British Invasion of Ceylon (1795–96)

01A war decided in Europe

The Dutch had held the coasts of Lanka since driving out the Portuguese in the 1650s, while the Kandyan kings kept the hill country. In the winter of 1794–95 French armies took the Netherlands and set up the Batavian Republic. The exiled Prince of Orange told Dutch governors abroad to admit British troops, and London ordered Lord Hobart, Governor of Madras, to take Ceylon. Trincomalee mattered most. Its deep harbour was the one safe anchorage on that side of the Bay of Bengal during the north-east monsoon.

02Fort after fort

Colonel James Stuart landed near Trincomalee in August 1795 and opened batteries on Fort Frederick, which surrendered within days. Batticaloa, Jaffna and the smaller posts followed with little fighting. Colombo was left to the last. Van Angelbeek had a garrison that included Swiss mercenaries of the de Meuron regiment, whose colonel had already agreed to transfer it to British pay. After a brief skirmish outside the town, the governor signed the capitulation on 15 February 1796.