Portuguese Malacca

Portuguese Malacca
Malaca Portuguesa (Portuguese)
Melaka Portugis (Malay)
1511–1641
Malacca, shown within modern Malaysia
Malacca, shown within modern Malaysia
Portuguese Malacca in Lendas da India by Gaspar Correia, ca. 1550–1563.
Portuguese Malacca in Lendas da India by Gaspar Correia, ca. 1550–1563.
StatusPortuguese colony
CapitalMalacca Town
Common languages
King of Portugal 
• 1511–1521
Manuel I
• 1640–1641
John IV
Captains-major 
• 1512–1514 (first)
Rui de Brito Patalim
• 1638–1641 (last)
Manuel de Sousa Coutinho
Captains-general 
• 1616–1635 (first)
António Pinto da Fonseca
• 1637–1641 (last)
Luís Martins de Sousa Chichorro
Historical eraAge of Imperialism
• Captured
15 August 1511
14 January 1641
CurrencyPortuguese real
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Malacca Sultanate
Dutch Malacca

Portuguese control of Malacca – a city on the Malay Peninsula – spanned a 130 year period from 1511 to 1641 as a possession of the Portuguese East Indies. It was captured from the Malacca Sultanate as part of Portuguese attempts to gain control of trade in the region. Although multiple attempts to conquer it were repulsed, the city was eventually lost to an alliance of Dutch and regional forces, thus beginning a period of Dutch rule.