Home About us Products Services Contact us Bookmark
:: wikimiki.org ::
Marthanda Varma

Marthanda Varma

Marthanda Varma (1706 - 1758) was the son of the Rani of Attingal. He inherited the throne of Venad, a small principality on the southernmost tip of peninsular India, from his uncle, according to the matrilineal system of inheritance. A shrewd tactician and a brilliant general, he signed a treaty with the English East India Company in 1723, in his capacity as the crown prince. The sons of the king, Pappu Thampi and Raman Thampi, conspired with the nobles Ettuveetil pillamar (nobles of the 8 houses) and the religious heads, the Yoggakaar to assassinate him. He escaped from the capital city of Padmanabhapuram to the loyal city of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), and was assisted all along the way by the local people. Collecting his forces, he destroyed both the feudal nobles and his cousins and exiled the Yogakkar from the land. On assuming the throne in 1729, he was assisted by his able minister Ramayyan Dalawa. Marthanda Varma raised a powerful and well trained army from the local people of Venad. He started on his campaign of expansion and started conquering the neighbouring kingdoms. Many of these were allies of the Dutch East India Company and they declared war on Marthanda Varma. Following the defeat of the Dutch and the capture of Admiral D'lennoy at the Battle of Colachel in 1741, Marthanda Varma continued his expansion and annexed all the princely states right up to Kochi in 1746. An invasion from Rettipalayam through the Aramboli Ghat was stopped and Marthanda Varma secured the Eastern border as well. Marthanda Varma renovated the 8th century old Sri. Padmanabha temple of Trivandrum, and on January 3rd 1750, he dedicated his new kingdom to his deity (tripaddidhanam) and ruled as the servant of the deity (Sri. Padamanabhadasa). He is known as "the maker of modern Travancore" for developing a small kingdom into a powerful state. He appointed his former prisoner, Admiral D'lennoy, as his commander-in-chief and gave him the status of a local noble. D'lennoy modernised the Travancore army and equipped the army with firearms and artillery. Marthanda Varma also took steps to improve trade, and built waterways and roads. He passed away in 1758, leaving his kingdom to his nephew Karthika Thirunal Rama Varma (Dharma Raja), during whose reign, the kingdom withstood the Mysorean invasion. ---- Varma, Marthanda Varma, Marthanda Category: Indian people Category:Malayali people Category:Kingdom of Travancore Category:Indian monarchs

1706

Events


- March 27 - Concluding that Emperor Iyasus I of Ethiopia had abdicated by retiring to a monastery, a council of high officials appoint Tekle Haymanot I Emperor of Ethiopia
- May 23 - Battle of Ramillies
- September 7 - The Battle of Turin in the War of Spanish Succession - forces of Austria and Savoy defeat the French
- November 5 - The Dublin Gazette publishes its first edition.

Births


- January 7 - Johann Heinrich Zedler, German publisher (d. 1751)
- January 17 - Benjamin Franklin, American politician and scientist (d. 1790)
- January 28 - John Baskerville, English printer (d. 1775)
- March 6 - Sir George Pocock, British admiral (d. 1792)
- April 24 - Giovanni Battista Martini, Italian musician (d. 1784)
- May 17 - Andreas Felix von Oefele, German historian and librarian (d. 1780)
- May 20 - Seth Pomeroy, American gunsmith and soldier (d. 1777)
- June 10 - John Dollond, English optician (d. 1761)
- October 18 - Baldassare Galuppi, Italian composer (d. 1785)
- November 8 - Johann Ulrich von Cramer, German judge and philosopher (d. 1772)
- December 17 - Emilie du Chatelet, French mathematician and physicist (d. 1749)
- James Abercrombie, British general (d. 1781)

Deaths


- January 21 - Adrien Baillet, French scholar and critic (b. 1649)
- January 29 - Charles Sackville, 6th Earl of Dorset, English poet and courtier (b. 1638)
- February 27 - John Evelyn, English writer, gardener and diarist (b. 1620)
- March 1 - Heino Heinrich Graf von Flemming, German field marshal and Governor of Berlin (b. 1632)
- March 3 - Johann Pachelbel, German composer (b. 1653)
- April 10 - Arthur Chichester, 3rd Earl of Donegall, Irish soldier (b. 1666)
- October 13 - Iyasus I of Ethiopia
- November 15 - Tsangyang Gyatso, 6th Dalai Lama (b. 1683)
- December 9 - Peter II of Portugal (b. 1648)
- December 28 - Pierre Bayle, French philosopher (b. 1647) Category:1706 ko:1706년 ms:1706

Attingal

Attingal is located in Thiruvananthapuram District. It is the birth place of Vakkom Moulavi, one of the greatest renaissance leaders of Kerala. Vakkom Purushothaman, the former speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly, was also born here. Sarkara Devi Temple and Varkala Beach (5 km) are points of interest nearby. Attingal Bus Station is the nearest bus station. Varkala Railway Station (5 km) and Trivandrum International Airport (30 km) serve this area. It is about 8 km off the National Highway 47 and 3 km off the Varkala-Kadakavur road.

