'unah incident 2000 Sauk Siege 2000 2001 Kampung Medan riots 2001 2004 tsunami in Malaysia 2004 Murder of Altantuyaa 2006 Bersih rally 2007–2016 HINDRAF rally 2007 Anti ISA rally 2009 2010 attacks against places of worship 2010 2013 People's Uprising Rally 2013 Black-Out rally 2013 Lahad Datu standoff 2013 Kajang Move 2014 MH370 incident 2014 MH17 incident 2014 2014–15 Malaysia floods 2014–2015 2015 Sabah earthquake 2015 2015 Plaza Low Yat riot 2015 Malay Dignity Rally 2015 Movida Bar grenade attack 2016 Kim Jong-nam's Assassination 2017 Darul Quran madrasa fire 2017 2018 Subang Temple riot 2018 ICERD protest 2018 2020-21 Malaysia floods 2021 LRT train collision 2021 Contract Doctor Hartal 2021 2021-22 Malaysia floods 2021–2022 2022 Batang Kali landslide 2022
By topic Communications Economic Military
Malaysia portal
v t e

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.^[2] The governors and residents list is as follows:

Governors of Malacca

Governors of Dutch Malacca (1641–1795) Governors From Until Johan van Twist 1641 1642 Jeremias van Vliet 1642 1645 Arnout de Vlamingh van Oudtshoorn 1645 1646 Jan Thyszoon Payart 1646 1662 Jan Anthonisz van Riebeeck 1662 1665 Balthasar Bort 1665 1679 Jacob Joriszoon Pits 1679 1680 Cornelis van Quaelberg 1680 1684 Nikolaas Schaghen 1684 1685 François Tack 1685 1686 Dirk Komans (1st time) 1686 1686 Thomas Slicher 1686 1691 Dirk Komans (2nd time) 1691 1692 Gelmer Vosberg 1692 1697 Goevert van Hoorn 1697 1700 Bernhard Phoonsen 1700 1704 Johan Grotenhuys (acting) 1704 1704 Karel Bolner 1704 1707 Pieter Rooselaar 1707 1709 Willem Six 1709 1711 Willem Moerman 1711 1717 Herman van Suchtelen 1717 1726 Johan Frederik Gobius 1726 1730 Pieter Rochus Pasques de Chavonnes 1730 1735 Roger de Laver 1735 1741 Willem Bernard Albinus 1741 1748 Pieter van Heemskerk 1748 1753 Willem Dekker 1753 1758 David Boelen 1758 1764 Thomas Schippers 1764 1771 Jan Crans 1771 1775 Pieter Gerardus de Bruijn 1775 1788 Abraham Couperus 1788 1795

British Residents of Malacca (1795–1818) Residents From Until Archibald Brown 1795 1795 Thomas Parr 1795 1796 Richard Tolson 1796 1797 David Campbell 1797 1798 Aldwell Taylor 1798 1803 Willem Jacob Cranssen (Dutch Governor) 1802 William Farquhar 1803 1818 Governors of Dutch Malacca (1818–1825) Governors From Until Jan Samuel Timmermann Thijssen 1818 1822 Adriaan Koek (acting) 1822 1824 Hendrik Stephanus van Son 1824 1825

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.^{[citation needed]} During the mid-17th century the city hall or Stadthuys was constructed and served as the administrative center of the Dutch colony, the building still stands today.^[3]