Founding of Penang History of Penang

fort cornwallis, in heart of george town, constructed @ spot francis light first set foot on penang island.



a bronze statue of francis light still stands within fort cornwallis day.



george town named after king george iii, ruled british empire between 1760 , 1801.

aware of situation, light formed friendly relations sultan of kedah, sultan abdullah mukarram shah, , promised british military protection. part of promises, light assisted in quelling of bugis revolt recapturing bugis-held fort sultan. sultan reciprocated offering penang island light. light subsequently wrote superiors regarding offer, arguing penang island convenient magazine trade , strategic location allow the british to check dutch , french territorial gains in southeast asia. made case that, other ports in region, such aceh , phuket, riddled piracy , despotic governments, british east india company seize opportunity establish tranquil harbour on penang island conducive free trade, noting if malay, bugis , chinese come reside here, become exchange of east if not loaded impositions , restrictions .

however, nothing transpired until 1786, when point british fighting thirteen american colonies, backed france , netherlands. faced dutch dominance of east indies (now indonesia) , growing french threat, light, had risen rank of captain, ordered acquire penang island kedah. british east india company sought control of penang island royal navy base , trading post between china , indian subcontinent.

light negotiated sultan abdullah regarding cession of penang island british east india company in exchange british military assistance , lease of 6,000 spanish dollars cancel kedah s debts siam. agreement between light , kedah sultan concluded, light , entourage sailed on penang island, arrived on 17 july 1786. fort cornwallis later built @ spot light first set foot.

the area light first landed mangrove swamp covered in thick jungle; expedite clearing of vegetation, light ordered vessels fire silver coins forests. once enough land cleared, creating esplanade, ceremony held on 11 august, during union jack raised first time. signified formal possession of penang island british east india company in name of king george iii. island renamed prince of wales island after heir british throne, while new settlement of george town established in honour of king george iii. thus, george town became first british settlement in southeast asia , springboard future british territorial expansion in region, while establishment british east india company marked start of period of british imperialism in malay peninsula.

british acquisition , expansion of penang (in yellow) occurred between 1786 , 1874, when final alterations penang s boundaries came effect.

unbeknownst kedah sultan, however, light had acted without authority or consent of superiors in india. when light reneged on promise of british military protection against siam, kedah sultan in 1791 assembled army in seberang perai retake prince of wales island. sultan s force assisted fleet of pirates. fortunately light, garrison on island reinforced 2 companies calcutta. after failing persuade sultan disband forces, british east india company launched amphibious assaults @ night, destroying kedah s military installations in perai, , defeating both pirates , sultan s army.

in 1800, first lieutenant-governor of prince of wales island, sir george leith, gained 189.3 km (73.1 sq mi) strip of seberang perai kedah sultan , renamed province wellesley. newly acquired land covered area south of perai river, turning river international border between british-controlled province wellesley , kedah. @ time, province wellesley heavily forested , sparsely populated, total population of 5,000. in exchange acquisition, annual payment kedah sultan increased 10,000 spanish dollars per annum. day, malaysian federal government still pays kedah, on behalf of penang, rm10,000 annually symbolic gesture.

francis light s grave in old protestant cemetery in george town.

following original acquisition in 1800, province wellesley gradually expanded present-day boundaries in 1874, when pangkor treaty, included delineation of province wellesley s southern borders, signed between british , neighbouring sultanate of perak.

light died malaria in 1794 , buried within old protestant cemetery @ northam road in george town. day, light honoured founding father of penang.