Quilon

On 9 December 1658 a VOC force led by Rijcklof van Goens attempted to capture the town of Quilon from the Portuguese. The local queen ordered her subjects to resist because there seemed little to be gained from the VOC's aggressive trading activities. Van Goens finally succeeded in 1661: Quilon was conquered and the queen's palace was burned to the ground. After the VOC's capture of Quilon 480 soldiers were garrisoned there. One of their tasks was to act to the detriment of Portuguese possessions in Bombay. Quilon's played an important trade role as a supplier of pepper and pearls.