STATISTICS

Population (2001): 35,648
Sex Ratio (females per 1000 males): 1136.7
Literacy: 98.65 % ( 97.22% male, 88.69% female) Category:Cities and towns in Kerala Category:Kingdom of Travancore

Venad

:For general context, see History of Travancore. Venad was one of the thirteen kingdoms of the ancient Cheran empire. It included most of modern day Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts of Kerala State, India. The Chera power was re-established in Kerala by Kulasekhara Varman about 800 A.D. the founder of the royal dynasty of the Kulasekhara Empire, the revived or second Cheran empire. After the fall of Mahodayapuram in 1102, the capital of the emperor was relocated to Kollam to regroup. In the ensuing battles Cheran armies defeated the Chola using chaver (suicide squad) tactics, eclipsing the Cholan power in South India for good. Unfortunately for Cherans -and Keralam- a hundred years of war and loss of the imperial capital took its toll. The imperial power broke down soon after the war and all thirteen kingdoms became independent. Venad beacame one of the more powerful of these successor kingdoms. The Cheran imperial family most likely merged with Venad royal family and their heirs ruled Venad. At the height of its glory, the kings of Venad conquered most of South India. In the 18th century the newly crowned young prince Marthanda Varma, who was in in his twenties, defeated the Eight Families and their chiefs (Ettuveettil Pillamar) with the help of the British East India Company. He not only united the kingdom, but expanded it to the north to include half of modern-day Kerala. He named it Thiruvithamcode (Travancore) after the branch of Venad royal family from which he hailed. Thiruvithamcore or Travancore lost its sovereignty to the British at the end of 18th Century, and remained a princely state with its own government. After the independence of India, Travencore joined Indian Union and became a part of the State of Kerala when it was formed in 1956.

Further reading


- [http://www.keralahistory.ac.in/culturaltraditions.htm P.J.Cherian (editor, Perspectives on Kerala History : The Second Millennium]
- [http://www.shelterbelt.com/KJ/khkulashekharas.html Zacharias Thundy, (Northern Michigan University), "The Kerala Story: Chera times of the Kulasekharas"] Category:Kingdom of Travancore

India

The Republic of India is a country in South Asia which comprises of the majority of the Indian subcontinent. India has a coastline which stretches over seven thousand kilometres, and shares its borders with Pakistan to the west, the People's Republic of China, Nepal, and Bhutan to the northeast, and Bangladesh and Myanmar on the east. On the Indian Ocean, it is adjacent to the island nations of the Maldives on the southwest, Sri Lanka on the south, and Indonesia on the southeast. India also claims a border with Afghanistan to the northwest. India is the fourth largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power parity. It is the second most populous country in the world, with a population of over one billion, and is the seventh largest country by geographical area. It is home to some of the most ancient civilizations, and a centre of important historic trade routes. Four major world religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism have originated from India. Formerly a major part of the British Empire as the British Raj before gaining independence in 1947, during the past twenty years the country has grown significantly, especially in its economic and military spheres, regionally as well as globally. The name India , is derived from the Old Persian version of Sindhu, the historic local appellation for the river Indus; see Origin of India's name. The Constitution of India and general usage also recognises Bharat ( ), which is derived from the Sanskrit name of an ancient Hindu king, whose story is to be found in the Mahabharata, as an official name of equal status. A third name, Hindustan ( ) , or Land of the Hindus in Persian, has been used since the twelfth century, though its contemporary use is unevenly applied due to domestic disputes over its representiveness as a national signifier.

History

Stone Age rock shelters with paintings at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh are the earliest known traces of human life in India. The first known permanent settlements appeared 9,000 years ago and developed into the Indus Valley Civilisation, which peaked between 2600 BC and 1900 BC. It was followed by the Vedic Civilisation. From around 550 BC onwards, many independent kingdoms came into being. In the north, the Maurya dynasty, which included Ashoka, contributed greatly to India's cultural landscape. From 180 BC, a series of invasions from Central Asia followed, with the successive establishment in the northern Indian Subcontinent of the Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Indo-Parthian kingdoms, and finally the Kushan Empire. From the 3rd century AD onwards the Gupta dynasty oversaw the period referred to as ancient India's "Golden Age". Gupta dynasty built by emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC]] In the south, several dynasties including the Chalukyas, Cheras, Cholas, Kadambas, Pallavas and Pandyas prevailed during different periods. Science, art, literature, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, religion and philosophy flourished under the patronage of these kings. Following the Islamic invasions in the beginning of the second millennium, much of north and central India came to be ruled by the Delhi Sultanate, and later, much of the entire subcontinent by the Mughal dynasty. Nevertheless, several indigenous kingdoms remained or rose to power, especially in the relatively sheltered south. Vijayanagara Empire was notable among such kingdoms. During the middle of the second millennium, several European countries, including the Portuguese, Dutch, French and British, who were initially interested in trade with India, took advantage of fractured kingdoms fighting each other to establish colonies in the country. After a failed insurrection in 1857 against the British East India Company, popularly known in India as the First War of Indian Independence and most commonly known in the West as the Indian Mutiny, most of India came under the direct administrative control of the crown of the British Empire. British Empire, Orissa built in the 13th century, is one of the most famous monuments of stone sculpture in the world.]] sculpture in the 10th century AD.]] In the early part of the 20th century, a prolonged and largely non-violent struggle for independence, the Indian independence movement, followed, to be eventually led by Mahatma Gandhi, regarded officially as the Father Of The Nation. The culmination of this path-breaking struggle was reached on 1947-08-15 when India gained full independence from British rule, later becoming a republic on 1950-01-26. As a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country, India has had its share of sectarian violence and insurgencies in different parts of the country. Nonetheless, it has held itself together as a secular, liberal democracy barring a brief period from 1975 to 1977 during which the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a "state of emergency" with the suspension of civil rights. India has unresolved border disputes with China, which escalated into a brief war in 1962, and Pakistan which resulted in wars in 1947, 1965, and 1971, and a border altercation in the northern state of Kashmir in 1999. India was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations. In 1974, India conducted an underground nuclear test, making it an unofficial member of the "nuclear club", which was followed up with a series of five more tests in 1998. Significant economic reforms beginning in 1991 have transformed India into one of the fastest growing economies in the world and added to its global clout.

