View source for Capture of Tranquebar (1801)

{{Short description|Capture of Tranquebar by British forces in 1801}}
{{Not to be confused with|Surrender of Tranquebar (1808)}}{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Capture of Tranquebar
| place             = Tranquebar, (modern-day [[Tharangambadi]], [[India]])
| date              = 12 May 1801
| image_size        = 300
| image             = Tranquebar 1790 - Peter Anker (1744–1832) - Kulturhistorisk museum, UiO - UEM4452.jpg
| caption           = ''Tranquebar'', by Peter Anker
| coordinates       = {{coord|11|1|45|N|79|50|58|E|display=inline,title}}
| territory         = Tranquebar occupied by the British
| result            = British victory
| combatant1        = {{flag|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|name=United Kingdom}}
| combatant2        = {{Flag|Denmark-Norway}}
| commander1        = {{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} [[Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley|Richard Wellesley]]
| commander2        = {{Flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} [[Peter Anker]]{{Surrender}}
| units1            = {{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|naval}} ''HMS Braave''<br />{{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|naval}} ''[[HMS Albatross (1795)|HMS Albatross]]''
| units2            = {{Flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Dansborg garrison
| strength1         = 2 ships<br />200 men<br />60 cannons
| strength2         = 3 ships<br />76 Europeans<br />300 [[Sepoys]]
| casualties1       = Unknown
| casualties2       = 3 ships seized
| partof            = the [[English Wars (Scandinavia)|English Wars]]
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Danish colonial conflicts}}
{{Campaignbox English Wars}}
}}
{{For|other sieges on Tranquebar|Siege of Dansborg (disambiguation)}}
The '''Capture of Tranquebar''' ({{Langx|da|Overtagelsen af Trankebar}}) or the '''Surrender of Tranquebar''' ({{Langx|da|Overgivelsen af Trankebar|links=no}}) was a British takeover of the capital of [[Danish India]], [[Tranquebar]]. The capture was quick and successful, with the [[Dano-Norwegian]] governor, [[Peter Anker]], surrendering within the arrival of the British.
== Background ==
[[File:Peter Anker 1744-1832 gemalt von Niels Gude.jpg|left|thumb|287x287px|Portrait of Peter Anker (1744–1832), by [[Nils Gude]]]]
During the [[French Revolutionary Wars]] in 1800 and early-1801 rising tensions between [[Denmark–Norway]] and the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] arose. The Danish colony of [[Tranquebar]] subsequently therefore received the intelligence of the rising tensions between the two nations, and Danish merchants therefore sold their ships in order for them not to end up in British hands.{{Sfn|Petersen|1946|p=}} Governor of Tranquebar, [[Peter Anker]], realized that a defense on a hypothetical British attack would by hopeless, and he therefore had already begun preparing for a [[Capitulation (surrender)|capitulation]].{{Sfn|Lisberg|2020}}
== Capture ==
In May 1801 the English [[Governor-General of India]], [[Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley|Richard Wellesley]], got orders from Britain to occupy the Danish colonies,{{Sfn|Carl|1919|p=566}} and on the 12 May two English shis anchored with 200 men on the coast of Tranquebar.{{Sfn|Petersen|1946|p=}}{{Sfn|Carl|1919|p=566}} Concurrently a force from [[Madras]] marched to Tranquebar to [[besiege]] the city.{{Sfn|Lisberg|2020}}{{Sfn|Carl|1919|p=566}} According to [[Peter Anker]], the British forces were too strong to stand a change against, especially considering the poor conditions the [[fortification]]s had. When the British encouraged Anker to surrender, he therefore quickly consented and sent his Instrument of Surrender to the British command.{{Sfn|Lisberg|2020}}{{Sfn|Carl|1919|p=566}}
On the same day, the British occupied [[Fort Dansborg]] and hoisted the [[Union Jack]] there. The three Danish ships in the habour were followingly seized.{{Sfn|Lisberg|2020}}
== Aftermath ==
Despite the Danish instrument of surrender were favourable for the Danes, the British still accepted.{{Sfn|Lisberg|2020}}  According to the capitulation Danish laws were acknowledged, and all public cases would be settled by the Danes, migrants would preserve their protection and the Danish officers should have the same wages as British.{{Sfn|Lisberg|2020}} Only a British inspector would be installed to keep track of the economy.{{Sfn|Carl|1919|p=566}}
Some months after the surrender Anker received orders from [[Copenhagen]] to make the colony ready for an English attack, and to protect it to the utmost, yet Anker had already issued a surrender.{{Sfn|Lisberg|2020}} On the 17 August 1802 Tranquebar was given back to [[Denmark-Norway]].{{Sfn|Lisberg|2020}}{{Sfn|Carl|1919|p=566}}
== See also ==
* {{Annotated link|English Wars (Scandinavia)}}
* {{Annotated link|Battle of Copenhagen (1801)}}
* {{Annotated link|Peter Anker}}
* {{Annotated link|Gunboat War}}
* {{Annotated link|Capture of Serampore (1801)}}
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== Bibliography ==
* {{Cite book |last=Lisberg |first=Bering |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WxfGDwAAQBAJ&dq=12+maj+1801+trankebar&pg=PT315 |title=Danmarks søfart og søhandel |publisher=SAGA Egmont |year=2020 |volume=1 |isbn=978-87-26-30660-6 |language=Danish}}
* {{Cite book |last=Petersen |first=Sofie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WxfGDwAAQBAJ&dq=Tranquebar+12+maj+1801&pg=PT315 |title=Danmarks gamle Tropekolonier |publisher=Det Kongelige danske geografiske selskab |year=1946 |volume= |isbn=978-87-26-30660-6 |language=Danish}}
* {{Cite book |last=Carl |first=Henrik |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KxYjAQAAMAAJ&q=Tranquebar+12+maj+1801 |title=Danmarks søfart og søhandel fra den aeldiste tider til vore dage |publisher=Nyt nordisk forlag |year=1919 |volume=1 |pages=566 |language=Danish}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Capture of Tranquebar}}
[[Category:1800s in Danish India]]
[[Category:Naval battles of the French Revolutionary Wars involving the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Naval battles of the French Revolutionary Wars involving Denmark]]
[[Category:Battles involving Denmark]]
[[Category:Battles involving Norway]]
[[Category:1801 in India]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Danish East India Company|Tranquebar]]