Treaty of Batticaloa
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Batticaloa (or the Hanguranketha Treaty) was signed on February 14, 1766 between Dutch
governor Wilhelm Falk and King Keerthisiri Rajasinghe of Kandy
. In Colombo
, Dumbararala led five emissaries to negotiate the terms of the treaty. Eventually, twenty-five clauses were established in the agreement.
, Matara
, Kalpitiya, Galle
, Trincomalee
, Mannar
, and Batticaloa
. The Dutch also imposed their imperial authority on the coastlines of Sri Lanka
whereby their influence would be recognized by the king four miles from the coast into the countryside. The Kingdom of Kandy was also forbidden to engage in relations with foreign traders, as well as establish agreements with foreign nations against the Dutch Empire
. The Dutch would govern the kingdom's cinnamon peeling industry. King Rajasinghe attempted to convince the Dutch imperial government to make alterations to the treaty. He unfortunately failed to make any amendments or changes to the treaty.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
governor Wilhelm Falk and King Keerthisiri Rajasinghe of Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
. In Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Dumbararala led five emissaries to negotiate the terms of the treaty. Eventually, twenty-five clauses were established in the agreement.
Terms
Based on the terms of the treaty, King Rajasinghe was forced to pay ten million florins to the Dutch in reparations. The king also had to acknowledge Dutch imperial possessions in ColomboColombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Matara
Matara, Sri Lanka
Matara is a city on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, 160 km from Colombo. It is one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. It was deeply affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004.-History:...
, Kalpitiya, Galle
Galle
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
, Trincomalee
Trincomalee
Trincomalee is a port city in Eastern Province, Sri Lanka and lies on the east coast of the island, about 113 miles south of Jaffna. It has a population of approximately 100,000 . The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Overlooking the Kottiyar Bay,...
, Mannar
Mannar, Sri Lanka
Mannar , formerly spelled Manar, is the capital of Mannar District, Sri Lanka. It is located on Mannar Island.Mannar is known for its baobab trees and for its fort, built by the Portuguese in 1560 and taken by the Dutch in 1658 and rebuilt; its ramparts and bastions are intact, though the interior...
, and Batticaloa
Batticaloa
Batticaloa is a city in the Eastern province of Sri Lanka. It is the seat of the Eastern University of Sri Lanka. It is on the east coast, south by south east of Trincomalee, and is situated on an island.-Etymology:...
. The Dutch also imposed their imperial authority on the coastlines of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
whereby their influence would be recognized by the king four miles from the coast into the countryside. The Kingdom of Kandy was also forbidden to engage in relations with foreign traders, as well as establish agreements with foreign nations against the Dutch Empire
Dutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
. The Dutch would govern the kingdom's cinnamon peeling industry. King Rajasinghe attempted to convince the Dutch imperial government to make alterations to the treaty. He unfortunately failed to make any amendments or changes to the treaty.