Battle of Cape Rachado

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Battle of Cape Rachado
Part of the Dutch–Portuguese War
Date 16–18 August 1606 (1606-08-16 – 1606-08-18) Location Off Cape Rachado, Portuguese Malacca Result Portuguese victory
Belligerents
Portuguese Empire	Dutch Republic  Dutch East India Company
Commanders and leaders
Martim de Castro	Cornelis de Jonge
Strength
20 ships	11 ships
Casualties and losses
2 ships lost 500 dead	2 ships lost 150 dead, many wounded

The Battle of Cape Rachado, off Cape Rachado in 1606, was an important naval engagement between the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and Portuguese Navy.

It marked the beginning of a conflict between the combined Dutch-Johor forces against the Portuguese. It was the biggest naval battle in the Malay Archipelago between two naval superpowers of the time with 31 ships (11 VOC ships and 20 Portuguese). Although the battle ended with a Portuguese victory, the ferocity of the battle itself and the losses sustained by the victor convinced the Sultanate of Johor to provide supplies, support, and later on much needed ground forces to the Dutch, forcing a Portuguese capitulation. 130 years of Portuguese supremacy in the region ended with the fall of the city and fortress of Malacca, almost 30 years later, in 1641.