THE PORTUGUESE IN THE MOLUCCAS: AMBON

Written by Marco Ramerini

AMBON
Ambon is an island located in the south of the Spice Islands in what is today the Indonesian archipelago.
In the year 1569, the Portuguese Gonçalo Pereira Marramaque erected a wooden fort on the northern coast of the Ambon island. In 1572, the fort was moved to the southern side of the bay. Subsequently, Sancho de Vasconcelos built a temporary fort at Gelala and another at Batumarah, both of wood; and finally built a stone fortress where the town of Ambon is situated today.
The first stone was laid on 25 March 1576 and the fortress was named "Nossa Senhora da Anunciada". In July 1576, the new fortress was inaugurated. Inside the square construction crowned with four towers, one at each corner, there were the captain residence, a meeting room, some storehouses and dwellings for the military officials.
The town was built around the fortress and was divided in several quarters, all inhabited by Christians. The Portuguese town was not walled, only the Jesuits (in Ambon since 1578) had a stone wall around their garden to protect themselves against attacks of enemy villages. Near their residence was the church of "Sant’ Iago" (1581) covered by a thatched roof.
The Jesuits also served in the church of São Tomé (1581). They used their residence in Ambon like a pastoral center for Ambon and the three Lease Islands: Haruku, Saparua, Nusalaut. The Ambon residence was for some years (1575-1578) the center of the Moluccas Jesuit mission.



Along the shore was situated the oldest church of Ambon called "Sao Paulo" a fortress church. Near the southeastern side of the fort were the hospital and the church of "Misericordia". This brotherhood "Confraria da Misericordia" was founded in 1579.
The town of Ambon was besieged many times. Its history is a history of war. In 1591 and in 1593 it was besieged by the Ternatans; in 1598 by the Javanese; in 1600 by the Dutch; finally on 23 February 1605 the Portuguese fortress surrendered to the Dutch.

Ambon (1724-26)


The Portuguese settlements in the Lesser Sunda islands and in the Moluccas (1500-1600)
Ambon: The Portuguese in the Moluccas, Indonesia