Eustance de Lennoy
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Captain Eustance De Lennoy (also spelt De Lannoy), was a Dutch naval commander of the Dutch East India Company , who was sent by the company to help establish a trading post at Colachel, Southern India, but was defeated at the Battle of Colachel by the Travancore army under Maharaja Marthanda Varma, in the year 1741, and subsequently became a valiant and successful commander of the same foreign army that defeated him. His role as military commander of the Travancore army was instrumental in the later military successes and exploits of Travancore under Marthanda Varma.
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[edit] Battle of Colachel
In August 1741, De Lennoy arrived at the port of Colachel, near the southern tip of India, as commander of a naval fleet, sent by the Dutch East India Company, or Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC), with the objective of establishing a trading post for the company at Colachel. The company which was the world’s first joint-stock company and the largest multinational company at the time was a very rich corporation and had its own naval fleet to protect its trade and maritime establishments.
In Travancore, the company was interested in acquiring and monopolizing the trade of pepper and other spices, which was sold in the European markets at exorbitant prices. Earlier negotiations with the Travancore government under the king Maharaja Marthanda Varma had proved futile, and it was thus decided to use military pressure to subdue the king. It was with these intentions that a Dutch naval force was dispatched from the nearest Dutch settlement of Galle in Ceylon (present day Sri Lanka).
Once the Dutchmen arrived at Colachel they came ashore and initially took over the lands from Colachel to the Travancore capital, Padmanabhapuram, but were soon overpowered by Travancore army reinforcements that came from the north of the country. Captain De Lennoy’s military contingent was superior in that, it had firearms and was better equipped, but was no match to the tactics and aggressiveness used by the Travancore forces at the Battle of Colachel. This battle is important as it marked the decline of Dutch influence over India.
Captain De Lennoy and twenty-four other Dutchmen were taken prisoner, while the rest of the Dutchmen either retreated to their ships or were killed. Among the prisoners was Donadi, De lenoy’s lieutenant.
[edit] Appointment as Travancore army commander
While in prison, he was offered a conditional pardon and release by the king, Maharaja Marthanda Varma, whereby he was to train and modernize the Travancore army, which De Lennoy and his men readily accepted.
De Lennoy organized the Travancore army on European lines, introduced gun-powder and firearms, hitherto not used in the kingdom, and increased the regiments and improved defence fortifications. In the process, he earned the trust of the king, who put him in command of the entire Travancore armed forces.
De Lennoy was a skilled military strategist, and together with the tactics of the Dewan of Travancore, Ramayyan Pillai Dalawa, and the king, Maharaja Marthanda Varma, the combined skills of the threesome proved very effective in the future military exploitations and annexations of rival kingdoms in the neighbourhood. The statesmanship of king Marthanda Varma, De Lennoy’s military strategy and Ramayyan Dalawa’s tactics were instrumental in the defeat and annexation of Attingal, Quilon, Kayankulam, Panthalam, Ambalapuzha, Edapalli, Thekkanpur and Vadakkanpur with Travancore.
Donadi, Delennoy’s Dutch naval lieutenant was also made a senior military officer in the Travancore military.
[edit] Forts built under De Lennoy’s supervision
De Lennoy built the Nedumkotta, a line of fortifications in the North of the Kingdom to defend the northern defence lines. This fortification proved immensely useful in defending the kingdom against the attacks of Tipu Sultan and other marauders.
Many other forts like the Udayagiri fort and Vattakottai fort, facing the sea near Kanyakumari, were built under De Lennoy’s supervision. Udayagiri, very close to the fortified capital of Padmanabhapuram, was basically built as a military training centre and barracks.
De Lennoy is also credited with the erection of some other small forts and tunnels.
[edit] Life at Udayagiri and later years
As a Christian, De Lennoy was prohibited from entering the king’s palace at Padmanabhapuram and he resided primarily at Udayagiri Fort ,or Dillanai Kotta (De Lennoy’s Fort) as it is locally called, where he also built a small chapel for his family and other Christians.
Captain De lennoy’s military skills and trust were recognised not only by King and the state officials, but also by the subjects of Travancore, who called him by the nom de guerre ‘Valia Kaaptain’ (meaning brave Captain or soldier).
At some point of his military career, De Lennoy got well acquainted with Neelakanta Pillai, a palace official, who after learning of Christian traditions and beliefs through De Lennoy, converted to Christianity. Neelankanta Pillai took the baptized name of Devasahayam Pillai.
Maharaja Martanda Varma died in 1758, and De Lennoy served as military chief to his successor Rama Varma for a period.
De Lennoy died a natural death in 1777. De Lennoy, who was trusted and liked by both the king and his subjects was buried at the chapel inside Udayagiri fort. His tomb was inscribed with the following words : "Stand Traveller, and behold ! For here lies Captain Delannoy, who served Maharaja Marthanda Varma and Travancore faithfully for three decades".
[edit] Relevant Places of Interest
De Lennoy’s tomb is found at Udayagiri fort, which is on the present-day Nagercoil – Trivandrum highway, near Thuckalay. Udayagiri fort is now also a biodiversity park maintained by the Department of Forests, Kanyakumari division.
Padmanabhapuram, the capital of Travancore during the time of Marthanda Varma, is close to Udayagiri fort, near Thuckalay
Colachel, where De Lennoy first landed as commander of the Dutch naval expedition, is a small seaport town in the present day Kanyakumari District.
Vattakottai (or circular fort) is a seaside fort, very close to Kanyakumari, the southern tip of Peninsular India.
