The attack on Praia (Cape Verde islands) by the expedition of Mahu and Cordes

The expedition of the Magellan Company of Rotterdam, that had set sail in June 1598, reached the Cape Verde islands at the end of August. The journey had taken long and the expedition was in need of fresh supplies, which they hoped to obtain here. After reaching the port of Praia on the island of Santiago, the Dutch observed a ship from Hamburg and some smaller vessels. The Cape Verde islands were a highly valued place to obtain fresh supplies, that was held by the Portuguese and had been fiercely fought over in preceding years. The Dutch ransacked the smaller ships and stole the bark. They assaulted the fortress of Praia and won an easy victory there. They could not obtain many supplies there, however and found themselves in a precarious situation. Soon they were forced to abandon their position and attempted to negotiate with the Portuguese governor, who was unwilling to help the Dutch obtain supplies. The expedition then sailed on to the nearby island of Brava, but were unable to find much fresh water. Many of the crew, including the admiral Jacques Mahu, caught fevers. Mahu died on 23 September 1598 and was succeeded by his vice-admiral Simon de Cordes.

This image shows the Dutch attack at Praia. We see the Dutch ships Hoop, Liefde, Geloof, Trouw and Blijde Boodschap arrive at Praia, where there is a barque and a ship from Hamburg. From the left to the top it shows how the Dutch assault the fortress of Praia on September 3rd and conquer it. The soldiers march in square pike-and-shot formation, as was typical for the time.