Gerard Pietersz Hulft (12 December 1621 in Amsterdam – 10 April 1656 in Colombo), was a Dutch general. In 1655 he was sent with a fleet toCeylon and died in action.
Hulft was born as the youngest son of the brewer Pieter Hulft, and member of theCivic Guard at theLastage, a neighborhood near the port ofAmsterdam. After concluding his law studies Gerard Hulft was made Secretary to theCity Council in 1645, a position he held until 1653.[1] He served underJohan Huydecoper van Maarsseveen, andCornelis de Graeff. In 1652, a merchant vessel in which he had invested a fortune, was captured by the British. In the ensuing war Hulft hired and kept at his own expense a group of 24 sailors. After the war he lost his job as Secretary due to an administrative conflict with theburgomasters, when he refused to change the wording.[2] He seemed to have been a friend ofGovert Flinck, who painted his portrait before his departure to the East.[2]
Enlisting with theVOC, where his brother Joan was a governor, he left forBatavia in April 1654, carrying letters nominating him either as Governor-General or Director-General of the Indies. Upon his arrival in Batavia in October, after a six-month journey, he joined the Council of Indies. In August 1655 the shrewdJoan Maetsuycker sent him with eleven ships and 1120 soldiers toCeylon.[3] His mission was to crush the Portuguese utterly.[4] Hulft arrived in mid-September inNegombo. During his staying in Ceylon he maintained cordial relations withRajasinghe II of Sri Lanka, the most powerful king of the island.[5]
Hulft marched from Maggona and fought the Portuguese in the vicinity of thePanadura Moya Kata.[6] The Dutch took the fort ofKalutara by surprise and laid siege to the city ofColombo, in October 1655.[7][8] On their first attack on 12 November, the Dutch lost 300 people, and 350 were seriously wounded. Half a year later Hulft died in action, being hit from the townwall by anarquebus in his right shoulder. This happened a month before the surrender of Colombo and two weeks after his visit to the Royal Palace, as described by the Dutch minister and orientalistPhilippus Baldaeus.[9] His corpse was decorated with flowers and fruits and transported toGalle.[10] HisensignPieter de Bitter brought the news to Batavia.[citation needed]
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