Marthanda Varma
Topic: Europeans in India and the Rise of Company Rule · NCERT: Class 8, Ch 4 "The Colonial Era in India"
Meaning
Marthanda Varma was the king of Travancore in southern Kerala from c. 1729 to 1758. He brought small local chiefs under his control and built a strong, unified state. He is best known for defeating the Dutch at the Battle of Colachel in 1741. This was a rare case of an Asian power beating a European colonial force.
Example
At Colachel in 1741, Marthanda Varma beat the Dutch East India Company on land and at sea. After this, Dutch power on the Malabar coast began to decline. In 1750 he dedicated his kingdom to Sri Padmanabha, the god of the Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. From then on he ruled as the god's servant.
Don't confuse with
- Rani Abbakka: she was the queen of Ullal in southern Karnataka. She fought the Portuguese, not the Dutch.
Related concepts
- Dutch East India Company
- Battle of Colachel
- Danish East India Company
- French East India Company
- Dupleix
- Carnatic wars
- Siege of Arcot 1751
- Battle of Chandernagore 1757
- Battle of Bedara 1759
- Battle of Wandiwash 1760