Singapore Hotels & Malaysia Hotels
About Singapore Malaysia

MALACCA 2

The Portuguese were one of the powers eyeing the port and formulating plans dominate the east-west trade route, establish the naval supremacy of Portugal, al promote Christianity in the region. They struck in 1511 and conquered ,Malacca in a battle that lasted only a month. It is believed the local Malaccanshad become accustomed to the comforts of affluence and turned soft and vulnerable. After the defeat, the sultanate fled to Johor, where it reestablished the seat of Malay power. Malacca would never again be ruled by a sultan. The Portuguese tooted the city and sent its riches off to Lisbon.

The Portuguese were also the first of a chain of ruling foreign powers who would struggle in vain to retain the early economic success of the city. The foreign conquerors had a major strike against them: Their Christianity alienated the locals and repelled Muslim traders. The city quickly became nothing more than a sleepy outpost.

In 1641, the Dutch, with the help of Johor, conquered Malacca and controlled the city until 1795. Again, the Dutch were unsuccessful in rebuilding the glory of past prosperity in Malacca, and the city continued to sleep.

In 1795, the Dutch traded Malacca to the British in return for Bencoolen in Sumatra, being far more concerned with their Indonesian interests anyway. Malacca became a permanent British settlement in 1811, but by this time had become so poor and alienated that it was impossible to bring it back to life.

The final blow came in 1941, when the city fell under Japanese occupation for 4 years. It wasn't until 1957 that Malacca, along with the rest of Malaysia, gained full independence.
1 2 3 4