Dutch in Kerala - Arrival of Europeans in Kerala | PSC Notes

1. Who were the Dutch and what was their objective in Kerala?

Answer:

• The Dutch were the first Protestant nation of Europe to establish trade contacts with Kerala.
• They challenged the Portuguese monopoly over trade.
• The Dutch East India Company (VOC) was established in 1602.
• Their trade relations with Kerala rulers posed a major challenge to Portuguese commercial monopoly.
• Unlike the Portuguese, the Dutch focused mainly on the expansion of commerce and largely kept religious policy aside.
• They maintained good political and economic relations with the major rulers of Kerala.

2. What was the first political agreement between the Dutch and the Zamorin?

Answer:

• In 1604, Dutch Admiral Steven Van der Hagen reached Calicut.
• He signed the first political agreement between the Dutch and the Zamorin.
• The agreement provided for a mutual alliance between the Dutch and the Zamorin.
• Their common objective was to expel the Portuguese from the region.
• The treaty also allowed the Dutch to establish trade facilities at Calicut.

3. How did Dutch power develop in Kerala during the early 17th century?

Answer:

• During the early decades of the 17th century, Portuguese power in Malabar was deteriorating.
• At the same time, Dutch power was expanding.
• The Dutch became a serious threat to Portuguese stability in Malabar.
• The Dutch established friendly political and commercial relations with rulers of Central Kerala.
• The Raja of Purakkad and the Raja of Kayamkulam agreed to conduct trade with the Dutch.
• These arrangements helped the Dutch secure a monopoly over the spice trade by the middle of the 17th century.

CONQUEST OF QUILON

4. When and how did the Dutch conquer Quilon?

Answer:

• After eliminating Portuguese power from Ceylon, the Dutch began their political conquest of Quilon in 1658.
• Dutch Admiral Van Goens captured the Portuguese fortress of Quilon.
• He then signed a treaty with the Queen of Quilon.
• The treaty gave the Dutch an exclusive monopoly over the spice trade.
• Portuguese possessions were transferred to the Dutch.

CONQUEST OF COCHIN

5. Why is the conquest of Cochin important in Dutch history in Kerala?

Answer:

• The real history of the Dutch in Kerala is considered to have begun with the conquest of Cochin in 1663.
• The political situation in Cochin was marked by internal dissension between:
• Mutha Thavazhi
• Elaya Thavazhi
• The Dutch were invited by Paliath Achan on behalf of the Mutha Thavazhi.
• The Dutch were supported by:
• Zamorin
• Raja of Vadakkumkur
• Raja of Tekkumkur

6. How did the Dutch capture Cochin in 1663?

Answer:

• In 1663, the Dutch force under Van Goens marched against the Mattanchery Palace.
• The battle resulted in severe casualties.
• The Dutch helped reinstall the prince of the Mutha Thavazhi as the ruler of Cochin.
• However, the Portuguese challenge still remained.
• Portuguese resistance continued.
• The Dutch captured Portuguese strongholds in Ernakulam with the help of the Anchi Kaimals.
• With the assistance of Vira Kerala Varma and his Prime Minister Paliath Achan, the Dutch captured Cochin Fort on 6 January 1663.
• The Raja of Cochin accepted Dutch suzerainty.
• The treaty effectively made the Raja of Cochin a puppet in the hands of the Dutch.

IMPORTANT DUTCH TREATIES AND BUILDINGS

7. What was the Treaty of Azheekod?

Answer:

• The Treaty of Azheekod was concluded between the Zamorin and the Dutch in 1661.

8. What are the important places and buildings associated with Dutch rule in Kerala?

Answer:

• Pallipuram was the place where the Dutch constructed a hospital for leprosy patients.
• The Cochin Bolgatty Palace was constructed by the Dutch in 1744.
• The Dutch constructed Chettuva Fort near Guruvayur.

