The city of Malacca, a crucial trading port in Southeast Asia, fell to the Dutch East India Company on 14 January 1641 after a fierce and prolonged siege.
This victory marked a significant milestone in the Dutch expansion in the region, as they wrested control from the Portuguese, who had held the city for over a century.
The conquest, however, came at a heavy human cost, with an estimated 7,000 lives lost in the conflict.
This event not only shifted the balance of power in the region but also solidified the Dutch's dominant presence in the lucrative spice trade network.