Government

The Constitution of India states India to be a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. India is a federal republic, with a bicameral parliament operating under a Westminster-style parliamentary system. It has a three branch system of governance consisting of the legislature, executive and judiciary. The President, who is the head of state, has a largely ceremonial role. His roles include interpreting the constitution, signing laws into action, and issuing pardons. He is also the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces. The President and Vice-President are elected indirectly by an electoral college for five-year terms. The Prime Minister is the head of government and most executive powers are vested in this office. He (or she) is elected by legislators of the political party, or coalition, commanding a parliamentary majority, and serves a five-year term incumbent upon enjoying this majority. The constitution does not provide for a post of Deputy Prime Minister, but this option has been exercised from time to time. The legislature of India is the bicameral Parliament which consists of the upper house known as the Rajya Sabha, or Council of States, the lower house known as the Lok Sabha, or House of the People, and the President. The 245-member Rajya Sabha is chosen indirectly through an electoral college and has a staggered six year term. The 545-member Lok Sabha is directly elected for a five year term, and is the determinative constituent of political power and government formation. All Indian citizens above the age of eighteen are eligible to vote. The executive arm consists of the President, Vice-President and the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet) headed by the Prime Minister. Any minister holding a portfolio must be a member of either house of parliament. In India's parliamentary system, the executive is subordinate to the legislature. India's independent judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of India. The Supreme Court has both original jurisdiction over disputes between states and the Centre, and appellate jurisdiction over the High Courts of India. There are eighteen appellate High Courts, having jurisdiction over a large state or a group of states. Each of these states has a tiered system of lower courts. A conflict between the legislature and the judiciary is referred to the President.

Politics

Chief Justice of India For most of its independent history, India's national government has been controlled by the Indian National Congress Party. Following its position as the largest political organisation in pre-independence India, Congress, usually led by a member of the Nehru-Gandhi family, dominated national politics for over forty years. In 1977, a united opposition, under the banner of the Janata Party, won the election and formed a non-Congress government for a short period after the unpopular 'emergency rule' imposed by Indira Gandhi in the previous Congress regime. In 1996, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a political party with a right wing nationalist ideology, became the largest single party, and established for the first time a serious opposition to the largely centre-left Congress. But power was held by two successive coalition governments, who stayed on with the support of the Congress. In 1998, the BJP formed the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) along with smaller parties and became the first non-Congress government to sustain the full five year term after it returned to power in 1999. The decade prior to 1999 was marked by short-lasting governments, with seven separate governments formed within that period. One however, a Congress government formed in 1991, lasted the full five years and initiated significant economic reforms. In the 2004 Indian elections the Congress party returned to power after winning the largest number of seats, by a narrow margin. Congress formed a government in alliance with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and with several mostly-regional parties called the United Progressive Alliance. The NDA, led by the BJP, currently forms the main opposition. All governments formed since 1996 have required party coalitions, with no single majority party, due to the steady rise of regional parties at the national level.

States and union territories

India is divided into twenty-eight states (which are further subdivided into districts), six Union Territories and the National Capital Territory of Delhi. States have their own elected government, whereas Union Territories are governed by an administrator appointed by the union government, though some have elected governments. India has had two scientific bases in Antarctica – the Dakshin Gangotri and Maitri, but has made no territorial claims so far.

Geography

Maitri in the north to Arunachal Pradesh in the far east making up most of India's eastern borders]] India's entire north and northeast states are made up of the Himalayan Range. The rest of northern, central and eastern India consists of the fertile Indo-Gangetic plain. Towards western India, bordering southeast Pakistan, lies the Thar Desert. The southern Indian peninsula is almost entirely composed of the Deccan plateau. The plateau is flanked by two hilly coastal ranges, the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats. India is home to several major rivers such as the Ganga (Ganges), the Brahmaputra, the Yamuna, the Godavari, and the Krishna. The rivers are responsible for the fertile plains in northern India which are conducive to farming. The Indian climate varies from a tropical climate in the south to a more temperate climate in the north. Parts of India which lie in the Himalaya have a tundra climate. India gets most of its rains through the monsoons.

