The sieges of Tranquebar (Danish; Belejringerne af Trankebar) or the War between Tranquebar and Thanjavur (Danish; Krigen mellem Trankebar og Tanjore) refers to the warfare between the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom and Danish Tranquebar between 1655 – 1669. The Thanjavurian sieges were repelled, mainly due to the new fortifications being built around Tranquebar, and a peace agreement was issued in 1669.

In 1643 the vessel Christianshavn would arrive in Tranquebar with proclaimed governor, Willem Leyel.^[1][2] Unbeknownst to the Danes in India would be that, this was the last ship from Denmark for 26 years:^[3][4][5] Because of the Dano-Swedish Wars Denmark did not have the means to send any new ship to India, so Tranquebar could therefore not be assisted from Denmark.^[3] This led to financial difficulties and a general lack of Danish manpower.^[2]

In 1648 a mutiny broke out in Tranquebar and Leyel was subsequently arrested.^[2][6] He was succeeded by Poul Hansen Korsør,^[a] who reigned until his death on 7 September 1655.^[7] Furthermore, the first Danish East India Company was dissestablished in 1650, and the number of Danes remained only a handful.^[8]

Danish settlements, factories and trading routes in India from 1643–1669

Arriving together with the Christianshavn in 1643,^[5][9] Eskild Kongsbakke Andersen now became the new governor of Tranquebar.^[10][9] Andersen would try to preserve the economy by regularly sending ships to Makassar and Bantam, and wage privateering against the Mughal Empire.^[9]

The Nayak of the Thanjavur kingdom, Vijaya Raghava, had waged war against the Gingee and Madurai and therefore needed sufficient money.^[8] The Thanjavurians took advantage of a weakened Tranquebar and in 1655 demanded to raise the early tribute paid by Tranquebar.^[11][12] When Tranquebar failed to fulfill this demand Raghava sent a force to besiege Tranquebar.^[9] Though, Andersen defended the attack by the help of the local Indians: The number of Danish settlers in Tranquebar was very small, and it was therefore necessary to hire Portuguese mercenaries and Indian Sepoys to defend Fort Dansborg.^[9]

In 1660 a new siege was initiated, which would last nine months.^[9][8] In response Andersen started to fortify the whole town.^[13] Previously Dansborg had been the only fortified place, and the Inhabitants of Tranquebar would usually seek shelter in the fort.^[12] This was now changed, and all of Tranquebar was fortified.^[12] Andersen made the locals build a Curtain wall around the city, with four additional towers.^[8]

In May 1669 the 29-year-isolation was over with the arrival of the frigate Farø at Tranquebar.^[9][11] Færø arrived with soldiers and goods under the command of Henrik Eggers.^[10] As a result of Færø's arrival peace was concluded with Vijaya Raghava.^[11]

As a result of the peace the nayak ceded the villages of Poreiar, Tillali and Erikutanchery, which greatly enlargened Tranquebar.^[11] Meanwhile, Færø would be sent to Java to reestablish trade connections with the local sultan.^[11]

• Willem Leyel's siege of Dansborg – Siege of Fort Dansborg, 1644
• Ambush near the Bay of Manila – Ambush of Danish and Dutch sailors in the Philippines, 1645
• Tillali Massacre – Massacre and Battle in Tillali, India 1756
• Dano-Mughal War – Danish colonial conflict against the Mughal Empire