The Dutch Conquest of Ceylon: Cinnamon, War and Empire

In this episode of The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World, Lucas and Luna explore the Dutch East India Company's conquest of Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka) in the 17th century. They trace the VOC's campaign to wrest control of the cinnamon trade from the Portuguese, the alliances with the Kingdom of Kandy, and the brutal sieges of Colombo, Galle, and Jaffna. Key figures like Rijckloff van Goens and King Rajasinha II are discussed, along with the economic machinery of the VOC's monopoly, the forced cultivation of cinnamon, and the long-term impact on Ceylonese society. The episode also touches on the legacy of Dutch colonial rule, including the legacy of Roman-Dutch law in Sri Lanka today. #DutchCeylon #VOC #CinnamonTrade #RijckloffvanGoens #RajasinhaII #KingdomOfKandy #PortugueseCeylon #Colombo #Galle #Jaffna #SpiceMonopoly #DutchEastIndiaCompany #ColonialSriLanka #17thCentury #IndianOceanHistory #SiegeOfColombo #RomanDutchLaw #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo