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Bird's eye view of Trinconomale
Building inside the walls of Fort Frederick at Trincomalee
Chart of the inner bay at Trinconomale
Cross section of the fortificatiions of Oostenburgh, part B
Cross section of the fortifications at Trincomalee, part B
Cross section of the fortifications at Trincomalee, part D
Cross sections of the fortifications at Trincomalee, part C
Cross-section of a mountain near Oostenburg
Cross-section of the fortifications at Oostenburgh, part A
Cross-sections of Fort Oostenburg
Cross-sections of Fort Oostenburg
Design for improvements to Fort Frederick at Trincomalee
Elevation of Trinconomale
Elevations of the fort at Trinconomale
Elevations of the fortifications at Trincomalee
Floor plan of fort Oostenburg
Floor plan of fort Oostenburg
Map and elevation of the main entrance gate to Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map and elevation of the main gate to Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map and elevations of batteries at Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map and elevations of Fort Oostenburg
Map and elevations of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of Asia
Map of Asia
Map of Asia and Australia
Map of Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia
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 East Indies
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale
Map of fort Oostenburg, Tricoenemale
Map of fort Oostenburg, Trinconomale
Map of fortifications on Ceylon
Map of Oostenburg Fort and a map of the region between Baticaloa and Tricoenmale
Map of Sri Lanka
Map of the area between Batticaloa and Trincomalee
Map of the bay at Trinkonomale
Map of the Bay of Bengal
Map of the Bay of Tricomale
Map of the bay of Trincomalee
Map of the bay of Trincomalee, showing Fort Oostenburg
Map of the bay of Trinconomale
Map of the bay of Trinconomale
Map of the eastern part of Sri Lanka
Map of the fort at Trincomalee
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinconomale
Map of the fort at Trinkonomale and surrounding area
Map of the fort at Trinkonomale and surrounding area
Map of the fort at Trinkonomale and surrounding area
Map of the fort of Trincomale
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the island of Ceylon
Map of the roadstead off Trincomalee
Map of the South India
Map of the southern point of Ceylon and the Adams bridge
Map of Tricoenemale
Map of Tricoenemale
Map of Trincomale
Map of Trinconomale
Map of Trinconomale
Map of Trinconomale
Map of Trinconomale
Map of Trinconomale
Map of Trinconomale and environs
Map showing part of the eastern coast of Sri Lanka near Trincomalee
Maps and cross-sections of Fort Oostenburg at Trinkonomale
Maps and elevations of the fort at Trinconomale
Maps of Trinquenemale and Oostenburgh
Memorial stone at Fort Oostenburg at Trincomalee
Memorial stone at Fort Oostenburg in Trincomalee
Merlon of Fort Oostenburg at Trincomalee
Profiles of fort Oostenburg
Profiles of the fort at Trinconomale
Profiles of the fort at Trinconomale
Remnants of walls at Fort Oostenburg in Trincomalee
Ruins of Fort Oostenburg at Trincomalee
Southern aspect of Fort Frederick at Trincomalee
Southern flank of Fort Frederick at Trincomalee
Southern side of Fort Frederick at Trincomalee
The Amsterdam bastion of Fort Frederick at Trincomalee
The Battle of Trincomalee
The bay of Trinconomale
The coasts of Malabar and Coromandel
The Zeeburg bastion of Fort Frederick at Trincomalee
View of the harbour of Trincomale
View of Tricoenemale
View of Tricoenemale
Waterway for Fort Oostenburg at Trinconomale

The deep bay of Trincomalee was an ideal natural harbour and shelter for ships. In 1639 the VOC captured Trincomalee from the Portuguese. The port was strategically important as a base for the fleet and guarding the sea routes. In the 17th century the port was guarded by as many as six forts. Even so, this proved insufficient to repel the French, who attacked in 1672. The port was soon recaptured. Because of its unhealthy climate, Trincomalee was unpopular among Company employees. Ceylon's main product was cinnamon, and small amounts were also harvested at Trincomalee. To harvest the cinnamon, the bark is cut from the tree. It is then dried in the sun and rolled up. The area around Trincomalee also supplied clothes, pearls, wood, and the stimulant areca. During the 17th century the East Indies Council in Batavia debated several times whether to hand Trincomalee over to the king of Kandy. Rijcklof van Goens, governor of Ceylon, opposed this vigorously. He preferred to fortify the harbour, and it was he who increased the number of forts to six. When English competition in the region increased in the late 18th century, the forts were further strengthened. Because of its strategic importance the harbour was a constant centre of political discord.