| Attack in Hughli | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Dano-Mughal War | |||||||
 A View of Chinsura, the Dutch settlement in Bengal | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Danish India | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Unknown |
 Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
6500 men Multiple ships | 2 ships | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 1500 dead[a] | 2 ships destroyed | ||||||
The Attack in Hooghly (Danish; Angrebet i Hooghly) was a Danish attack on two Bengali ships during the Dano-Mughal War in 1671. The Danes succeded in blowing up the Bengali ships, and violence continued off the coasts of Kalingapatnam and Balasore.
Background edit
In 1642 the Danish East India Company declared war on the Mughal Empire.[1][2] Because of the Dano-Swedish Wars Denmark did not have the means to send any ships to Danish India, and relations were subsequently cut.[3] Relations with Denmark were reestablished in 1669 together with a new Danish East India Company.[4] At this point the war against Bengal was approved by the Danish government, yet urged the Danes in India to sue for peace if advantageous.[4][5]
In 1672 king Christian V of Denmark (r 1670-1699) requested compensation for the losses of Danish vessels, though this request was never fulfilled by the Mughals.[4] This, along with other factors, made the Danes increasingly brazen, and the Danes even attacked Bengal itself in 1671.[4]
Expedition to Bengal edit
In 1672 a Danish force of 6500 men were brought to Hooghly.[6] 1500 of the men was lost due to the sinking of a barge on the Ganges River.[6] The Danish East India Company sold most of their goods to two local Bengali merchants; Rangsordas and Sonderdas.[6] They sold their goods to them as a compromise not to trade with others for the next couple of months.[6] At Hooghly the Danes noticed two Bengali ships, which were returning from a voyage to Ceylon.[6] The ships were driven towards land near Hooghly, and the Danes subsequently blew the Bengali vessels up.[6][4]
Aftermath edit
The renewed violence continued during the following years.[4] In 1673 the Danes took a large Bengali ship of 170 cargoes near Balasore, and transported it to Tranquebar. This also happened to another ship which was carrying Maldivian cowries the same year.[4][7]
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ Lost due to the sinking of a barge on the Ganges River
References edit
- ^ Wellen 2015, p. 448.
- ^ Videnskab 2018.
- ^ Bredsdorff 2009, p. 129.
- ^ a b c d e f g Wellen 2015, p. 457.
- ^ Andersen 1669.
- ^ a b c d e f Coolhaas 2007, p. 764.
- ^ Coolhaas 2007, p. 907.
Book sources edit
- Wellen, Kathryn (2015). The Danish East India Company's War against the Mughal Empire, 1642-1698 (PDF). Royal Netherlands Institute for Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies.
- Coolhaas, Ed (2007). Generale missiven van gouverneurs-generaal en raden aan heren XVII (in Dutch). Vol. III. pp. 763–764.
- Bredsdorff, Asta (2009). The Trials and Travels of Willem Leyel. Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 9788763530231.
- Andersen, Eskil (1669). Ostindiske sager (1668 - 1699). Copenhagen: Danske Kancelli.
Websites edit
- Videnskab (2018). Serampore var en glemt dansk koloni – mens den var koloni (in Danish). Videnskab.dk.