https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Siege_of_Tranquebar_%281699%29Siege of Tranquebar (1699) - Revision history2026-11-01T21:12:18ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Siege_of_Tranquebar_(1699)&diff=535768&oldid=prevRamonTietjen8 at 08:23, 26 October 20252025-10-26T08:23:18Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1699 siege of a European colony in India}}<br />
{{About|This page is about the siege of Tranquebar in 1699|other uses|Siege of Dansborg (disambiguation)}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2025}}<br />
{{Infobox military conflict<br />
| conflict = Siege of Tranquebar<br />
| place = [[Tranquebar]], [[Danish India]]<br />(present-day [[India]])<br />
| image = Tranquebar Map 1798.png<br />
| caption = Map of fortified Tranquebar drawn by Governor [[Peter Anker]], 1798<br />
| date = 1699<br />
| coordinates = {{coord|11|1|45|N|79|50|58|E|display=inline,title}}<br />
| result = Anglo-Danish victory<br />
| territory = Thanjavurian army retreats from Tranquebar<br />
| combatant1 = {{Flag|Danish India}}<br />{{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg|23px}} [[East India Company|English India]]<br />
| combatant2 = [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom|Thanjavur Maratha]]<br />'''Supported by:'''<br />{{Flagicon|VOC}} [[Dutch India]]{{Sfn|Anson|1745|p=13}}<br />
| commander1 = {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Claus Vogdt]]<br />{{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg|23px}} [[Thomas Pitt]]<br />{{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg|23px}} {{abbr|Unk.|Unknown}} captain{{WIA}}<br />
| image_size = 300<br />
| commander2 = [[Shahuji I]]<br />
| units2 = Whole army<br />
| units1 = {{Flagicon|Danish India}} Dansborg garrison<br />{{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg|23px}} English relief force<br />
| strength1 = +200 men<br />
| strength2 = 20,000–30,000 men<br />
| casualties1 = <66 <small>(during sortie)</small>{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=200}}<br />
| casualties2 = Heavy<br />
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Danish colonial conflicts}}<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The '''siege of Tranquebar''' ({{Langx|da|Belejringen af Tranquebar}}) was a siege of the [[Danish colony]] of [[Tranquebar]] by [[Shahuji I]] of the [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom]] in 1699. Despite the dire situation of the besieged Danes, the [[Madras Presidency|English at Madras]] came to relieve the Danes, and the Thanjavurians would eventually retreat.<br />
<br />
== Background ==<br />
[[Tranquebar]] as a [[Danish colony]] was established in 1620, as a result of [[Tranquebar Treaty of 1620|a treaty]] between [[Christian IV of Denmark]] and [[Raghunatha Nayak|Raghunatha Nayak of Thanjavur]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Navneforskning |first=Afdeling for |date=2021-05-03 |title=Tranquebar – Danmarks første tropekoloni og dens navne |url=https://navn.ku.dk/maanedens_navn/tranquebar/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=navn.ku.dk |language=da}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-28 |title=Christian IV drømte om guld og krydderier fra Indien: Sådan blev Tranquebar en dansk koloni |url=https://videnskab.dk/kultur-samfund/christian-iv-droemte-om-guld-og-krydderier-fra-indien-saadan-blev-tranquebar-en-dansk-koloni/ |access-date=2024-07-06 |website=videnskab.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref> One of the stipulations of the treaty obligated the Danes to give an annual tribute to the Thanjavurian Nayak,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Traktaten og rejsen - www.foreningen-trankebar.dk |url=http://www.foreningen-trankebar.dk/145955965 |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=123hjemmeside.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref> however, because of the nearly constant dire situation of the [[Danish East India Company]], the Danes could frequently not pay off the tribute. This would lead to a series of conflicts between the aforementioned two, and [[Fort Dansborg]] was at risk of conquest numerous times.{{Efn|See [[Siege of Dansborg (1624)]], [[Siege of Dansborg (1644)]] and [[Sieges of Tranquebar (1655–1669)]]}}<br />
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In 1699, the Danes were again on bad terms with the Indian Nayak, and the Nayak sought to resolve this by ousting the Danes from Tranquebar.{{Sfn|Milburn|1813|p=367}}<br />
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== Siege ==<br />
