2fa at 03:42, 28 December 2025

2025-12-28T03:42:41Z

New page

{{Short description|Conflict and Danish civil war in India, between 1643–1645}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Conflict between William Leyel and Bernt Pessart
| place = [[Indian Ocean]]
| image = {{multiple image|perrow = 1|total_width=250|align=center|border=infobox
| image1 = Bernt Pessart expedition 1644.png
| image2 = Danish India 1622-1636.png
| footer ='''Top''': Bernt Pessart's expedition, 1644–1645 '''Bottom''': [[Danish India]], 1622–1636
}}
| image_size = 300
| date = 1643–1645
| territory = All of Danish India accepts Willem Leyel as governor
| result = Leyel victory
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|Danish India}} [[Bernt Pessart|Pessart loyalist]]
| combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Willem Leyel COA.png}} [[Willem Leyel|Leyel loyalist]] {{flagicon|VOC}} [[Dutch Coromandel]] {{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg|23px}} [[Fort St. George, India|English Madras]] {{flagicon|Portuguese Empire|1667}} [[Portuguese people|Portuguese]] [[Karaikal|Carical]] '''Supported by:''' [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|Thanjavur Nayak]]
| commander1 = {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Bernt Pessart]]{{KIA}} {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Jacob Stackenborg]] {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Niels Andersen (Pessart Loyalist)|Niels Andersen]] {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Frantz Erkmand]]{{Surrender}} {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Michel Evertsen]] {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Peter de Sivart]] {{Flagicon|Danish India}} [[Marten Jansen]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Willem Leyel COA.png}} [[Willem Leyel]] {{flagicon image|Willem Leyel COA.png}} [[Claus Rytter]] {{flagicon image|Willem Leyel COA.png}} [[Herman Clausen]] {{flagicon image|Willem Leyel COA.png}} [[Jørgen Hanse]]n {{Flagicon|VOC}} [[Anthony van Diemen|Anthony Diemen]] {{flagicon image|British East India Company flag.svg|23px}} [[Francis Day (Madras)|Francis Day]] {{flagicon|Portuguese Empire|1667}} [[Antonio Pacheco (Portuguese India)|Antonio Pacheco]]<hr/>[[Vijaya Raghava Nayak]]
| units1 = {{flagicon|Danish India}} ''Dend gode Haab'' {{flagicon|Danish India}} Dansborg garrison {{flagicon|Danish India}} ''Den store Charluppe''
| units2 = {{flagicon image|Willem Leyel COA.png}} ''Valby'' {{flagicon image|Willem Leyel COA.png}} ''Christianshavn'' {{flagicon image|Willem Leyel COA.png}} ''Christian''
| strength1 = ~51 1 ship 1 [[barge]] Multiple guns
| strength2 = 70 men 3 ships 1 [[longboat]] 3 guns
| casualties1 = 1 ship Unknown amount of men 36 imprisoned
| casualties2 = Negligible
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Danish colonial conflicts}}
| combatant3 =
| commander3 =
| strength3 =
| units3 =
| casualties3 =
}}

The '''Conflict between William Leyel and Bernt Pessart''' ([[Danish language|Danish]]; ''Conflikten mellem Leyel og Pessart'') refers to the tensions and minor [[civil war]] between [[Willem Leyel]] and [[Bernt Pessart]] over the governorship of [[Tranquebar]] and the [[Danish East India Company]]. The conflict led to the escape of Bernt Pessart, and the command at Tranquebar accepted Willem Leyel as governor of [[Danish India]].

== Background ==
During the [[Age of Discovery|Age of Exploration]] various European nations sought to establish themselves in the [[Indian subcontinent]] to expand commerce and trade.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Wellen |first=Kathryn |url=https://www.kitlv.nl/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Mughal.pdf |title=The Danish East India Company's War against the Mughal Empire, 1642-1698 |publisher=Royal Netherlands Institute for Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies |year=2015 |pages=}}</ref> [[Christian IV of Denmark]] ({{Abbr|r|reign}} 1588–1648) sought to expand Denmark's international presence and economy and subsequently established the [[Danish East India Company]] in 1616.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nair |first=P. C. |date=June 1974 |title=Sociétés et Compagnies de Commerce en Orient et dans l'Ocean Indien. By Michel Mollat editor. (Actes du Huitième Colloque International d'Histoire Maritime, Beirut, 1966). Paris: S. E. V. P. E. N., 1970. Pp. 731, 8 plates. 62 Francs. |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022050700080281 |journal=The Journal of Economic History |volume=34 |issue=2 |pages=514–515 |doi=10.1017/s0022050700080281 |issn=0022-0507 |s2cid=154693349|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-07 |title=Ostindisk Kompagni {{!}} lex.dk |url=https://denstoredanske.lex.dk/Ostindisk_Kompagni |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=Den Store Danske |language=da}}</ref> In 1618, on the basis of an un-ratified treaty with [[Senarat of Kandy]], [[Ove Gjedde]] was sent to India to establish a monopol on [[Ceylon]].<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=P. E. |first=Pieris |url=https://ia800907.us.archive.org/23/items/ceylonportuguese00pier/ceylonportuguese00pier.pdf |title=Ceylon and the Portuguese |publisher=The University of California Los Angeles |year=1920 |pages=197–206 |language=English}}</ref>

