| The Dutch first landed in Ceylon in 1602, then under Portuguese control, and by 1658 had completely ousted the Portuguese from the island. The Portuguese had ruled the coastline though not the interior of the island from 1505 to 1658. Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims had all suffered religious persecution under Portuguese rule; the Dutch proved more interested in trade than in religious converts. Ceylon remained a very large Dutch trading post until it was seized by the British in 1796. Ceylon's importance came from it being a half-way point between their settlements in Indonesia and South Africa. Dutch Empire |  |