Conquest of fort in the Kalike mountains, 6 August 1655

Conquest of a fort in the Kalike mountains, 6 August 1655. After the conquest of Asaudi by VOC troops, during the Great Ambon War (1651-1656), a large part of the defenders had fled into the mountainous interior, and had erected a new fortification in a location as yet unknown to the VOC. Tensions between the Hoamoalese inhabitants and their Makasar allies ultimately brought the head of Hulong to offering the VOC troops to lead them to the new fort. On 6 August, VOC troops conquered the hilltop fortress wit no substantial opposition, and captured one of the Hoamoalese leaders, Kaicili Saidi, who was wounded. De Vlamingh, the commander of the VOC troops, personally killed him in a brutal manner.

The drawing shows, among others, how the VOC troops land and use abandoned local forts (1) as a staging area for their expedition into the interior, and the hillfort (3) which is eventually conquered. A poem on the top right praises the victory.

Legend: 1 sijn der vijanden verlate werken, daer we ons in nesten, 2: is onsen opklimmenden soldaet, 3: der vijanden vesting, die gewonnen word, 4: onsen afmarcherenden soldaet, 5: onse schepen ende kleen vaertuig, 6: gevecht tussen ons & den vijand, 7: de moordenaars revier.

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. 144v.

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