coordinates: 9º40'04 N 80º01'01 E
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Jaffna |
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Jaffnapatnam, Jaffanapatnam, Jaffenapatnam, Jaftenapatnam, Jeftenapatnam, Iaphanapatam, Jafnapatnam, Iaffanapatnam |
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VOC |
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Landmonsterrollen |
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1658 - ? |
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Ceylon (VOC-gebied) |
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Sri Lanka |
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A snake catcher
Bird's eye view of Jaffenapatnam
Bird's eye view of Jaffnapatnam
Bird's eye view of the city of Jaffnapatnam
Catching horses near Jaffnapatnam
Ceylon and the coast of Madura
Cross section of the fortifications at Jaffna, part C
Cross sections of the fortifications at Jaffna, part A
Exterior of the fort at Jaffna
Exterior view of the bastion and entrance to the fort at Jaffna
Floor plan of several buildings in Jaffnapatnam
Fort at Jaffna
Fort at Jaffna
Four maps showing all the churches of Wadomorachie, Walligamo, Patchelepalle and Temmorachie
Inhabitants of Jaffnapatnam
Inner court and church of the fort at Jaffna
Interior of the church at Jaffanapatnam
Interior of the Dutch church in Jaffnapatnam
Interior of the Protestant Kruyskerk in Jaffna
Map of Asia and Australia
Map of Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia
Map of Carretchie near Jafnapatnam
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon and 22 forts
Map of Ceylon and the coast of Madure
Map of Ceylon and the Maldives
Map of Ceylon with the Adams bridge
Map of East Indies
Map of fortifications on Ceylon
Map of India
Map of India to Japan
Map of Jaffnapatnam
Map of Jaffnapatnam
Map of Jaffnapatnam and environs
Map of Jafnapatnam and environs
Map of Jafnepatnam
Map of South India
Map of southern India
Map of southern India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Map of Sri Lanka
Map of the Bay of Bengal
Map of the East Coast of India
Map of the east coast of India and a part of the west coast on the island of Ceylon
Map of the east coast of India and part of the west coast of the island of Ceylon
Map of the eastern part of the Indian Ocean
Map of the fort at Jaffanapatnam
Map of the fort at Jaffnapatnam
Map of the fort at Jaffnapatnam
Map of the fort at Jaffnapatnam
Map of the fort at Jaffnapatnam
Map of the four provinces of Jaffnapatnam
Map of the grain warehouses at Jaffanpatnam
Map of the Gulf of Bengal
Map of the Horn of Africa, the Arab peninsula and India
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean
Map of the northern part of Ceylon and a part of India's Coromandel Coast
Map of the southern part of India
Map of the southern part of the Coromandel coast
Map of the southern point of Ceylon and the Adams bridge
Men at Jafnapatnam
Profile of the fortifications at Jaffna
The coasts of Malabar and Coromandel
The conquest of Jaffnapatnam, led by Van Goens in 1658
The courtyard of the fort at Jaffna
The fort and church at Jaffnapatnam
The fort at Jaffna
The fort at Jaffna seen from the interior
Traitors in Jaffnapatnam being executed in 1658
View of Jaffnapatnam from the sea
View of the castle at Jaffnapatnam seen from inland
View of the castle of Jaffnapatnam within the walls
View of the city of Jaffna
View of the Dutch church in Jaffnapatnam
Views and maps of twelve cities
Views and maps of two cities
Women at Jafnapatnam
Bird's eye view of Jaffenapatnam
Bird's eye view of Jaffnapatnam
Bird's eye view of the city of Jaffnapatnam
Catching horses near Jaffnapatnam
Ceylon and the coast of Madura
Cross section of the fortifications at Jaffna, part C
Cross sections of the fortifications at Jaffna, part A
Exterior of the fort at Jaffna
Exterior view of the bastion and entrance to the fort at Jaffna
Floor plan of several buildings in Jaffnapatnam
Fort at Jaffna
Fort at Jaffna
Four maps showing all the churches of Wadomorachie, Walligamo, Patchelepalle and Temmorachie
Inhabitants of Jaffnapatnam
Inner court and church of the fort at Jaffna
Interior of the church at Jaffanapatnam
Interior of the Dutch church in Jaffnapatnam
Interior of the Protestant Kruyskerk in Jaffna
Map of Asia and Australia
Map of Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia
Map of Carretchie near Jafnapatnam
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon
