Editing Stamford Raffles (section)

===British invasion of Java===
{{Unreferenced section|date=March 2021}}
His knowledge of the [[Malay language]], as well as his wit and ability, gained him favour with [[Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Earl of Minto|Lord Minto]], the [[governor-general of India]], and he was sent to [[Malacca]].

In 1811, after the annexation of the [[Kingdom of Holland]] by France during Napoleon's war, Raffles had no choice but to leave the country. He mounted [[Invasion of Java (1811)|a military expedition]] against the Dutch and French in [[Java]], in the [[Dutch East Indies]]. The war was swiftly conducted by Admiral [[Robert Stopford (Royal Navy officer)|Robert Stopford]], General [[Frederick Augustus Wetherall]], and Colonel [[Robert Rollo Gillespie]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hannigan |first=Tim |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ncqJAAAAQBAJ |title=Raffles and the British Invasion of Java |date=1 November 2012 |publisher=Monsoon Books |isbn=978-981-4358-86-6 |language=en}}</ref> who led a well-organised army against an opposing army of mostly French [[conscript]]s with little proper leadership.

The previous Dutch governor, [[Herman Willem Daendels]], had built a well-defended fortification at [[Meester Cornelis]], now [[Jatinegara]]. His successor, Governor [[Jan Willem Janssens]], who coincidentally had surrendered to the British five years earlier at the [[Cape Colony]], mounted a brave but ultimately futile defence at the fortress. The British, led by Colonel Gillespie, stormed the fort and captured it within three hours. Governor Janssens attempted to escape inland but was captured.

The British invasion of Java took a total of 45 days, during which Raffles was appointed the [[lieutenant-governor of the Dutch East Indies]] by Lord Minto before hostilities formally ceased. He took his residence at [[Buitenzorg]], and despite having a small group of Britons as his senior staff, kept many of the Dutch civil servants in the governmental structure.