The Dutch seized control of Malacca from the Portuguese in 1641. While Batavia remained the centre of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) operations, Malacca remained important for trade in the Malay world, and for guarding the straits to secure Dutch dominance in the region. This manuscript map on vellum is attributed to Abraham de Wind, Captain of the Malacca Burghers in the mid-18th century. De Wind, a Dutch burgher who was born in Malacca, laid the foundation stone for the church now known as Christ Church, built in commemoration of the centenary of the capture of Malacca from the Portuguese.
