How a Ming Loyalist Ended Dutch Colonial Rule in Taiwan Through a Brutal Siege
In 1661, Koxinga launched a massive invasion of Taiwan, targeting the Dutch East India Company’s stronghold at Fort Zeelandia. What followed was a protracted, gruesome conflict that shifted the island’s power, involved shifting indigenous alliances, and ultimately forced the Dutch to abandon their lucrative colonial interests in the region.
By 1661, Koxinga, leader of Ming loyalist remnants, sought a new base of operations after failing to capture Nanjing. With a fleet of hundreds of junks and roughly 25,000 soldiers, he targeted the Dutch-controlled island of Formosa. The Dutch presence, centered on the heavily fortified Fort Zeelandia and the smaller Fort Provintia, had been established decades earlier. Governor Frederick Coyett commanded the defense, but the Dutch were quickly overwhelmed by the scale of the invasion and the unfamiliarity of their opponents with European-style fortifications.
The conflict was marked by extreme brutality on both sides. Koxinga’s forces, which included specialized archers and shield-bearers, effectively neutralized Dutch naval power after the accidental explosion of the Dutch warship Hector. Following a failed attempt to storm the fort, Koxinga settled into a starvation siege. The Dutch attempted several relief missions from Jakarta, but these were largely disastrous, resulting in the loss of ships and heavy casualties. Tensions were further complicated by the indigenous Taiwanese population, who initially sided with the Dutch but eventually defected to Koxinga, providing critical support to his forces.
The siege reached a breaking point in early 1662. After months of bombardment and dwindling supplies, Coyett surrendered on February 1, 1662. The aftermath was grim; Dutch prisoners faced execution, enslavement, or mutilation, and the remaining colonists were forced to leave the island. While the Dutch briefly allied with the Qing dynasty to challenge Koxinga’s successors, their influence in Taiwan waned. By 1668, following continued resistance and the loss of key strongholds, the Dutch East India Company withdrew from Taiwan entirely, ending a period where the island had accounted for over a quarter of their company profits.
The legacy of the siege remains a subject of historical study, particularly regarding the accounts of defectors and the personal narratives of those trapped within the fort. While Koxinga’s victory solidified his control, the war left a trail of destruction and shifted the geopolitical landscape of the region for decades to come.
Source: Siege of Fort Zeelandia