The Nayak's forces numbered between 20 and 30,000 men,{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=199}}{{Sfn|Milburn|1813|p=367}}{{Sfn|Buckingham|1829|p=375}} 1,000 of which were [[cavalry]],{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=199}} and is said to have consisted of the Nayak's whole force.{{Sfn|Anson|1745|p=13}} The Indians began digging entrenchments a mile from the town,{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=199}} and with hard labour they brought their trenches a mile down and were within pistol-shot from the walls.{{Sfn|Buckingham|1829|p=375}}{{Sfn|Milburn|1813|p=367}}{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=199}} Concurrently, the Indians had shelled Tranquebar, in which they nearly demolished one of the [[bastion]]s, and were thus ready to launch an assault on the town.{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=199}} This was when the Danish governor,{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=199}} [[Claus Vogdt]], would ask the [[Madras Presidency|English at Madras]] for assistance,{{Sfn|Milburn|1813|p=367}} which was readily granted, and English forces was subsequently sent.{{Sfn|Milburn|1813|p=367}}{{Sfn|Buckingham|1829|p=375}}<br />
<br />
The Danish morale by now was low, and they considered retreating from the town into [[Fort Dansborg]].{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=199}} However, at this critical moment, English reinforcements arrived and a sortie by 200 Black men was immediately carried out.{{Sfn|Buckingham|1829|p=375}}{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=199}} Despite initial difficulties, the sorties were successful, and the Indian army retreated from its trenches.{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=|pp=199–200}}<br />
<br />
== Aftermath ==<br />
Subsequently, the Danes and Thanjavurians concluded a treaty about six months after the arrival of English reinforcements.{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=200}} Notably, the [[Mughal Emperor]] never intermeddled in the matter, despite the [[Thanjavur Maratha kingdom]] being his tributary.{{Sfn|Salmon|1759|p=200}} Tranquebar would endure another siege by the Nayak in 1718, however, he would be unable to make any impression,{{Sfn|Buckingham|1829|p=375|pp=}}{{Sfn|Milburn|1813|p=367}} and Tranquebar would subsequently never be disturbed by the Nayak again.{{Sfn|Buckingham|1829|pp=375–376}}<br />
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== See also ==<br />
* {{Annotated link|Siege of Madras}}<br />
* {{Annotated link|British occupation of Serampore (1763)}}<br />
* {{Annotated link|Peter Anker}}<br />
* {{Annotated link|Conquest of Koneswaram Temple}}<br />
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== Notes ==<br />
{{Note list}}<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
<br />
== Works cited ==<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Milburn |first=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ee84AQAAMAAJ&dq=Tranquebar+siege+%221699%22&pg=PA367 |title=Oriental Commerce |publisher=author and published |year=1813 |language=en}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Anson |first=George baron |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yQEIAAAAQAAJ&dq=Tranquebar+siege+%221699%22&pg=RA1-PA13 |title=A voyage to the South-seas, and to many other parts of the world, from 1740 to 1744, by an officer of the fleet [R. Walter, revised by B. Robins]. |publisher=Oxford University |year=1745 |language=en}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Salmon |first=Thomas |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KbM-AAAAcAAJ&dq=Tranquebar+siege+%221699%22&pg=PA199 |title=The Universal Traveller Or a Compleat Description of the Several Foreign Nations of the World |publisher=Richard Baldwin at the Rose in Pater-Noster-Row |year=1759 |language=en}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Buckingham |first=James Silk |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DfQaAAAAYAAJ&dq=tranquebar+siege+%221699%22&pg=PA375 |title=The Oriental Herald |year=1829 |language=en}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Tranquebar 1699}}<br />
[[Category:1699 in Asia]]<br />
[[Category:1699 in Denmark]]<br />
[[Category:Tranquebar]]<br />
[[Category:Sieges involving Denmark–Norway]]<br />
[[Category:Conflicts in 1699]]<br />
[[Category:1690s in Danish India]]<br />
[[Category:1690s in India]]<br />
[[Category:17th century in Danish India]]<br />
[[Category:Battles involving the Danish East India Company]]<br />
[[Category:Sieges involving the British East India Company]]<br />
[[Category:Sieges involving the Maratha Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Thanjavur Maratha kingdom]]<br />
[[Category:Battles involving the Dutch East India Company]]<br />
[[Category:Sieges involving the Dutch Republic]]<br />
[[Category:Attacks on military installations in India]]<br />
[[Category:Bombing operations and battles]]</div>RamonTietjen8