Senerat did no longer desire the Danish monopol when Gjedde arrived.<ref name=":02" /> Instead Gjedde succeeded in signing a treaty with the [[Nayak (title)|nayak]] of [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|the Thanjavurian kingdom]], which by an annual tribute gave the Danes the right to the small fishing village of [[Tharangambadi]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tranquebar, 1620-1845 |url=https://danmarkshistorien.dk/vis/materiale/trankebar |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=danmarkshistorien.dk |language=da}}</ref>
[[File:Masulipatam mg 8557.jpg|left|thumb|220x220px|View of Masulipatam (Bandar), 1676. [[Roland Crappé]] made Bandar the centre for the company's trade, and Bernt Pessart further made it the official headquarters.]]
During the 1620s and 30's trade flourished, and a far-flung string of Danish factories and outposts were established in [[Bengal]], the [[Coromandel Coast]] and [[Sunda Islands]].''<ref name=":022">{{Cite book |last=Bredsdorff |first=Asta |title=The Trials and Travels of Willem Leyel |publisher=[[Museum Tusculanum Press]] |year=2009 |location=Copenhagen |pages=}}</ref>'' Though in the late 1630s and early 40's the company would start to owe large debts, and in response governor Bernt Pessart unsuccessfully made numerous risky voyages to make money.<ref name=":0" /> Pessart would ignore the Danish company's most profitable contacts such as [[Tanjore]] and [[Makassar]], and even Tranquebar which fell into chaos.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Olsen |first=Gunnar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h_8cHQAACAAJ |title=Dansk Ostindien |publisher=Fremad |year=1966 |pages=120–121 |language=Danish}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Larsen |first=Kay |title=Rebellerne i Trankebar: Et Stykke Dansk Koloni-Historie |publisher=Gads Dansk Magasin |year=1907}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Larsen |first=Kay |title=De Danske-Ostindiske Koloniers Historie |publisher=Legare Street Press |year=1907 |volume=I |location=Copenhagen |pages=32–34 |language=Danish}}</ref> Pessart would, in favour of Tranquebar, reside in [[Machilipatnam|Bandar]] which were the center of trade in plain [[Cotton|cotton goods]].''<ref name=":022" />''<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Leyel |first=William |url=https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/other/index-creator/149/103799/23436633 |title=Rentekammerafdelingen: Willum Leyels arkiv (1639 - 1648) |publisher=Danske Kancelli |year=1644}}</ref> Here Pessart would become involved in [[diamond trade]].<ref name=":0" />

== Prelude ==
Because of the situation in India, Christian IV sent captain [[Willem Leyel]] to [[Dansborg]] to investigate the company's affairs.''<ref name=":32">{{Cite book |url=https://slaegtsbibliotek.dk/928692.pdf |title=Søhistoriske Skrifter |publisher=Handels- og Søfartsmuseet Kronborg |year=1999 |volume=XXI |location=Copenhagen |language=Danish}}</ref>''<ref>{{Cite web |title=1639 - 55 - www.foreningen-trankebar.dk |url=http://www.foreningen-trankebar.dk/402582377 |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=123hjemmeside.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=1639 - 55 - www.foreningen-trankebar.dk |url=http://www.foreningen-trankebar.dk/402582377 |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=123hjemmeside.dk |language=da-DK}}</ref> Leyel arrived on 5 September 1643 in Dansborg.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />''<ref name=":1" /> Here he fulfilled his royal orders and investigated Tranquebar; He noticed heavy damage to Fort Dansborg and found the [[warehouse]] empty.''<ref name=":022" />'' Pessart explained that Danborg was no longer of much use, and that the warehouse was emptied to load off two ships that were sent to the Sunda Islands.''<ref name=":022" />''

