The Dutch East India Company made multiple attempts to gain control over the East Indies, particularly Malacca, from the Portuguese. From 1606 to 1627, the Dutch made several unsuccessful attempts, with Cornelis Matelief and Pieter Willemsz Verhoeff among those leading failed sieges. By 1639, the Dutch had amassed a sizable force in Batavia and formed alliances with local rulers, including Aceh and Johor. The planned expedition to Malacca faced delays due to conflicts in Ceylon and tensions between Aceh and Johor. Despite the setbacks, by May 1640, they resolved to capture Malacca, with Sergeant Major Adriaen Antonisz leading the expedition after the death of previous commander, Cornelis Symonz van der Veer.

The siege of Malacca began on 3 August 1640 when the Dutch, along with their allies, landed near the heavily fortified Portuguese citadel. Despite the stronghold's defenses, which included walls 32-feet-high and over a hundred guns, the Dutch and their allies managed to drive the Portuguese back, establish positions, and maintain the siege. Over the next few months, the Dutch faced challenges such as the deaths of several commanders, including Adriaen Antonisz, Jacob Cooper, and Pieter van den Broeke. However, their resolve remained firm, and on 14 January 1641, under the leadership of Sergeant Major Johannes Lamotius, they successfully seized the citadel. The Dutch reported a loss of just under a thousand troops, while the Portuguese claimed a much larger casualty count.

In the aftermath of the siege, the Dutch took control of Malacca, but their focus remained on their primary colony, Batavia. The Portuguese prisoners captured faced disappointment and fear for their diminished influence in the East Indies. While some wealthier Portuguese were permitted to leave with their assets, rumors of the Dutch betraying and killing the Portuguese governor were debunked by reports of his natural death from illness. The Sultan of Aceh, Iskandar Thani, who had opposed the inclusion of Johor in the invasion, died under mysterious circumstances in January. Although Johor played a part in the conquest, they did not seek administrative roles in Malacca, leaving it under Dutch control. The city would later be traded to the British in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 in exchange for British Bencoolen.