https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Valby_Expedition_of_January_1644Valby Expedition of January 1644 - Revision history2026-07-31T07:24:17ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Valby_Expedition_of_January_1644&diff=543429&oldid=prevKellyePoindexter: done!2025-07-26T11:31:34Z<p>done!</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1644 Danish privateering expedition in the Bay of Bengal}}<br />
{{Infobox military conflict<br />
| conflict = ''Valby'' Expedition of January 1644<br />
| place = [[Bay of Bengal]]<br />
| partof = [[Dano-Mughal War]]<br />
| image_size = 290px<br />
| image = A Pulwar (Cropped).png<br />
| caption = A Bengali vessel, by [[Frans Balthazar Solvyns]]<br />
| date = January 1644<br />
| result = Danish victory<br />
| combatant1 = {{flag|Danish India}}<br />
| combatant2 = [[File:Bengal subah flag (Nautical).svg|23px]] [[Bengal Subah]]<br />
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Danish India}} [[Willem Leyel]]<br />
| commander2 = [[File:Bengal subah flag (Nautical).svg|23px]] Abdul Gany{{POW}}<br />
| units1 = {{flagicon|Danish India}} ''Valby''{{efn|Also spelled ''Valdebye''}}<br />
| units2 = [[File:Bengal subah flag (Nautical).svg|23px]] Unknown<br />
| strength1 = 1 ship<br />
| strength2 = 1 ship<br />7 men<br/>34 slaves<br />
| casualties1 = None<br />
| casualties2 = 7 imprisoned<br />
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Dano-Mughal War}}<br />
}}<br />
<br />
{{Italic title|string=Valby}}The '''''Valby'' Expedition of January 1644''' ({{Langx|da|Valbys ekspedition af Januar 1644}}), also sometimes spelled '''''Valdebye''''', was a Danish [[privateering]] expedition against [[Bengalis|Bengali]] merchants in the [[Bay of Bengal]] in January 1644.It is one of the first expedition that penetrated Bengal. The expedition was led by the [[Governor of Danish India]], [[Willem Leyel]], and executed by the sloop ''Valby''. Leyel managed to seize a Bengali vessel, which included 34 slaves and seemingly converted them to [[Christianity]].<br />
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== Background ==<br />
Because of previous cargo losses, the [[Danish East India Company]] declared war on the [[Mughal Empire]] in 1642 and began conducting a series of private ventures against Bengali merchants.{{Sfn|Wellen|2015}} These expeditions would continue for a couple of years and proved useful for sustaining the Company's finances.{{Sfn|Wellen|2015|p=450}}<br />
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== Expedition ==<br />
In January 1644, after returning from a privateering venture, the ''Valby'' was sent on another expedition by Governor [[Willem Leyel]].{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=95}}{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|1999|p=98}} The new expedition brought a [[Prize (law)|prize]] with a load of Bengali [[linen]], pepper, a small amount of [[ambergris]] and some Chinese silk.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=95}} The captain of the vessel, Abdul Gany, and six other Moorish merchants were subsequently imprisoned.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|1999|p=98}} Additionally, 34 slaves were on board, most of which being children. All were carefully registered by the Danes and presumably baptized with Christian names.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=96}}{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|1999|p=99}}<br />
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== Aftermath ==<br />
The slaves were presumably sold according to [[oral tradition]], however, the consequences for Gany and the likely Muslim Moorish merchants are unknown.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|1999|p=99}} Possibilities includes being sold or held to ransom.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=96}}{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|1999|p=99}}<br />
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== Notes ==<br />
{{Notelist}}<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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== Works cited ==<br />
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* {{Cite book |last=Bredsdorff |first=Asta |url= |title=The Trials and Travels of Willem Leyel |publisher=[[Museum Tusculanum Press]] |year=2009 |isbn=9788763530231 |edition= |location=Copenhagen}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Wellen |first=Kathryn |url=https://www.kitlv.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Mughal.pdf |title=The Danish East India Company's War against the Mughal Empire, 1642-1698 |publisher=Royal Netherlands Institute for Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies |year=2015 |isbn= |edition= |location=}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Bredsdorff |first=Asta |url=https://slaegtsbibliotek.dk/928692.pdf |title=Søhistoriske Skrifter |publisher=Handels- og Søfartsmuseet Kronborg |year=1999 |isbn= |edition= |volume=XXI |location=Copenhagen |language=Danish}}<br />
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[[Category:Bay of Bengal]]<br />
[[Category:Naval battles involving Denmark–Norway]]<br />
[[Category:1640s in Danish India]]<br />
[[Category:1644 in India]]<br />
[[Category:Military history of the Indian Ocean]]<br />
[[Category:Bengal Subah]]<br />
[[Category:Naval history of India]]</div>KellyePoindexter