The capture of Den Bengalske Prise (transl. The Bengali Prize) by two Danish yachts took place in late 1642 in the Bay of Bengal.
Following the governor of the Danish colony of Tranquebar, Bernt Pessart's, declaration of war against the Mughal Empire in late 1642, two Danish yachts were sent to Bengal to capture Bengali vessels as prizes. Here, the Danish expedition was successful, and a large, valuable sampan, renamed Den Bengalske Prise, was captured and incorporated into the Danish fleet in India.
Background
In 1616, the Danish East India Company was founded, and after a successful expedition to India in 1620, it established the colony of Tranquebar. Afterwards, the governor of Tranquebar, Roland Crappé, established multiple factories all over the East Indies, including Bengal, and Danish ships were regularly sent to India.
Prelude
In late 1642, following continued disputes between Danish India and the Mughal Empire, the governor of Tranquebar, Bernt Pessart, declared war on the latter. Quickly after the declaration of war, a couple of Danish India's best yachts, Fortuna and Valby, were armed with cannons and men and sent to Bengal to initiate the war as privateers.
Capture
Although records from this year are sparse, Danish colonial historian Kay Larsen noted that the expedition was likely successful. Nonetheless, the only information known is that the large, valuable sampan, later named Den Bengalske Prise (transl. The Bengali Prize), was captured from the Great Mughal by the Danes at the end of 1642.
Claus Rytter account
According to Dutch historians and numismatists Jan Lingen and Jan Lucassen, Den forgyldte Sol undertook the expedition that captured Den Bengalske Prise. This took place in April 1642, and Claus Rytter led the expedition. Nevertheless, this version is inconsistent with Danish author Asta Bredsdorff's, who mentions Rytter in the same timespan as conducting a voyage to the port of Bantam on Den forgyldte Sol.
Aftermath
Ship taken to Tranquebar
The ship was subsequently brought to Tranquebar, where its cargo was sold, giving large profits. The ship itself was incorporated into the Danish fleet in India and armed with cannons from Fort Dansborg. Renamed Den Bengalske Prise, the ship would serve the D.E.I.C. for some years.
The war would be resumed at the arrival of Willem Leyel, with several successful expeditions to Bengal during the winter of 1643–1644.
Notes and citations
References
- Bredsdorff, Asta (1 January 1999). Willem Leyels liv og farefulde rejse til Indien [The Trials and Travels of Willem Leyel] (PDF). Søhistoriske Skifter. Vol. 21. Copenhagen, Denmark: Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 87-7289-498-9. ISSN 0107-6647.
- Larsen, Kay (1935). Ipsen, Poul (ed.). "En lille dansk Søkrig i Indien" [A Little Danish Naval War] (PDF). Tidsskrift for Søvæsen. 106. Copenhagen, Denmark: Søe-Lieutenant-Selskabet – via Marinehistorisk Selskab.
- Larsen, Kay (1907). De dansk-ostindiske koloniers historie – Trankebar [History of the Danish East Indian Colonies – Tranquebar] (in Danish). Vol. 1. Copenhagen, Denmark: Centralforlaget – via Danskernes Historie Online.
- Larsen, Kay (1908). De dansk-ostindiske koloniers historie – De Bengalske loger & Nikobarerne [History of the Danish East Indian Colonies – The Bengali Lodges & the Nicobar Islands] (in Danish). Vol. 2. Copenhagen, Denmark: Centralforlaget – via Danskernes Historie Online.
- Lingen, Jan; Lucassen, Jan (1 January 2007). Amiteshwar, Jha; Sanjay, Garg (eds.). "The 'Mansuri' or 'Munsooree Paisa and its Use: Combining Numismatic and Social History of India, c. 1830-1900". Numismatic Digest. 31 (1st ed.). Mumbai, India: Indian Institute for Research in Numismatic Studies: 226. ASIN B0062V9A84. ISBN 978-8186786260.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: periodical has ISBN (link)