The Treaty of Bongaya ended Gowa's independence, making it a Dutch vassal and expelling all non-Dutch Europeans from Makassar.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- November 18, 1667
- Parties
- Sultanate of Gowa and Dutch East India Company (VOC)
- Gowa's status after treaty
- Reduced to a vassal of the VOC
- European exclusion
- All non-Dutch Europeans banned from Makassar
- Fort seized by Dutch
- Fort Rotterdam (formerly Gowa fort)
- Gowa forts permitted
- Only one fort allowed to remain
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, Sultan Hasanuddin of Gowa launched a military campaign against the Sultanate of Ternate, a Dutch ally. The VOC responded by engaging Gowa's forces and decisively defeating them, leaving Hasanuddin with no option but to negotiate a settlement under unfavorable terms.
On November 18, 1667, Sultan Hasanuddin of Gowa signed the Treaty of Bongaya with VOC representatives. The agreement formally ended Gowa's resistance and set out the terms under which the sultanate would continue to exist, heavily constrained by Dutch authority over the region.
Gowa was rendered a VOC vassal and stripped of its dependencies, which were transferred directly to the Dutch. All non-Dutch Europeans were expelled from Makassar, and the VOC seized the fortress that became Fort Rotterdam, firmly establishing Dutch dominance over the spice trade routes in the region.
Political Outcome
Gowa became a vassal of the VOC; non-Dutch Europeans expelled from Makassar; VOC seized Fort Rotterdam and Gowa's dependencies.
Gowa was an independent sultanate controlling Makassar and regional trade
Gowa reduced to a Dutch vassal; VOC controlled Makassar and its dependencies