Battle of Colachel (1741)

• Date & Place: Fought in 1741 near Colachel (in present-day Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu). • Belligerents: • Travancore Kingdom under Marthanda Varma (1729–1758). • Dutch East India Company (VOC) forces. • Cause: • The Dutch tried to curb Marthanda Varma’s expansion and protect their trading interests along the Malabar Coast. • Outcome: • Travancore achieved a decisive victory. • Dutch commander Captain Eustachius De Lannoy was captured and later served Travancore, modernizing its army. • Significance: • Marked the first major defeat of a European colonial power by an Indian kingdom. • Strengthened Travancore’s dominance over southern Kerala. • Led to the decline of Dutch influence in India. • De Lannoy’s training introduced European-style military reforms in Travancore.