History of Con Dao Island up to 1705

Abstract

Con Dao Island has been mentioned in a considerable number of both Eastern and Western historical records. During its early times, there was no evidence of human inhabitance, but by the mid-17th century, Cochinchinese were said to be owners of the island. Detailed records of Captain William Dampier in 1687 in particular, indicated that the Cochinchinese were the island’s real owners who had organized settlement, exploited resources, and cultivated on the island. In 1698, the Nguyen Lord of Cochinchina established Gia Dinh prefecture with two commanderies of Tran Bien and Phien Tran. Con Dao was attached to the Tran Bien unit. In 1702, the British arbitrarily established a settlement in Con Dao with European employees, Maccasar soldiers and slaves – who were also living together with Cochinchinese villagers. By 1705, these Maccasars had rebelled, perhaps with supports of the local, resulted in the complete destruction of the British settlement and Con Dao was again under the sovereignty of the Nguyen Cochinchina.