It was one of the colonial forts built to control the trade in clove spices, which prior to the eighteenth century were only found in the Maluku Islands.

Its primary function was to dominate a rare coral reef-free landing point, directly in front of the fort.

[3] In November 1511, the Portuguese in Malacca learnt of the location of the Spice Islands in the Moluccas, and sent an expedition led by António de Abreu to find them.

They called Fort of Sao Joao Batista (being founded on June 24, Feast Day of Saint John the Baptist).

Their position was strengthened by a new treaty made in 1570 between Governor of the Moluccas, Lopez de Mesquita, and the Sultan of Ternate, Khairun Jamil.

In 1606 the Spanish settled in Ternate, on the old Portuguese fort of Sao Joao Batista (also called Gamalama where they found their new capital in Moluccas: City of Rosary).

In 1611 Governor of Philippines Juan de Silva commanded a great expedition from Manila to Ternate with the intention of expelling the Dutch from the island.

Finally, the Spanish did not assault the Dutch capital in Ternate (instead of that they decided to start a military campaign on the east coast of Halmahera).

[1] On April 16, 1799, a small group of Tidorese soldiers led by Kaicil Nuku, the nineteenth Sultan of Tidore, attacked Tolukko Fort.