Conquest of Rarakit, 15 October 1649

Conquest of Rarakit, 15 October 1649. Rarakit, at the east side of Seram, was considered a ‘pirate’s nest’, giving shelter to the VOC’s enemies such as the Tidorese and the Papuans, and served as a potential staging area for attaks on Banda. In 1649, Arnold de Vlamingh led a hongi, i.e. an indigenous fleet, entirely around Seram, and conquered the fortified settlement on the hill with the help of 600 indigenous allies and 600 European soldiers.

The drawing is part of a manuscript version of Livinus Bor, Amboinse Oorlogen, but the conquest took place two years before the start of the Great Ambon War (1651-1656), and the drawing does not seem to have any relation to the text of the book. A poem at the top right praises the conquest as the first of the victories of De Vlamingh’s, who was to become the commander-in-chief during that war, which might explain its inclusion.
-Legend: A: Is ons inlands vaertuig, B: sijn onse opklimmende soldaten, C: onse soldaten met den vijand schermutserende, D: onse soldaten het fort bestormende, E: sijn der vijanden forten.

Part of an illustrated manuscript version of Livinus Bor, Amboinse Oorlogen, describing the events of the Great Ambon War (1651-1656), and defending and glorifying the acts of the VOC commander in this conflict, Arnold de Vlamingh van Oudshoorn.

See also: Koninklijke Bibliotheek KW 75 D 23, na fol 50v.

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