Economy

monsoon India has an economy ranked as the tenth largest in the world in terms of currency conversion and fourth largest in terms of purchasing power parity. It recorded one of the fastest annual growth rates of 6.9% for the year ending March 2005. India's per-capita income by purchasing power parity is US$ 3,262, ranked 125th by the World Bank. India's foreign exchange reserves amount to over US$ 143 billion. Mumbai serves as the nation's financial capital and is also home to both the headquarters of the Reserve Bank of India and the pre-eminent Bombay Stock Exchange. While a quarter of Indians still live below the poverty line, a large middle class has now emerged along with the rapid growth of the IT industry. The Indian economy has shed much of its historical dependence on agriculture, which now contributes to less than 25 % of GDP. Other important industries are mining, petroleum, diamond polishing, films, textiles, information technology services, and handicrafts. Most of India's industrial regions are centred around major cities. In recent years, India has emerged as one of the largest players in software and business process outsourcing services, with revenues of US$ 17.2 billion in 2004 to 2005. Many small-scale industries provide steady employment to workers in small towns and villages. business process outsourcing While India receives only around three million foreign visitors a year, tourism is still an important but under-developed source of national income. Tourism contributes 5.3 % of India's GDP. The actual employment generation, both direct and indirect, is estimated to be 42 million, or about 10 % of India's work force. In monetary terms, it contributes about US$4 billion in foreign exchange. India's major trading partners are the United States, Japan, China and the United Arab Emirates. India's main exports items include agricultural products, textile goods, gems and jewellry, software services and technology, engineering goods, chemicals and leather products while its main import commodities are crude oil, machinery, gems, fertiliser, chemicals. For the year 2004, India's total exports stood at US$ 69.18 billion while the imports were worth at US $89.33 billion.

Demographics

India is the second most populous country in the world, with only China having a larger population. By 2030, India is expected to surpass China with the world's largest population, estimated at 1.6 billion. Language, religion, and caste are major determinants of social and political organisation within the highly diverse Indian population today. Its biggest metropolitan agglomerations are Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Delhi, Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) and Chennai (formerly Madras). Chennai]] India's literacy rate is 64.8 % with 53.7 % of females and 75.3 % of males being literate. The sex ratio is 933 females for every 1000 males. Work Participation Rate (WPR) (the percentage of workers to total population) stands at 39.1 % with male WPR at 51.7 % and female WPR at 25.6 % inote|eu{inote|demostats{inote|religion{ref|languages{inote|tongues{see2|Christianity in India|Jews in India{seealso3|List of Indian languages by total speakers|List of cities in India|Religion in India{main|Culture of India{seealso4|List of World Heritage sites in India|Indian architecture|Indian family name|Cuisine of India{main|Sports in India{main|Holidays in India{Official Holidays of India{Topics related to India{portal{sisterlinks|India{wikitravel{wikicities|india|India{explain-inote{Web reference | title=India facts and figures | work=Embassy of India| URL= http://www.indianembassy.org/dydemo/indiaprofile/profile.htm | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= Forex reserves up by $1bn | work=Economic Times| URL= http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1093864.cms | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= India Economy | work=Travel Document Systems |URL= http://www.traveldocs.com/in/economy.htm | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= Services | work=India in Business| URL= http://www.indiainbusiness.nic.in/india-profile/ser-infotech.htm | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= Destination India: An Unpolished Diamond | work=Times of India | URL= http://timesfoundation.indiatimes.com/articleshow/819309.cms | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= US, UAE, UK, China, Japan among India's top trade partners | work=Indian Express| URL= http://www.indianexpress.com/news/business/20050102-0.html | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= CIA Factbook : India | work=CIA Factbook | URL= http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/in.html | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= Provisional Population Totals 2001 Census| work=Census of India| URL=http://www.censusindia.net/results/resultsmain.html | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= Debating India & India's literacy rate | work=Debating India | URL= http://india.eu.org/1963.html | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= India – Country profiles | work=indexmundi.com | URL= http://www.indexmundi.com/India/ India | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= Census of India 2001, Data on Religion | work=Census of India | URL= http://www.censusindia.net/results/religion_main.html | date=August 14 | year=2005{Web reference | title= Languages of India | work=India image | URL= http://indiaimage.nic.in/languages.htm| date=August 14 | year=2005{Book reference | Author=K.M. Matthew | Title=Manorama Yearbook 2003 | Publisher= Malaya Manorama | Year=2003 | ID=ISBN 8190046187{mnb|afgh|1{mnb|LoC|2{South Asia{Asia{Commonwealth of Nations{SAARC{Life in India{Link FA|sv{Link FA|sv

1723

Events


- February 16 - Louis XV of France attains his majority

Births


- January 12 - Samuel Langdon, American President of Harvard University (d. 1797)
- February 15 - John Witherspoon, American signer of the Declaration of Independence (d. 1794)
- February 17 - Tobias Mayer, German astronomer (d. 1761)
- February 21 - Louis-Pierre Anquetil, French historian (d. 1808)
- February 23 - Richard Price, Welsh philosopher (d. 1791)
- February 24 - John Burgoyne, British general (d. 1792)
- March 22 - Charles Carroll, American lawyer and Continental Congressman (d. 1783)
- March 23 - Agha Mohammad Khan Ghajar, Iranian king (d. 1778)
- March 31 - King Frederick V of Denmark (d. 1766)
- April 20 - Cornelius Harnett, American Continental Congressman (d. 1781)
- April 30 - Mathurin Jacques Brisson, French naturalist (d. 1806)
- June 3 - Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Italian-born physician and naturalist (d. 1788)
- June 5 - (baptised) Adam Smith, Scottish economist and philosopher (d. 1790)
- June 11 - Johann Georg Palitzsch, German astronomer (d. 1788)
- June 20 - Adam Ferguson, Scottish philosopher and historian (d. 1816)
- June 20 - Theophilus Lindsey, English theologian (d. 1808)
- July 1 - Pedro Rodríguez, Conde de Campomanes, Spanish statesman and writer (d. 1802)
- July 10 - William Blackstone, English jurist (d. 1780)
- July 11 - Jean-François Marmontel, French historian and writer (d. 1799)
- July 16 - Sir Joshua Reynolds, English painter (d. 1792)
- September 11 - Johann Bernhard Basedow, German educational reformer (d. 1790)
- October 4 - Nikolaus Poda von Neuhaus, German entomologist (d. 1798)
- November 8 - John Byron, English admiral (d. 1786)
- November 30 - William Livingston, American politician and journalist (d. 1790)
- December 22 - Karl Friedrich Abel, German composer (d. 1787)
- December 26 - Friedrich Melchior, baron von Grimm, German writer (d. 1807)

