LoganConger6625 at 00:10, 16 September 2025

2025-09-16T00:10:38Z

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{{Short description|Danish rescue mission in Bengal}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Danish rescue mission to Pipli
| place = [[Pipli]], [[Bengal Subah]] (present-day [[India]])
| partof = the [[Dano-Mughal War]]
| date = Mid-1640s
| result = Danish victory
| combatant1 = {{flag|Danish India}}
| combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Mughal Empire.png}} [[Mughal Empire]] '''Supported by:''' {{Flagicon|VOC}} [[Dutch Bengal]]
| commander1 = {{Flagicon|Danish India}} Poul Nielsen {{Flagicon|Danish India}} Carsten Ludvigsen
| commander2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Mughal Empire.png}} Unknown governor
| strength1 = 17 men
| strength2 = Unknown
| image = Near Bandell on the River Hoogly - British Library X432 4(8).jpg
| image_size = 300
| caption = A view of a settlement in the [[Hooghly River]], by [[Thomas Daniell]] in 1804.
| units1 = {{Flagicon|Danish India}} ''Christianshavn''
| units2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Mughal Empire.png}} Local guards {{Flagicon|VOC}} ''Lis''<ref name=":0" />
| casualties1 = 2 wounded
| casualties2 = "Some" guards killed<ref name=":0" />
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Dano-Mughal War}}
| coordinates = {{coord|22.948145|N|88.884532|E|display=inline,title}}
}}

The '''Danish rescue mission to Pipli''' ([[Danish language|Danish]]: ''Den danske redningsaktion til Pipli'', also called Pipili) refers to a rescue mission by the [[Danish East India Company]] to rescue, then recently, imprisoned Danes from [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] imprisonment at the trading station of Pipely. The mission was successful and the six imprisoned Danes were freed. The mission can also be referred to as the '''Mission to pipli'''.

== Background ==
During the [[Dano-Mughal War]], most of the warfare occurred at sea, this was positive for the [[History of the Danish navy|Danish navy]], who, even though being poorly equipped compared to other Europeans,<ref name=":02">{{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=454–455}}</ref> still had an advantage against the Mughals in naval warfare.<ref name=":02" /> This advantage was however not so large that it could not be challenged if the [[Mughal Empire]] adopted a policy of using maritime violence for [[Commercialism|commercial]] and political purposes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Andrade |first=Tonio |title=Beyond Guns, Germs and Steel |pages=183}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Olsen |first=Gunnar |title=Dansk Ostindien, 1616-1732 |publisher=Fremad |year=1966 |volume=II}}</ref>

In contrast, the warfare on land was the opposite.<ref name=":02" /> There were only two recorded instances of [[land warfare]] between the Mughals and the Danes.<ref name=":02" /> The first was the [[Skirmish at Pipli|destruction of the]] Danish [[Trading post|trade factory]] at [[Pipli]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Så stort har Danmark været |url=https://videnskab.dk/kultur-samfund/saa-stort-har-danmark-vaeret/ |website=Videnskab.dk|date=14 June 2023 }}</ref> by a Mughal force of 300 men.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Bredsdorff |first=Asta |url=https://slaegtsbibliotek.dk/928692.pdf |title=Willem Leyels liv og farefulde rejse til Indien |publisher=MUSEUM TUSCULANUMS FORLAG |year=1999 |volume=XXI |location= |pages=136–140 |language=Danish}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Bredsdorf |first=Asta |title=The Trials and Travels of Willem Leyel |pages=80}}</ref>

=== Prelude ===
The second and last instance of a land confrontation between the Mughal and Danish armies was also at Pipli.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":02" /> A ship, with a crew of six persons, was wrecked off the [[Bay of Bengal|Bengali coast]].<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":0" /> Its crew reached safely ashore only to realize that they were on enemy territory.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |title=Ibid III |pages=134–135}}</ref> They hid in the nearby forest until afterdark when they headed towards the [[river mouth]] near Pipli.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> When they arrived at Pipli, they sighted a [[Dutch people|Dutch]] ship anchored in the river.<ref name=":0" />