Map of Ceylon and 22 forts
Map of Ceylon and the coast of Madure
Map of Ceylon and the Maldives
Map of Ceylon with the Adams bridge
Map of East Indies
Map of fortifications on Ceylon
Map of India
Map of India to Japan
Map of Jaffnapatnam
Map of Jaffnapatnam
Map of Jaffnapatnam and environs
Map of Jafnapatnam and environs
Map of Jafnepatnam
Map of South India
Map of southern India
Map of southern India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives
Map of Sri Lanka
Map of the Bay of Bengal
Map of the East Coast of India
Map of the east coast of India and a part of the west coast on the island of Ceylon
Map of the east coast of India and part of the west coast of the island of Ceylon
Map of the eastern part of the Indian Ocean
Map of the fort at Jaffanapatnam
Map of the fort at Jaffnapatnam
Map of the fort at Jaffnapatnam
Map of the fort at Jaffnapatnam
Map of the fort at Jaffnapatnam
Map of the four provinces of Jaffnapatnam
Map of the grain warehouses at Jaffanpatnam
Map of the Gulf of Bengal
Map of the Horn of Africa, the Arab peninsula and India
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the Indian Ocean
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean
Map of the northern part of Ceylon and a part of India's Coromandel Coast
Map of the southern part of India
Map of the southern part of the Coromandel coast
Map of the southern point of Ceylon and the Adams bridge
Men at Jafnapatnam
Profile of the fortifications at Jaffna
The coasts of Malabar and Coromandel
The conquest of Jaffnapatnam, led by Van Goens in 1658
The courtyard of the fort at Jaffna
The fort and church at Jaffnapatnam
The fort at Jaffna
The fort at Jaffna seen from the interior
Traitors in Jaffnapatnam being executed in 1658
View of Jaffnapatnam from the sea
View of the castle at Jaffnapatnam seen from inland
View of the castle of Jaffnapatnam within the walls
View of the city of Jaffna
View of the Dutch church in Jaffnapatnam
Views and maps of twelve cities
Views and maps of two cities
Women at Jafnapatnam
Jaffna was a busy trading city and the main centre in northern Ceylon. The last bastion of the Portuguese on the island, it fell to the Company in 1658. For the time being the VOC had eliminated all its European competitors on the island.
The Company rebuilt much of Jaffna. The Portuguese fort made way for a new one designed according to the latest military principles. The result was an almost impregnable citadel, perhaps the strongest VOC fort in Asia. Construction work, which began in 1660, was finally completed some 130 years later, in 1792. The fort was an important link, guarding the sea lanes to and from India.
In Jaffna fort the VOC built a church, known as 'Kruys' (Cross) church. With its layout in the form of a Greek cross, it was typical of Calvinist architecture. Women attending the church services would have their slaves bring chairs which would be taken away again afterwards. The church was built in 1706 and could accommodate 600 people. In the Jaffna region, too, Protestantism was preached with enthusiasm, but the native population often had little idea of the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism.
In the busy trading town of Jaffna the merchants maintained close contacts with the mainland. The main products of the town and region were cotton, clothes, pearls and elephants. The elephants were sold for the armies of Indian princes. The animals were captured by driving them into a fenced enclosure from where they were taken one by one to be bound and even sometimes to be baptised. After eight days of being tied up an elephant would be more or less tame and ready to be trained.
In northern Ceylon the Company enjoyed a certain measure of territorial authority; a unique position for an organisation primarily concerned with trade which (except on Formosa) generally left local rulers in control. On Ceylon this authority involved the Company was responsible for collecting taxes from the local population, among other things. Because the Company levied far higher taxes than was customary, the local inhabitants rose up against the VOC in 1676. However the Company crushed the rebellion and implemented the levy anyway.
Jaffna was also the capital of one of the 'commandementen', or departments, into which Ceylon was divided and fell under the jurisdiction of the governor in Colombo.















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