First Kandy-Dutch War – 1665-1675
Extract from Chryshane Mendis's MA Thesis titled "Fortifications and the Landscape: A GIS Inventory and Mapping of Kandyan and Dutch Fortifications in Sri Lanka" , 2020, University of Amsterdam.
First Kandy-Dutch War – 1665-1675
While
both sides were settling to the uneasy stalemate since the late 1650s, the
rebellion of 1664 within the Kandyan kingdom disrupted this atmosphere between
the two sole political entities of the island by upsetting the territorial
boundaries, creating a dynamic element[1] in
the political tension between the two until the death of Rajasinghe.
In
December 1664 a rebellion broke out in Kandy and the king having escaped, took
refuge in Hanguranketa and wrote to the Dutch on January 5, 1665 to come to his
aid, by land through the Seven Kōralēs, Four Kōralēs and Sabaragamuva and by
sea to Batticaloa and Kottiyar,[2]
the latter probably to prevent the rebels from fleeing the island or seeking
outside assistance. The nature of the Dutch reply to Rajasinghe’s letter is to
be found in the policies of the Dutch Governor Ryklof van Goens the Elder
(1660-1661, 1663, 1664-1675), who dominated the Dutch policy for Ceylon in
these initial years. Van Goens had been arguing for an expansionist policy[3] in
the country, much to the disapproval of the Batavian authorities.[4] Van
Goens viewed the rebellion as the vulnerability of Kandy and the weakness of
Rajasinghe, that he had lost his hold on the people and was militarily weak.
This was seen as a perfect opportunity for consolidation of the complete
coastal districts and for an expansion inwards, to secure the best cinnamon
producing areas, and to keep at bay Kandy as a power being able to cause
problems. Although the rebellion had ended very shortly, the Dutch were eager
to use the opportunity and finally took action as late as April 1665.
Two
armies moved from Colombo to Ruvanvälla and from Galle to Bibilēgama where
stockades were erected. The instructions were to maintain good relations with
the people and to encourage them to migrate to the lowlands.[5]
However as no resistance was observed, it turned into an outright annexation of
these lands, even moving as far as Sabaragamuva (Ratnapura) and fortifying it
as well. In 1667 they moved as far as Arandara and Alauva and fortified these
as well. Although in 1668 the people of the Mäda, Kadawattē and Attakalan
Kōralēs revolted and Dutch garrisons evacuated, the posts were reoccupied when
the uprisings died down. On the east in September 1665 they occupied
Trincomalee for the second time[6]
and fortified it as per the letter of the king.
This
was an almost effortless expansion as Rajasinghe offered no resistance against
this forceful annexation of his territories. This further raised the confidence
of the Dutch in the loss of power of the king.
In
1668 a second wave of expansion on the eastern coast was carried out. The Dutch
occupied Batticaloa[7]
and Kottiyar but their authority did not expand beyond the forts. However by
1670 it is reported that the people of these areas ‘offered themselves’ to
submission as they claimed the king had ceased administration in these
districts; yet within few months the districts revolted but again was subdued.
In
1669 an expedition from Galle subdued the lands from the Walave River to Arugam
Bay in the south east of the island where the important salt pans were located.
This was a move to control Kandy by restricting their important salt supply and
as a means of gaining a salt monopoly. For this, Yāla, Māgama and Arugam Bay
were fortified with military posts. Thus by mid-1670 they had completed the
effortless expansion. By this expansion, the Dutch were able to take the former
territory of the Portuguese lost to Kandy in the 1650s. Consolidation of these
new lands was done by appointing local officials to positions of high authority
under promise of loyalty and exemptions of taxes.[8] Map
in Fig. 05 gives a comparison of the extent of the Dutch territories before the
war and in 1670 at their maximum expansion.
It
is unknown as to why Rajasinghe was silent all this while[9]
but in August 1670, the Kandyans took the offensive on all fronts. They first
sieged the fort of Arandara which surrendered and the garrison was taken
prisoners. Subsequently the garrisons of Ruvanvälla, Sabaragamuva and Bibilēgama
were evacuated including all other posts thus within the first few weeks of the
Kandyan assaults, they had retired to their pre-1665 frontiers. However, the
Dutch reorganized the army and drove the Kandyans back. On the east, the Dutch
were reduced once again only to the forts of Trincomalee and Batticaloa. In
1671 the Dutch sent two ambassadors to Kandy for the release of the prisoners
but to no avail.
The
year 1671 for the most part remained a lull in the war. In March 1672 a large
French fleet entered Kottiyar bay in Trincomalee possibly on prior invitation
from Kandy and with agreements between the two, they began to build a fort on
an island in the bay. However, a lack of proper agreement on the terms and a
food shortage in the fleet forced them to sail out to Coromandel in South India
leaving a garrison behind. The Dutch fleet soon moved into the bay and captured
the garrison. Using this failed French episode, the Kandyans renewed their
attacks on Dutch territory including instigating uprisings, however the Dutch
were able to repulse these and even reoccupied former posts. In July 1672 they
marched into Sitāvaka and Idangoda and
fortified these places. Kandyan attacks in the east continued such as besieging
the fort at Chinnecalatte[10]
and destroying of buildings in the island of Puliantivu[11]
but were forced back. As a counter move, the Dutch imposed a trade blockade on
Kandy but was called off in May 1673. The year1674 was less eventful with light
raids and uprisings. In August 1675 the Kandyans launch the third and largest
offensive. The attacks from the Seven Kōralēs forced the lascorins[12]
to abandon posts at Topture, Tuntote and Arandara. Further the important fort
at Bibilēgama which had been probably reoccupied in about 1674 was besieged and
taken. The fall of this fort opened up the road to Mātara, however, the
Kandyans did not pursue. Once again the Kandyan offensive had died down and the
Dutch were able to reoccupy Sitāvaka.[13]
That however was executed by Governor Rijcklof van Goens the Younger
(1675-1679), who had succeeded his father in 1675.[14]
The authorities in Batavia and the Directors in the Netherlands having been
frustrated by the never ending promises of father and son Van Goens, decided in
1679 to enter a new policy of appeasement, sacked Van Goens and appointed
Laurens Pijl (1679-1692) who was instructed to end the costly war – that
however took some time. In the meantime annual embassies to Kandy became the
new political tool of appeasement diplomacy.
[1] Arasaratnam, S.,
1958. Dutch power in Ceylon 1658-1687, p.25
[2]
The harbor in Kandyan hands close by to Trincomalee
[3]
Arasaratnam, 1958 p.30
[4]
The High Government (Hoge Regering), representing the Gentlemen Seventeen, the
central board of directors in the Netherlands.
[5]
Arasaratnam, 1958. p.33
[6]
The first time being in 1639 when they initially took it from the Portuguese
and handed over the post to Kandy in 1643.
[7] Batticaloa was first
occupied by the Dutch in 1638 but was handed over to Rajasinghe in 1643 to be
demolished.
[8] Arasaratnam, 1958 p.37
[9] Ibid p.53
[10]
A fort located few kilometers south of Batticaloa between the present day
villages of Kallar and Koddaikallar. See page 62.
[11]
One of the islands in the Batticaloa lagoon, which
contains the Batticaloa fort.
[12]
Lascorins were the native soldiers under the VOC.
[13]Arasaratnam, 1958 p.72
[14]
Rijclof Van Goens the Elder left Ceylon to become VOC Governor General in
Batavia.
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