When Pessart informed Leyel that he was going to [[Machilipatnam|Bandar]], Leyel opted to join because he distrusted Pessart's intentions.''<ref name=":022" />''<ref name=":2" /> When leaving Tranquebar, distrusted Leyel put a couple of men loyal to him on each of Pessart's ships and left others at Dansborg.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />''

=== Joint voyage to Bandar ===
When at sea Pessart insisted to visit the English station at [[Madras]], where he had accounts to settle with [[Francis Day (Madras)|Francis Day]].''<ref name=":32" />'' Here they stayed in four days, until Leyel got impatient and gave orders to sail.''<ref name=":022" />'' When Pessart heard they were about to weight anchor he was obligated to get on board, yet was furious at Leyel's decision.''<ref name=":32" />''<ref name=":2" /> On 25 September they reached Bandar,<ref name=":1" /> Leyel was pained to hear about the debts and credits of the Danish Company in the town.''<ref name=":022" />'' Leyel and Pessart then continued to Emeldy.''<ref name=":32" />'' Here on 10 October Pessart tried to get the vessel, ''The Bengali Prize'' nearer to shore so it could unload, yet it [[ran aground]] and was badly damaged.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />'' Pessart carelessly put up a tent and began to drink{{Multi image
| image1 = Routes during the conflict between Pessart and Leyel (September to October 1643).png
| caption1 = September–October, 1643
| header = Sea campaigns
| total_width = 200
| align = left
| image2 = Routes during the conflict between Pessart and Leyel (April to June 1644).png
| direction = vertical
| caption2 = April–June, 1644 {{legend|#FF5E5E|Routes of Willem Leyel}}{{legend|#4C83D6|Routes of Bernt Pessart}}{{legend|#D6CF4C|Joint routes}}
}}

== Conflict ==
One night several men secretly came to Leyel and told him that Pessart was planning to take ''Valby'' and sail off with his men.''<ref name=":022" />'' In response on 28 October Leyel sent Jørgen Hansen with eight unarmed men over to ''Valby'' where they went on board and cut the cable.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />'' This move was a minor risk; If Pessart had found out what was happening, he might have came out of his tent with his 20 armed men and a fight might have occurred, which Leyel wished to avoid.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />''

With the intent to arrest Pessart, Leyel went ashore and advanced on Pessart's tent with a party of armed men.''<ref name=":32" />''<ref name=":2" /> Yet when they entered the tent, they found out that Pessart had already fled with 16 men.''<ref name=":2" />'' Leyel found out, that Pessart not only had intentions to seize ''Valby'' but also to set Leyel's ship, ''Christianshavn'', on fire.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />''

=== Chase of Pessart ===
Leyel immediately sent off Jørgen Hansen with a longboat and a strongly armed crew to try overtake Pessart's [[barge]].''<ref name=":32" />'' Hansen did overtake Pessart during the night and shouted to Pessart that he must return and declare his arrest, to which Pessart shouted that he would rather die.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />'' Hansen now gave orders to fire on Pessart's barge, yet the heavy sea made it hard to aim properly.''<ref name=":022" />'' Hansen pursued Pessart all the way to the [[Pedapulivarru]] [[reef]], where he would give up because of Pessart's readiness to fight.''<ref name=":32" />'' Pessart would continue down to Dansborg.''<ref name=":022" />''<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" />
[[File:Fort Square, From The South Side Of The Parade, Fort St. George - British Library X768-2(5).jpg|thumb|[[Fort St. George, India|Fort St. George]], [[Madras]], by William Orme]]
Leyel and his men would stay at Emeldy during [[Monsoon of South Asia|monsoon]], while Pessart would reach the [[Santhome]] and later Dansborg.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />'' Leyel reached [[Fort St. George, India|Fort St. George]] in early April and received a warm reception by Francis Day.Fort St. George.''<ref name=":32" />'' On June 11, 1644, Leyel, with ''Christianshavn'' and ''Valby'', reached Dansborg,<ref name=":1" /> yet the city showed no sign of life.''<ref name=":022" />''<ref name=":2" /> Unsure of the situation, Leyel sent letters to the commander at Dansborg, Jacob von Stackenborg, and [[chaplain]], Niels Andersen with no response.''<ref name=":32" />'' Leyel suspected that Pessart had ordered to close to fort to Leyel and his men, and therefore Leyel wrote in one of his letters:
{{Blockquote|text=''You may be sure that i will use even the most extreme measures, as is meet and proper, and to perform which i shall not lack the means ... To punish rebels and perjurers, as both the [[Dutch India|Dutch]] and the [[British India|English]] have promised me every assistance; still, i hope that it will not prove necessary to resort to such extreme measures.''<ref name=":022" />|author=Willem Leyel}}After some time Leyel was still denied access to Tranquebar, and was therefore in need of fresh provisions, so he left for [[Karaikal]],<ref name=":1" /> where he would send Portuguese Antonio Pacheco to Dansborg for negotiations.<ref name=":32" /><ref name=":2" /> Pacheco was not well received in Dansborg, and when Leyel again anchored near Dansborg, Pacheco would successfully try to sail out to him, though under fire from Dansborg.''<ref name=":022" />''<ref name=":32" />

