Tranquebar as a Danish colony was established in 1620, as a result of a treaty between Christian IV of Denmark and Raghunatha Nayak of Thanjavur.

This would lead to a series of conflicts between the aforementioned two, and Fort Dansborg was at risk of conquest numerous times.

[8][6][7] Concurrently, the Indians had shelled Tranquebar, in which they nearly demolished one of the bastions, and were thus ready to launch an assault on the town.

[7] However, at this critical moment, English reinforcements arrived and a sortie by 200 Black men was immediately carried out.

[2] Notably, the Mughal Emperor never intermeddled in the matter, despite the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom being his tributary.