BATTLE OF COLACHEL

9. What was the Battle of Colachel and when was it fought?

Answer:

• The Battle of Colachel (Kulachal) was fought between:
• Kingdom of Travancore
• Dutch East India Company
• It took place in August 1741.
• The key date given in the notes is 10 August 1741.
• The battle resulted in a famous victory for Travancore.
• It effectively ended Dutch colonial ambitions in the Indian subcontinent.
• It is considered one of the earliest instances of an organised Asian power defeating a European army.

EVENTS LEADING TO THE BATTLE OF COLACHEL

10. What was the political situation in Kerala before the Battle of Colachel?

Answer:

• In the early 18th century, Kerala consisted of several small kingdoms.
• These kingdoms were frequently engaged in warfare with one another.
• In the 1730s, Marthanda Varma, the new ruler of Travancore, adopted an expansionist policy.
• He conquered several small kingdoms of Malabar.
• These conquests threatened the economic interests of the Dutch East India Company.

11. How did the Dutch respond to the expansion of Marthanda Varma?

Answer:

• Gustaaf Willem van Imhoff, the Dutch Governor of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), visited Kochi.
• He recommended military action to protect Dutch trade in Malabar.
• The Dutch formed a military alliance with Travancore's neighbouring powers, including:
• Quilon
• Cochi
• Kayamkulam
• Van Imhoff initially used diplomacy to avoid war.
• He personally met Marthanda Varma to negotiate peace.

12. What happened during the negotiations between Van Imhoff and Marthanda Varma?

Answer:

• During the subsequent meeting, Van Imhoff threatened war if Travancore did not accept the Dutch terms.
• Marthanda Varma reportedly laughed off the threat.
• He stated that even if the Dutch defeated him, he would one day invade the Netherlands and Europe itself with fishing boats.
• The negotiations eventually broke down.
• War became inevitable.

13. How did the Dutch war against Travancore begin?

Answer:

• In late 1739, the Dutch army in Malabar declared war on Travancore.
• Dutch troops from Ceylon were deployed.
• The Dutch and their allies initially achieved several victories.
• They forced the Travancore army at Kollam to retreat.
• The British East India Company, concerned about the growing power of Travancore, supported the Dutch.
• The British East India Company had been founded on 31 December 1600.
• The British sent 150 men to supplement the Dutch forces.
• The combined Dutch army then marched towards Attingal.
• They took advantage of the Travancore withdrawal caused by an invasion by Arcot from the south.

SIEGE OF COLACHEL

14. How did the Siege of Colachel begin?

Answer:

• On 26 November 1740, the Dutch sent a naval force to Colachel.
• The Dutch bombarded the town.
• The bombardment forced the inhabitants to abandon the town.
• Marthanda Varma responded by sending a force of 2,000 soldiers to Colachel.
• The Dutch planned to occupy Colachel as a step towards capturing Padmanabhapuram, the capital of Travancore.
• After capturing Colachel, the Dutch began occupying nearby villages.
• They plundered the region between Colachel and Kottar.

15. What reinforcements did the Dutch seek during the Siege of Colachel?

Answer:

• The Dutch requested reinforcements from:
• Sri Lanka
• Indonesia
• The authorities in Indonesia were occupied with a native rebellion and could not provide the expected support.
• However, about 30,000 additional men from Ceylon arrived as reinforcements, according to the notes.

16. How did Marthanda Varma turn the situation against the Dutch?

Answer:

• Marthanda Varma took advantage of the shortage of Dutch troops.
• He launched an offensive to recapture Colachel.
• He used patrol boats to block Dutch supplies coming by sea.
• He laid siege to Colachel.
• The Dutch were surrounded by a 1,000-strong Travancore army.
• Although the Dutch had technological superiority and were able to inflict casualties on the Travancore forces, they faced serious difficulties.
• Rains and floods prevented the Dutch from receiving supplies.
• Much of their gunpowder became wet, preventing them from offering effective resistance.

