diminished and the factories and forts earlier erected by them on the coast slowly fell into Dutch hands.

The Danes during the days of King Christian IV turned their attention on India and sought means to enrich themselves. By 1616, a Danish East India Company was formed to trade with India. The Dutch rulers also supported the conversion of the native population. The first Dutch fort in India was built as Pulicat, north of Madras in 1609. Nagapatnam on the Madras Coast was their chief port of call from 1660. The Dutch, however, turned their attention more on the Spice Islands and Java. In 1620, a factory at Tranquebar, on the East-coast was founded by the Danish Gedde and the Naik of Tanjore consented to it. Tranquebar is important since the “Tranquebar Mission” (A Danish one) - played an outstanding role in the missionary history of South India. As the 17th century advanced the Dutch began to think of missionary work in India apart from trade. There had been a Pastor or two at Tranquebar but thus far their attention had not turned on the natives. In this connection it is of interest to remember “the Danish Apostle of India” Jacob Worns who was exiled to India after a stormy career in his homeland. There is nothing definite about what he did for the conversion of the natives in India. “some declare that he translated the Bible, others that he occupied himself with translating the New Testament only into Tamil. ..….”,⁶ There is however no trace of this work.

The Danish factories which were not very important at any time were sold to the British Government in 1845. The “Dutch power in India was largely jeopardized on European battle fields”.⁷ Dutch rule in the East was purely commercial and the welfare of the ruled was not considered. In the 18th century the decadent naval power of the Dutch was unable to meet the needs of the situation in India.

6. Fenger, J. Ferd, History of the Tranquebar Mission; 1906.

7. Roberts, P. E. History of British India; 1938, P. 19.