Deaths


- February 25 - Sir Christopher Wren, English architect, astronomer, and mathematician (b. 1632)
- February 26 - Thomas d'Urfey, English writer (b. 1653)
- March 15 - Johann Christian Gunther, German poet (b. 1695)
- March 31 - Edward Hyde, 3rd Earl of Clarendon, British Governor of New York and New Jersey (b. 1661)
- April 11 - John Robinson, English diplomat (b. 1650)
- May 11 - Jean Galbert de Campistron, French dramatist (b. 1656)
- July 14 - Claude Fleury, French historian (b. 1640)
- July 26 - Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven, English statesman (b. 1660)
- August 10 - Guillaume Dubois, French cardinal and statesman (b. 1656)
- August 17 - Joseph Bingham, English scholar (b. 1668)
- August 23 - Increase Mather, American Puritan minister (b. 1639)
- August 26 - Anton van Leeuwenhoek, Dutch scientist (b. 1632)
- October 10 - William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper, Lord Chancellor of England
- October 19 - Godfrey Kneller, German-born artist (b. 1646)
- October 31 - Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (b. 1642)
- November 19 - Antoine Nompar de Caumont, French courtier and statesman (b. 1632)
- December 1 - Susanna Centlivre, English dramatist and actress
- December 2 - Philip II, Duke of Orléans, regent of France (b. 1674)
- December 7 - Jan Santini Aichel, Czech architect (b. 1677) Category:1723 ko:1723년 simple:1723

Crown Prince

A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. (Crown Princess is also the title of the wife of the Crown Prince.) In Europe, lineal succession conventions (see for example Salic Law) usually dictate that the eldest child (as in Sweden, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands) or the eldest son of the current monarch (United Kingdom, Spain, Denmark etc) fills this role, but in Arab monarchies, for example, succession rules may differ and a Crown Prince may gain the title on merit, or because someone is not seen as a threat to the reign of the current monarch; in such cases a person granted the title may also lose it, with it being granted to another member of the Royal Family. Compare Heir Apparent and Heir Presumptive. It should however be noted that, although it is often used as a generic term for heir apparent, it is seldom an official title in the European monarchies. Currently, only the heirs apparent to the Scandinavian monarchies officially bear the title, while the heir presumptive normally would be titled Hereditary Prince. Many monarchies use(d) special titles:
- Blessed Prince (al-Amir as-Sa'id) (Egypt and Sudan)
- Dauphin (France)
- diadochos in the kingdom of the Hellenes (post-Otoman Greece)
- Prince Imperial (Napoleonic France)
- Tsesarevich (Russia)
- Prestolonaslednik (Serbia) Even more customarily (often not de iure) assign(ed) a primogeniture or award(ed) a hollow territorial title of princely rank:
- Prince of the Asturias (Castile, Spain)
- Prince of Gerona (Aragon, Spain)
- Prince of Viana (Kingdom of Navarre)
- Duke of Braganza, Prince of Beira and/or Prince of Brazil (titles of the Portuguese heir after 1640)
- Prince of Orange (House of Orange-Nassau) (The Netherlands)
- Duke of Brabant (kingdom of Belgium)
- Duke of Calabria (Kingdom of the Two Sicilies)
- Duke of Cornwall (England, Great Britain, United Kingdom)
- Duke of Rothesay (Scotland, Great Britain, United Kingdom)
- Prince of Wales (England, Great Britain, United Kingdom) Equivalents in non-western cultures:
- Jaguar Prince ([Mesoamerica])
- HuangTaizi (皇太子) (Imperial China)
- Hwangtaeja (皇太子) (Imperial Korea)
- Kōtaishi (皇太子) (Japan), if a son; Japan also has a title kōtaison (皇太孫) if the heir is a grandson
- Thái tử was the term used by past dynasties of Vietnam for their crown princes. Normally, a crown prince was also bestowed with other titles depending on the grace of the ruler

See also


- Caesar (since the tetrarchy) and Consors imperii
- Princeps iuventutis
- Prince of the blood
- Crown Prince Party of the People's Republic of China Category:Monarchy Category:Noble titles Category:Titles
- ja:皇太子

Thiruvananthapuram

:This article is about Thiruvananthapuram City. For information about the district , see Thiruvananthapuram district. Thiruvananthapuram (Malayalam: തിരുവനന്തപുരം), formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland. The city is characterized by its undulating terrain of low coastal hills with narrow winding lanes and busy commercial alleys. With a population of 889,191 (as of 2001) it is the second biggest city in Kerala after Cochin (Kochi). The city, being the state capital houses many government offices, organizations and companies. Apart from being the political nerve center of Kerala, it is also a major academic hub and houses several premier educational institutions including the Kerala University. Thiruvananthapuram is also home to many science and technology institutions, the most prominent being the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC).

