The Rise and Fall of a Forgotten Colony: Dutch Angola, 1641–1648

Abstract The conquest of Luanda by Dutch forces in 1641 marked the beginning of seven years of Dutch West India Company ( WIC ) rule over parts of Angola. In the historiography, this period is often treated as an interlude that only warrants mention because it ushered in a new phase of Portuguese domination. At the same time, the Company colony of Angola is usually labelled as a natural outgrowth of Dutch activities in Brazil, meriting little scholarly attention. By examining the reasons behind the WIC ’s decision to capture Luanda and looking into the causes of the fall of Dutch Angola, this article will provide a long-overdue account of the history of this neglected territory and demonstrate the shortcomings of traditional explanations of the colony’s demise. As it turns out, local colonial mismanagement was at the root of Angola’s failure.