MARTHANDA VARMA

THE DUTCH EAST INDIA COMPANY

From the beginning of the 8th century CE, the Northwestern border of our country was exposed to Arab invasion by the Turks. But these wretched invasions did not end there. After the Turks, the Europeans took over the reins of our country at this time, using sea routes. From the 16th century onward, European powers such as the Portuguese, the French, the Spanish, the British, and the Dutch began to establish their industries throughout India.

One by one the Europeans entered India and held fast to the trade market of our country. We all know the East Indian Company of the British Empire founded in 1600 CE

But perhaps the East Indian Company was not the only European empire to set foot on the Indian subcontinent. Two years after the establishment of the British East India Company, the Dutch Republic established the Dutch East Indian Company also known as the Verenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (VOC) to trade with countries in the Far East. The Dutch East India Company became the largest economic power on Earth due to their Monopoly in the Malay Islands. They wanted to grow at all costs and India was the next lottery in their eyes, especially Travancore - the Capital of the Spices in the world.

POLITICAL SITUATION OF KERELA

During the late 18th Century, The present day region of Kerala was divided into several small kingdoms and principalities that did not had good relations amongst them. A time when the scene of one kingdom at war with another was not uncommon, this made Kerala politically unstable from it's roots. This set the stage for foreign invasions. In 1729 Marthanda Varma, at the tender age of 24 years, had ascended the throne of the State of Travancore. At that point, the position of the state of Travancore was haywire. He immediately led the political front by arranging the pieces of chess. He devised a policy of "expansionism" to unite the Malabar coast under one throne. As a result, the young impulsive king of Travancore soon began to invade neighbouring kingdoms. As a result of his prudent ambitions, the kingdoms of Attignal and Venad were captured.

His advancement towards the small kingdoms and states became an instant threat to the economical fantasies of the Dutch, who wanted to gain all of the economical and political power of Malabar.

Along with a threat to power and trade, the Dutch felt hostile towards the little honor that Marthanda Varma gave to the contracts of the small, conquered kingdoms with the Dutch. Adding to their concerns, Marthanda Varma then decided to overthrow the Odanad regime of South. The state of Odanad had signed an agreement with a Dutch company to sell all of their Pepper to them. In addition, the friendly relations between Marthanda Varma and the Dutch rivals, British had gave the Dutch a glimpse of the coming storm.

TRIGGER FOR A 'WAR'

Facing the threat from the wise and farsighted king of Travancore, the Dutch Governor of Ceylon, Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff, decided to negotiate and present him with terms and conditions from Amsterdam. The Dutch emperor ordered Varma to suspend his expansion policy.

Marthanda was outraged . He refused to agree to the terms and conditions of the letter. In these conditions, war seemed inevitable. Marthanda even mocked the Dutch by saying “Should the Dutch lose the war I would invade the Netherland and Europe itself one day with my fishing boats”. With this said, eventually all attempts of negotiations came to an end and war became a reality.

BATTLE OF COLACHEL (Final Warcry)

The Dutch army marched to Attingal and took advantage of the withdrawal of the Travancore Troops due to an invasion through the south in Arcot. The Dutch army gained huge swaths of territories. The Dutch were on the brink of defeating Travancore, but they needed reinforcements from Indonesia, which eventually arrived from Ceylon. Thereafter events unfolded over Dutch side.

On 26 November 1740, the Dutch arranged their central military force at Colachel. Suddenly the Dutch started to bombard the town and turn it into fire land. Immediately Marthanda Varma released his forces against the Dutch. The Dutch wanted to capture Padmanabhapuram, which was Travancore capital. Marthanda Varma seeked help from Indonesia and Sri Lanka for reinforcements but were busy in managing state affairs. Soon Marthanda Varma observed that the Dutch army would again need to refresh their infantry.

And the tide turned, Dutch army now wanted a refuel. But now Marthanda had the game in his grasp. The fleet of Travancore choked all of the reinforcements from sea, while Marthanda Varma himself lay siege on Colachel and then surrounded the dutch completely with an army of 1000 men. But the plan fell, the Dutch technology specially designed for warfares threw the Travancore army away. Marthanda waited for the time to ripe.

Dutch navy reinforcing Dutch army from Sri Lanka

Now the nature rolled the dice, rains and flooding restricted all the supplies for the Dutch army. Travancore could sense a blessing from bharatmata. On 5th of August, 1741, a cannonball from the Travancore army, blew up the ammunition and food store of the Dutch Garrison. Dutch army went frantic. Out of ammunition and food stock, the Dutch army got a huge blow from Marthanda. They surrendered to the Travancore forces on 7th August 1741.

“Should the Dutch lose the war, I would invade the Netherland and Europe itself one day with my fishing boats”

~Marthanda Varma