Origin of name

Thiruvananthapuram literally means Thiru (Great/Lord) Ananthan's Puram (City). The name derives from the main deity of a Hindu temple at the centre of the city. Ananthan is the serpent Sesha on whom Padmanabhan or Vishnu reclines. The temple of Anantha, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is the most recognizable icon of the city. The city was officially known as Trivandrum till 1991. The name is still in common use and most non-Keralites prefer to use Trivandrum.

History

Thiruvananthapuram is an ancient city with trading traditions dating back to 1000 BC. It was a trading post for spices like the rest of ancient Kerala. However the ancient political and cultural history of the city was almost entirely independent from that of the rest of Kerala. The early rulers of the city were the Ays. With their fall in the 10th century, the city was taken over by the rulers of Venad. The rise of modern Thiruvananthapuram began with accession of Marthanda Varma in 1729 as the founding ruler of the princely state of Thiruvithamkoor (Travancore). Thiruvananthapuram was made the capital of Travancore in 1745. The city developed into a major intellectual and artistic center during this period of time. The golden age in the city's history was during the mid 19th century during the reign of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal . It was at that time Ayya Vaikundar was jailed in Singarathoppe, part of the City of Thiruvananthapuram by Kalineesan, (Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma) according to Akilattirattu Ammanai, the religious book of Ayyavazhi. This era saw the establishment of the first English school (1834), the Observatory (1836), the General Hospital (1839) and the University College (1873). The early 19th century was an age of tremendous political and social changes in the city. The Sree Moolam Assembly, established in 1904 was the first democratically elected legislative council in any Indian state. Despite not being under direct control the British Empire at anytime, the city however featured prominently in India's freedom struggle. The Indian National Congress had a very active presence in the city. This era also saw the establishment of the University of Travancore in 1937 which later became the Kerala University. After the withdrawal of the British in 1947, Travancore chose to join the Indian union. In 1949 Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of Thiru-Kochi, state formed by the integration of Travancore with its northern neighbour Kochi. When the state of Kerala was formed on November 1, 1956, Thiruvananthapuram became the capital of the new state. With the establishment of TERLS (Thumba Equitorial Rocket Launching Station) in the 60s, Thiruvananthapuram became the cradle of India's ambitious space program. The first Indian space rocket was developed and launched from the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) located in the outskirts of the city in 1966. Several establishments of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) were later established in Thiruvananthapuram. A major milestone in the city's recent history was the establishment in 1995 of Technopark, an IT park. This placed Thiruvananthapuram on the IT map of India and it is today one of most promising in the country in terms of competitiveness.

Geography

Technopark Thiruvananthapuram is located at on the west coast, near the southern tip of mainland India. The city covers an area of about 250 square kilometers, sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. The average elevation is at sea level. The city can be divided into two geographical regions, the midlands and the lowlands. The midland region comprises of low hills and valleys adjoining the Ghats. This area has high agricultural activity and crops like paddy, tapioca, spices and cashews are cultivated here. The lowland is a narrow stretch comprising of shorelines, rivers and deltas, dotted with coconut palms. The major rivers that flow through the city are the Karamana river, the Neyyar and the Vamanapuram river. A third region the highlands form the eastern suburbs of the city. Several cash crops like rubber, tea, cardamom etc. are grown here. The highest point is the Agasthyarkoodam which rises 1890 m above sea level. Ponmudi and Mukkunimala are hill-resorts near the city.

Climate

The city has a tropical climate and therefore does not experience distinct seasons. The mean maximum temperature 34 °C and the mean minimum temperature is 21 °C. The humidity is high and rises to about 90% during the monsoon season. Thiruvananthapuram is the first city along the path of the south-west monsoons and gets its first showers in early June. The city gets heavy rainfall of around 1700 mm per year. The city also gets rain from the receding north-east monsoons which hit the city by October. The dry season sets in by December. December, January and February are the coldest months while March, April and May are the hottest. The winter temperature comes down to about 18 °C and summer temperatures can sometimes go as high as 37 °C.

Economy

Ponmudi The economy of Thiruvananthapuram is based on the tertiary sector with about 70% of the workforce being employed as government servants. Industrial and commercial activities are comparatively low unlike the other cities of Kerala namely Kochi and Kozhikode. Since the establishment of Technopark in 1995, Thiruvananthapuram has steadily grown into a competitive IT centre. Technopark houses global majors like Infosys, TCS, McKinsey & Co., Ernst & Young, Alliance Cornhill, US Technologies etc. The park has around 80 companies employing over 10,000 professionals. With the expansion plans to be completed in 2007-08, this figure is to rise to about 30,000. There are around 20 government owned and 60 privately owned medium and large scale industrial units in Thiruvanathapuram. The major employers are the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), Keltron, Travancore Titanium and Hindustan Latex, all government owned. There are also about 30,000 small scale industrial units employing around 1,15,000 people. Traditional industries include handloom and coir. Other major organizations of economic interest are the Chithranjali Film Complex, Kinfra Apparel Park, Kinfra Audio Visual Park, Trivandrum Rubber Works, Kerala Automobiles and the English India Clay Ltd. Commercial activity is quite low mainly due to the absence of natural harbours. However this might soon change with the construction of the proposed Vizhinjam container terminal.

