https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Willem_Leyel%27s_war_on_GolcondaWillem Leyel's war on Golconda - Revision history2026-08-21T08:38:04ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Willem_Leyel%27s_war_on_Golconda&diff=545747&oldid=prevStevieJ461261267 at 05:19, 29 April 20252025-04-29T05:19:18Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|1640s minor war in India}}<br />
{{Infobox military conflict<br />
| conflict = Willem Leyel's war on Golconda<br />
| place = [[Coromandel Coast]]<br />
| image = Elephant Hunt Danish India.png<br />
| image_size = 300<br />
| caption = Elephant hunt in Danish Tranquebar, presumably early 19th century.<br />
| date = {{circa|1645}}<br />
| territory = ''[[Status quo ante bellum]]''<br />
| result = Inconclusive<br />
| combatant1 = {{Flag|Danish India}}<br />
| combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Qutbshahi Flag.svg}} [[Golconda Sultanate]]<br />
| commander1 = {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Willem Leyel]]<br />
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Qutbshahi Flag.svg}} [[Abdullah Qutb Shah|Abdullah Qutb]]<br />
| units2 = {{flagicon image|Qutbshahi Flag.svg}} Unknown<br />
| units1 = {{Flagicon|Danish India}} ''Christianshavn''<br />
| casualties2 = Some ships<br />
| casualties1 = Negligible<br />
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Danish colonial conflicts}}<br />
| strength1 = {{abbr|Ukn.|Unknown}} amount of ships<br />
| strength2 = Ukn. amount of ships<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Willem Leyel's war on Golconda''' ({{Langx|da|Willem Leyels krig mod Golconda}}), or simply the '''Dano-Golconda War''' ({{Langx|da|Dansk-Golcondanske Krig|links=no}}), was a brief [[privateering]] war between [[Sultanate of Golkonda]] and the [[Danish East India Company]] led by [[Willem Leyel]]. The hostilities quickly resulted in a [[peace treaty]] and the two parties would soon reconcile.<br />
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== Background ==<br />
{{See also|Loss of the St. Jacob}}<br />
During [[Bernt Pessart|Bernt Pessart's]] time as [[Opperhoofd|''overhoved'']] of [[Danish India]], [[Masulipatnam]] was the centre of the cotton trade and Pessart would rather prefer residing in Masulipatnam than [[Tranquebar]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=B. Pessart |url=https://foreningen-trankebar.dk/45933983/91231373 |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=foreningen-trankebar.dk}}</ref> Masulipatnam was originally an unimportant fishing village located in the [[Sultanate of Golconda]], however, in the [[17th century]] its commercial importance began to grow, and the Danes established a [[Factory (trading post)|factory]] there.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=14}}<br />
[[File:Masulipatam_mg_8557.jpg|left|thumb|220x220px|View of Masulipatam in 1676. [[Roland Crappé]] ({{Abbr|admin.|Administration}} 1621–1636) made Masulipatam the centre for the company's trade, and Bernt Pessart additionally made it the official headquarters.]]<br />
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== Prelude ==<br />
Initially, the relations with the local sultan remained stable, and he had been eager to acquire [[clove]]s from [[Danish East India Company|the Danish Company]].{{Sfn|Wirta|2018|p=78}} However, as the company's finances suffered, the relations would deteriorate. By 1638, Pessart's debts in the trading town amounted to 35,000 [[Pagoda (coin)|pagodas]].{{Sfn|Sethuraman|2016|p=474}} In 1639 Dutch, English, and Danish agents in Masulipatnam had been ordered to present the sultan with a gift of 600,000 pagodas.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=73}} When the Danes could not deliver this, their trading post was ransacked.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=74}} In 1640, the [[Loss of the St. Jacob|''St. Jacob'' wrecked off Masulipatnam]]. It was a serious blow to the company, and led Pessart's creditors to demand his imprisonment.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=75}}<br />
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Because of the financial situation, [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]] sent Captain [[Willem Leyel]] to [[Dansborg]] to investigate the company's affairs.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1639 - 55 - www.foreningen-trankebar.dk |url=http://www.foreningen-trankebar.dk/402582377 |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=123hjemmeside.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref> When Leyel arrived he assumed Pessart's leadership, however, the conditions in Masulipatnam was still at place.{{Sfn|Bredsdorff|2009|p=91}}<br />
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== War ==<br />
The disordered state of affairs with regard to trade with the Sultanate of Golconda continued,{{Sfn|Sethuraman|2016|p=474}} and Leyel was finally forced to declare war on Golconda.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Den danske tropekoloni i Trankebar |url=https://www.aerenlund.dk/historie/trankebar.html |access-date=2024-07-10 |website=www.aerenlund.dk}}</ref>{{Sfn|Sethuraman|2016|p=474}} Leyel initiated a blockade of Masulipatnam,{{Sfn|Sethuraman|2016|p=474}} the biggest trading town in the Sultanate, and launched privateering ventures to the [[Coromandel Coast]].<ref name=":0" />{{Sfn|Sethuraman|2016|p=474}} These ventures eventually led to the capture and seizure of a couple of Golcondian ships.<ref name=":0" /> As a result, Leyel and the Golcondian sultan, [[Abdullah Qutb Shah]], would agree to a [[Peace treaty|peaceful settlement]].<ref name=":0" />{{Sfn|Sethuraman|2016|p=474}}<br />
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== Aftermath ==<br />
{{Further|Tranquebar Rebellion}}<br />
This peace settlement put an end to the lucrative market, in which the Danish officers had been involved, and it may be assumed that this settlement caused a mutiny in Tranquebar in 1648.<ref name=":0" /><br />
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== See also ==<br />
* {{Annotated link|Dano-Mughal War}}<br />
* {{Annotated link|Bernt Pessart}}<br />
* {{Annotated link|Golconda diamonds mining and trading}}<br />
* {{Annotated link|Dano-Mughal Treaty}}<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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== Works cited ==<br />
* {{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=Sethuraman |first=N. |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358783029 |title=The Danish East India Company From Establishment To The Epilogue (1616 – 1729) - A Historical Perspective |publisher=Tamil Nadu History Congress Proceedings |year=2016 |isbn= |edition= |location=[[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] |language= |trans-title=}}<br />
* {{Cite book |last=Wirta |first=K.H. |url=https://scholarlypublications.universiteitleiden.nl/access/item%3A2975216/view |title=Dark horses of business : overseas entrepreneurship in seventeenthcentury Nordic trade in the Indian and Atlantic oceans |publisher=Universiteit Leiden |year=2018 |isbn= |edition= |location=}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Capture of Tranquebar}}<br />
[[Category:1640s in Danish India]]<br />
[[Category:1640s in Denmark]]<br />
[[Category:Battles involving the Deccan sultanates|Danish India]]<br />
[[Category:1640s in India]]<br />
[[Category:Wars involving Denmark–Norway]]<br />
[[Category:Battles involving the Danish East India Company|Golconda]]<br />
[[Category:Sultanate of Golconda]]<br />
[[Category:Military history of the Indian Ocean]]</div>StevieJ461261267