17. What happened on 5 August 1741 during the Battle of Colachel?

Answer:

• On 5 August 1741, a cannonball fired by the Travancore army hit a barrel of gunpowder inside the Dutch garrison.
• The explosion destroyed the:
• Ammunition store
• Food stores
• The Dutch were left without sufficient ammunition and food.
• They were therefore forced to surrender on 7 August 1741.
• Some historians consider 10 August 1741 as the official date of surrender.

18. Who was the Dutch general who surrendered at Colachel?

Answer:

• D' Lannoy was the Dutch general who surrendered to Marthanda Varma.
• He later became an important military figure in Travancore.
• His burial is associated with Udayagiri Fort near Thakkala, Tamil Nadu.

19. What was the significance of the Battle of Colachel?

Answer:

• The victory established the military strength of Travancore.
• It effectively ended Dutch colonial ambitions in the Indian subcontinent.
• It is remembered as one of the earliest major victories of an Asian power over a European army.
• The defeat seriously weakened Dutch political ambitions in Kerala.

END OF DUTCH POLITICAL POWER

20. What marked the decline of Dutch political power in Kerala?

Answer:

• The Treaty of Mavelikara marked the eclipse of the Dutch as a major political power in Kerala.
• The treaty was concluded in 1753.
• The date given in the notes is 15 August 1753.
• After this, Dutch political influence in Kerala declined sharply.

HORTUS MALABARICUS

21. What is Hortus Malabaricus?

Answer:

• Hortus Malabaricus is a 17th-century botanical treatise dealing with the medicinal properties of the flora of the Malabar Coast.
• It was compiled by Hendrik van Rheede.
• Van Rheede was the Governor of Dutch Malabar from 1669 to 1676.
• It was compiled in the Latin language.
• It is also known as Kerala Ramam.
• It was published from Amsterdam.
• It was published between 1678 and 1703.
• It consists of 12 volumes.

22. Who was Itty Achudan and what was his role in Hortus Malabaricus?

Answer:

• Itty Achudan was a distinguished herbalist.
• He belonged to the ancient traditional Ezhava physician tradition of Kerala.
• He was the key informant of Van Rheede.
• He disclosed traditional Ayurvedic knowledge about the plants of Malabar to Van Rheede.
• The physicians and scholars who assisted in the work included:
• Itty Achudan
• Ranga Bhat
• Vinayaka Bhat
• Appu Bhat

23. What are the important plant-related facts about Hortus Malabaricus?

Answer:

• The first plant mentioned in Hortus Malabaricus is the coconut.
• The last plant mentioned is the banyan tree.

24. Who else assisted Van Rheede in compiling Hortus Malabaricus?

Answer:

• Van Rheede was assisted by the King of Cochin.
• He was also assisted by the Zamorin of Calicut.
• Important contributors included:
• Itty Achudan
• Ranga Bhat
• Vinayaka Bhat
• Appu Bhat

25. When and where were English and Malayalam translations of Hortus Malabaricus published?

Answer:

• The English translation was published by the University of Kerala in 2003.
• The Malayalam translation was published by the University of Kerala in 2008.
• These translations were largely due to the efforts of Professor K. S. Manilal.

Timeline of Dutch in Kerala

• 1600 → British East India Company founded
• 1602 → Dutch East India Company established
• 1604 → Steven Van der Hagen + Zamorin → first Dutch political agreement
• 1658 → Dutch conquest of Quilon
• 1661 → Treaty of Azheekod
• 1663 → Dutch conquest of Cochin
• 6 January 1663 → Cochin Fort captured
• 1740 → Siege of Colachel begins
• 1741 → Battle of Colachel
• 5 August 1741 → Gunpowder store destroyed
• 7 August 1741 → Dutch surrender according to the notes
• 10 August 1741 → Date considered official by some historians
• 1753 → Treaty of Mavelikara
• 15 August 1753 → Date given for Treaty of Mavelikara
• 1678–1703 → Publication period of Hortus Malabaricus
• 2003 → English translation
• 2008 → Malayalam translation