Civic Administration

Ernst & Young The city is administered by the Trivandrum Corporation headed by the Mayor. The city council is democratically elected and comprises of 25 members representing the different city wards. Several agencies work under or in partnership with the Corporation including the Trivandrum Development Authority (TRIDA) and Trivandrum Road Development Corporation. Most of the city comes under the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency. Some northern wards of the city come under the Chirayinkeezhu constituency. The city contributes to 6 legislative assembly seats namely Kazhakootam, Thiruvananthapuram North, Thiruvananthapuram West, Thiruvananthapuram East, Nemom and Kovalam. The city police is headed by a Police Commissioner an officer of IPS rank. The city is divided three police sub-divisions headed by Assistant Commissioners. There are also two traffic sub-divisions. A women's cell and a narcotics control cell also operate in the city. There are two armed state police camps and a unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of Kerala and hence the state legislative assembly and Secretariat are located here. The city is also the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram district.

Transport

Thiruvananthapuram district Within the city, city buses and autorickshaws provide means of transportation. Two-wheelers, especially scooters and motorcycles are the favored means of personal transportation on the roads mainly owing to the narrow nature of the roads. The intra-city public transport is dominated by the state-owned KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation). There are also private bus services, but are limited in number. The city services of KSRTC operate from 5 depots namely, the City depot, Vikas Bhavan, Peroorkada, Pappanamcode and Vellanad. These services were revamped in 2005 with the introduction of modern buses and electronic ticketing mechanisms. The central city bus terminal is located at East Fort, near the Padmanabha Swamy temple. The long-distance bus station is located 1km away at Thampanoor. Buses from it go to all major towns and villages in the state as well as big cities in India such as Kochi, Bangalore and Chennai. The central railway station is also located at Thampanoor in the heart of the city, 8 km from the airport. It is a very important terminus which handles over 50 trains daily. The city is well connected by rail to almost all major cities in India. Trivandrum is the first major city from south along the second longest train route in the world, Kanyakumari to Jammu. A second satellite station was opened in 2005 at Kochuveli, near the International Airport. Thiruvananthapuram's international airport, with direct flights from the Middle East, Singapore, Maldives and Sri Lanka is the gateway to the tourism-rich state of Kerala. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways are the domestic airlines operating from here. Air India, Gulf Air, Kuwait Airways,Silkair, Srilankan Airlines and Air Maldives are operate the international flights. There are also two military airports one near the civilian airport and the other at the Southern Air Command of the Indian Air Force in Akkulam. The exponential growth of the services and IT based sectors coupled with its prominance as the state capital and tourist centre has caused considerable strain on the transport infrastructure of the city. To tackle this crisis, several construction projects are now underway including the construction of several underpasses and flyovers, scheduled to be completed by early 2007.

Demographics

The city has a population of 889,191 according to the 2001 census, making it the 2nd most populous in the state and the 30th in the country. Within the city, the density of population is about 3,500 people per square kilometer. The district has a literacy rate of 88%. Unlike most other Indian cities there are more women in Thiruvananthapuram than men, with the sex ratio being 1037 females to every 1000 males. Hindus comprise of 62% of the population, Christians are about 20% and Muslims about 15%. The major language spoken is Malayalam. English and Hindi are also widely understood. There is also a prominent minority of Tamil speakers and a few Tulu and Konkani speakers.

Culture

Konkani Thiruvananthapuram has a rich cultural background, with the rulers of erstwhile Travancore taking an active interest in development of arts and culture. Thiruvananthapuram has produced several great artists, the most famous ones being Maharaja Swathi Thirunal and Raja Ravi Verma. Maharaja Swathi Thirunal was a great composer and played a vital role in the development of Carnatic music. He is widely credited with introducing the violin in to the world of classical Carnatic music. A music college in his name exists today in the city. Raja Ravi Verma was an illustrious painter with global recognition. His contributions to Indian art are substantial. Most of his famous paintings are preserved at the Sree Chithra Art Gallery in the city. The Padmanabha Swamy Temple and the fort surrounding it, the Napier Museum and Zoo, the VJT hall, Palayam Mosque and Church are among the prominent heritage buildings in the city. The Veli Lake and Shangumukham beach are home to various sculptures of noted sculptor Kanhai Kunjiraman. Thiruvananthapuram easily disguises itself as a laid back quiet city to the casual observer. However beneath it, there is a humdrum of cultural activity. The city comes to life during the festival season of Onam in August\September and during the tourist season later in the year. The state government conducts the tourism week celebrations every year during Onam with cultural events taking place at various centers in the city. The other major events include the annual flower show, the Attukal Pongala, the Aaraat at Padmanabha Swamy Temple, the Beemapally Uroos, Vettucaud Perunaal etc. The CVN Kalari at East Fort, is world renowned center for training in Kerala's own martial art the Kalaripayattu. The Margi center offers training in many of Kerala's traditional arts including Kathakali.

