Note 2 — Letters from Tavora to Felipe IV

The Oriental commerce of Denmark began with the despatch of an expedition in 1618 to open trade with Ceylon. Being unfavorably received there, the Danes went to the Coromandel coast of India, and founded a trading-post at Tranquebar, one hundred and forty miles southwest of Madras, defended by the fortress of Dansbourg. For some time this post and its trade had considerable prosperity, but European wars prevented its fitting support and the commercial company was unable to maintain it. In 1670 a new company resumed this enterprise, but was even more unfortunate than the other, and finally expired in 1730. Two years later a third company was formed, which was liberally endowed with privileges and subsidies, and was highly successful. Tranquebar remained in possession of Denmark until 1846, when it was purchased by England.

See account of this colony and the Danish trade in the East, in Establecimientos ultramarinos de las naciones Europeas, by Malo de Luque (Madrid, 1784–90), iv, pp. 9–31. See map of “District of Tranquebar,” in Bellin’s Atlas maritime, iii, fol. 36.