The next stage of Malacca History was European colonization. 1511-1641 Portuguese. 1631-1795 Dutch. 1795-1957 British. In the hunger for spices and riches came European exploration, shipping improvements, and guns... European colonization began spreading around the world in the late 1400-1500s. Soon after first finding the route around Africa and then conquering a place I had been a few months ago Goa and Kochi India, the Portuguese wanted some trading hubs further East. Malacca because of its strategic position was one that was sought after. Very close to the origin of spices and on the route to China.
Because the Ming Dynasty Chinese abruptly ended the treasure fleets and closed off China to the outside world, the former alliances they created during the era of Zheng He were cut off and without protection. In 1511, soon after conquering Goa Alfonso de Albuquerque sailed here and attacked with a flotilla of ships and troops. The Malacca Sultanate and the multicultural society defended the city. They were even able to apply tactics like war elephants brought by the Indian merchants living in the city. The Portuguese were held off for a while in a fierce fight. But they regrouped.
At the site of the ruins of the Fomosa Fort in the video and the ruined church on the hill was the Sultan's palace. It was laid siege and destroyed by the Portuguese. They soon built a fort on the site and began Catholic missionary work converting some of the population. There still is a devout Catholic Portuguese settlement in Malacca with roots back to these times. Saint Francis Xavier came to Malacca leading the church and he was buried in the city for a time before his body was moved to Goa India. Malacca under the Portuguese was still a multicultural trading hub with over 100 languages spoken and the trading hub was still booming.
The Dutch, with an the help of the Malay Sultan of Johor in 1641 invaded and took Malacca from the Portuguese. The Dutch, who preferred their base for what is now Jakarta Indonesia (Batavia Java) lessened the importance of Malacca on purpose and its trading traffic slowed down. Still a multicultural community existed with Catholic and Protestant churches I visit being built during this time. As well as a Hindu Temple, an Islamic Mosque, and a Chinese temple that still stands to this day. The British were next in Malacca in 1795 getting a hold of Malacca and making into one of the Straits Settlements of Malaya along with Singapore and Georgetown Penang. The major shipping business in the Malacca Straits had shifted to Singapore in the 1800s and is still to this day.
A fascinating part of the story along with the Sultanate, Chinese Ming Dynasty connection, and the European era to Malaysia's independence make Malacca one of the most unique historical stories in the world.
6 июл 2024