The Dutch sent a boat to pick up the [[castaway]]s and promised to take them back to the nearby Danish ship of ''Christianshavn''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":02" /> However, the Bengalis spotted the Danish castaways and demanded their initial [[Surrender (military)|surrender]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":02" /><ref name=":1" /> The Dutch acquiesced and left the castaways to the Bengalis who imprisoned them.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":02" /> Coincidentally, the Danes on board on ''Christianshavn'' nearby were that same day on land for fresh water and [[Ground provisions|provisions]].<ref name=":0" /> When they chatted with the Dutch, they found out about the imprisonment of the castaways, and quickly launched a [[Rescue|rescue mission]] that same night.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

== Mission ==
A small force consisting of two commanders, notably Poul Nielsen and Carsten Ludvigsen, eight Danish sailors, and seven men from [[Tharangambadi|Tranquebar]], was sent ashore.<ref name=":0" /> The small force rowed along the river into Pipli at midnight.<ref name=":0" /> Because of earlier connections with the Danish trade factory at Pipli, Nielsen could easily navigate the army to the local [[Governor|governor's]] house, where he suspected the imprisoned castaways to be located.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":02" />
[[File:The_Great_Kuttra,_Dhaka_(1823).jpg|left|thumb|The [[Bara Katra]], Dhaka (1823) by Charles D'Oyly.]]

=== Assault on the governor's house ===
With [[sable]]s, [[pistol]]s, and [[axe]]s, the Danes stormed the governor's house with high screams.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> They overran the guards at the door and shot some of them.<ref name=":0" /> In a panic, the Bengalis ran around confused and shouting "''The [[Danes]]! The Danes!''"<ref name=":0" /> In the initial turmoil, the local governor escaped through a backdoor and rode away on his horse.<ref name=":0" /> The Danes hastily searched the house but to no avail of finding the castaways.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":02" />

=== Skirmish at the town hall ===
Nielsen then thought that the castaways could be located in the [[town hall]].<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> When the small force reached the town hall, they were met by a group of soldiers, that had heard the shots from the assault on the governor's house.<ref name=":02" /> It came to a short but bloody [[Battle|skirmish]], where some of the Bengali soldiers were killed and the rest fled.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> After the two successes, the Danes found the door to the town hall to be locked, yet with their axes they quickly got inside and found the six imprisoned castaways.<ref name=":02" /><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

Yet again, another problem arose for the Danes. The imprisoned castaways had [[Chain|iron chains]] around their legs, which slowed their [[Mobility (military)|mobility]].<ref name=":0" /> Meanwhile, the whole city was now awake, and there were soon [[cannon]] shots and arrows shot at the Danes.<ref name=":0" /> Though the whole force and castaways made it to their [[chialoup]].<ref name=":0" />

== Aftermath ==
The next morning the whole rescue [[Military Force|force]] and the freed castaways made it to the ship ''Christianshavn'', where the heavy iron chains finally could be taken off the castaways.<ref name=":0" /> No Danes were seriously damaged. Only one man had got a sword cut over the shoulder and another an arrow through his arm.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

The Mughals could have prevented the Danes from freeing their comrades, if the number of guards and soldiers was greater, the only reason for the Danish success was their [[Ambush|element of surprise]].<ref name=":02" />

== See also ==

* {{Annotated link|Skirmish at Pipli}}
* {{Annotated link|Dutch Bengal}}
* {{Annotated link|Dannemarksnagore}}
* {{Annotated link|Expulsion of Danes from Balasore}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Danish rescue mission to Pipli}}
[[Category:Battles involving Denmark]]
[[Category:Battles involving Norway]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Mughal Empire]]
[[Category:1640s in the Mughal Empire]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Danish East India Company|Pipli]]
[[Category:1640s in Danish India]]

Danish rescue mission to Pipli - Revision history

LoganConger6625 at 00:10, 16 September 2025