=== Siege of Dansborg ===
{{Main|Willem Leyel's siege of Dansborg}}
[[File:Tranquebar 1790 - Peter Anker (1744–1832) - Kulturhistorisk museum, UiO - UEM4452 (cropped).jpg|thumb|View of Tranquebar and its fortifications, 1790, by [[Peter Anker]]]]
Since Dansborg was still seald off, Leyel went ashore on June 22 with 70 armed men and two guns.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />'' He was received well by the local inhabitants and the [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom]], who feed his soldiers and offered to help.''<ref name=":022" />'' The siege lasted for some time. Finally the commander, Frantz Erkmand came out and admitted that there now was a [[shortage]] of almost everything in Dansborg.''<ref name=":2" />'' Erkmand would surrender on the terms that he would be [[pardon]]ed, which Leyel accepted.''<ref name=":022" />''<ref name=":2" />

Leyel now inspected the town and fort to which he concluded that it had been left by Pessart in poor conditions.''<ref name=":022" />'' As response to the poor conditions and {{Multi image
| image1 = Danish India 1643-1669.png
| caption1 = Danish settlements, factories and trading routes in India during Wilem Leyel's regime.
| header = Danish India 1643-1669
| total_width = 250
| align = left
}}
conflict with Pessart, he summoned a coincil meeting which ended in the recognition of Leyel as the new governor.''<ref name=":32" />''<ref name=":2" />

== Aftermath ==
{{See also|Ambush near the Bay of Manila|Skirmish at the Strait of Malacca}}Meanwhile, Pessart had left for [[Japan]],<ref name=":1" /> though he was [[Skirmish at the Strait of Malacca|intercepted by the Dutch]] of the [[Strait of Malacca|Malacca Strait]].''<ref name=":32" />''<ref name=":1" /> Pessart would be imprisoned for 6 month, after which he would be sent on a joint Dano-Dutch expedition to the [[Spanish Philippines]].''<ref name=":2" />'' When Leyel got word of this, he quickly notified the Spanish governor.''<ref name=":022" /><ref name=":32" />'' Though this would be unnecessary, since Pessart would be [[Ambush near the Bay of Manila|killed by a native]] Filipino near the [[Bay of Manila]].''<ref name=":022" />''<ref name=":1" />

Leyel would now focus on the damages left by Pessart on the Danish Company.''<ref name=":022" />'' He would send annual voyages to the Danish outposts in [[Bantam (city)|Bantam]] and [[Makassar]], and would actively [[Dano-Mughal War|privateer against the Mughal Empire]].''<ref name=":32" />''<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />

== See also ==
* {{Annotated link|Cattle War}}
* {{Annotated link|Ove Gjedde}}
* {{Annotated link|Masulipatnam}}
* {{Annotated link|Conquest of Koneswaram Temple}}
* {{Annotated link|Dano-Mughal War}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{Commonscatinline|Conflict between Willem Leyel and Bernt Pessart}}

[[Category:1640s conflicts]]
[[Category:1644 in India]]
[[Category:Civil wars involving the states and peoples of Europe]]
[[Category:Feuds]]
[[Category:History of the Dutch East India Company]]
[[Category:Wars involving Denmark–Norway]]
[[Category:Wars involving the Dutch Republic]]
[[Category:1640s in Danish India]]
[[Category:Military history of the Indian Ocean]]

Conflict between Willem Leyel and Bernt Pessart - Revision history

2fa at 03:42, 28 December 2025