Dutch Republic 24 officials were taken as POWs Maritime contacts Sangam period Tamilakam Cheras Spice trade Ays Ezhil Malai Confluence of religionsMamankam festival Calicut Venad - Kingdom of QuilonValluvanad Kolattunadu CochinArakkal kingdom Minor principalities Age of Discovery Portuguese period Dutch period Rise of Travancore Mysorean invasion British PeriodBattle of TirurangadiMalabar DistrictNorth MalabarSouth Malabar Battle of Quilon Communism in KeralaLakshadweep Economy Architecture The Battle of Colachel (or The Battle of Kolachel) was fought on 10 August 1741 [O.S.

It was the same army that defeated the Dutch at Colachel, where also the military genius of Ramayyan, not to speak of that of the Maharaja, was in conspicuous evidence.

[8] Later that year, the Dutch organised an alliance of the rulers of Kochi, Thekkumkur, Vadakkumkur, Purakkad, Kollam, and Kayamkulam.

[10][8] In late 1739, the Dutch command at Malabar declared war on Travancore, without obtaining permission or waiting for reinforcements from Batavia.

[12] The British East India Company chief at Anchuthengu congratulated the Dutch on their victory, and requested them to leave their establishment at Edava in peace.

[13] When the Travancore army withdrew to check an invasion by Chanda Sahib of Arcot in the south, the allies achieved further military successes.

[15] While matters were thus in the north, small reinforcement force of 105 and 70, which the Dutch Governor called from Ceylon, effected a landing at Colachel .

On 10 February, another Dutch expedition comprising seven large ships and several smaller vessels landed just north of Colachel.

The Marakayars Played a major role in defeating the Dutch East India company entering into colachal port.

[20][21] When Marthanda Varma reached Kalkulam, he adopted measures to arrest the progress of the Dutch who being, at the time, in possession of almost all the- villages between Colachel and Kottar, and are intended to attack Padmanabhapuram, the capital of Travancore.

They agreed on the kings demand, and many sea divers in Mukkuvars were used to sink the few Dutch ships which were anchored in Colachel at night.

After the victory of the Colachel war, a local fishing village was named Marthandam Thura, and King Marthanda Varma helped to construct a new church there.

A small mail boat with an officer and a few mukkuvar men was sent to the Kanyakumari Dutch camp to fetch reinforcements.

The fishermen were also instrumental in tricking many unsuspecting Dutch soldiers who were shipped in as reinforcements to march straight into the mouth of the Travancore army.

[29] Several European prisoners, including Eustachius De Lannoy and Duyvenschot accepted the offer and served Marthanda Varma.

De Lannoy organized the Travancore army on European standard introduced gunpowder and firearms, hitherto not used in the kingdom, and increased the regiments and improved defence fortifications significantly.

[34] In addition to the destruction of the Dutch East India Company's designs in the Malabar coast, the capture of the leaders of the expedition, Eustachius De Lannoy and his second in command Donadi, was very beneficial to the kingdom of Travancore.

He was one of the commanders of the Tranvancore army during the decisive battle of Ambalapuzha where his erstwhile employers were fighting on behalf of Cochin and her allies.

The Travancore military that De Lannoy was instrumental in modernizing, went on to conquer more than half of the modern state of Kerala, and the Nedumkotta forts De Lannoy had designed, held up the advance of Tipu Sultan's French trained army during the Third Anglo-Mysore War in 1791 AD till the British East India Company joined the war in support of Travancore.

In 1753 the Dutch signed the Treaty of Mavelikkara agreeing not to obstruct the Raja's expansion, and in turn, to sell to him arms and ammunition.