Portuguese also brought with them Dominican priests and the Catholic faith, which remains to this day as the largest religion. The eastern half of the island was weakly held by the Portuguese, while the western half was the dominion of the Dutch East India.
Portuguese military expansions began in 1642, and though their control over the island was anything but certain, in 1702 they renamed the area Portuguese Timor. The border between the Dutch and Portuguese sides of the island was not solidified until 1916, when The Hague made an official ruling.