Education

Thiruvananthapuram is a major academic hub. The University of Kerala is located here. The city also has several professional education colleges including 15 engineering colleges, 8 medical colleges and 2 law colleges. The College of Engineering Trivandrum is one of the prominent engineering institutions in the country. There are about 900 schools in Thiruvananthapuram district. The public schools are run directly by the state government. They follow the syllabus prescribed by the state government. In addition to this there are also four Kendriya Vidyalayas run directly by the central government which follow the CBSE syllabus. Most parents however prefer to send their children to private schools that are affiliated to either CBSE or ICSE boards.

Media

Daily newspapers are available in English and Malayalam. The English newspapers with editions from Thiruvananthapuram are The New Indian Express, The Hindu and The Pioneer. The major Malayalam newspapers are Mathrubhumi, Malayala Manorama, Kerala Kaumudi, Desabhimani and Mangalam. Most Malayalam TV channels are based in Thiruvananthapuram. The government owned Doordarshan began broadcasting from here in 1981. Asianet was the first private Malayalam channel and began operations in 1991. The other channels now based in Thiruvananthapuram are Surya TV, Amrita TV, Kairali TV, Kiran TV Asianet Plus and People TV. The local cable services are provided by ACV and Siti Cable and they provide a bouquet of local channels in addition to all the Indian channels. DTH services are available through Doordarshan Direct Plus and Dish TV. All India Radio has an AM (1161 MHz) and an FM (101.9 MHz) station for the city. There are no private radio stations. There are several cinema halls which screen movies in Malayalam, Tamil, English and Hindi. There are also two movie studios in the city, Chithranjali and Merryland. The basic telephone services are provided by BSNL, Reliance and Tata Indicom. The cellular networks operating in the city are BSNL CellOne, Airtel, Idea Cellular, BPL Mobile (all GSM) and Reliance (CDMA). The number of mobile phone connections have increased exponentially since the late 90s. Broadband internet services are provided by ACV Dataline, Siti Cable and BSNL DataOne. The major dial-up internet providers are BSNL NetOne, Kerala Online and KelNet among others.

Sports

The most popular sports are Football and Cricket. Basketball, Badminton and Volleyball are also popular, mostly in schools. The Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium is a prominent football stadium and has hosted both national and international level matches. The University stadium has hosted two international cricket matches and is also used for athletics. The Jimmy George Sports Complex, the GV Raja Sports School and Lakshmi Bhai National College for Physical Education (LNCPE) are the other major sports establishments in the city. The city also has a golf links and a tennis club both located at Kawdiar. The city fields two football clubs SBT and Titanium, both in the second division of the National Football Leauge.

Science and Technology

Thiruvananthapuram is a Research and Development hub in the fields of space science, information technology, bio-technology, medicine and so on. It is home to a cluster of research centres to rival any in the world, which include
- Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC)
- [http://www.isro.org/centers/cen_lpsc.htm Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, LPSC]
- Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station, TERLS
- [http://www.erdcitvm.org/ Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, CDAC]
- [http://w3rrlt.csir.res.in/ Regional Research Laboratory, CSIR]
- [http://www.rgcb.res.in/ Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology]
- [http://www.rcctvm.org/ Regional Cancer Centre, (RCC)]
- [http://www.sctimst.ac.in/ Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology]
- [http://www.tbgri.org/ Tropical Botanical Garden & Research Institute, TBGRI]
- [http://www.cessind.org/ Centre for Earth Science Studies, CESS]
- [http://www.cds.edu/ Centre for Development Studies]
- [http://www.ctcri.org/ Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, CTCRI]
- [http://www.kstmuseum.com/ Kerala State Science and Technology Museum]
- Priyadarsini Planetarium
- [http://www.cet.ac.in/ College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram]
- [http://www.stpt.soft.net/ Software Technology Parks of India, STPI]
- Technopark
- Kerala Highway Research Institute
- Kerala Fisheries Research Institute

External links


- [http://trivandrum.nic.in/ Official District website]
- [http://prd.kerala.gov.in/prd2/keralam/dis_tvm.htm Public Relations Department Page on Trivandrum]
- [http://www.tvm.kerala.gov.in/home.htm Government of Kerala Website on Thiruvananthapuram District]
- [http://www.tvmonnet.com/ Comprehensive guide to Thiruvananthapuram district]

References


- Manorama Yearbook 1995 (Malayalam Edition) ISSN 0970-9096
- Manorama Yearbook 2003 (English Edition) ISBN 81-900461-8-7
- Frank Modern Certificate Geography II ISBN 8-171-70007-1 Category:Cities and towns in Kerala Category:Coastal cities Category:Indian state-capitals Category:Kerala

Allies

When spelt with a capital A, Allies usually denotes the countries that fought together against the Central Powers in World War I and against the Axis Powers in World War II. :For more information, see the related articles: Allies of World War I and Allies of World War II.

Other uses

In general, allies are people or groups that have joined an alliance and are working together to achieve some common purpose. In general English usage, those who share a common goal and whose work toward that goal is complementary may be viewed as allies for various purposes even when no explicit agreement has been worked out between them. Similarly, when the term is used in the context of war or armed struggle, a formal military alliance is not required for being perceived as an ally — co-belligerence, to fight alongside someone, is enough. According to this general usage, allies become allies not when concluding an alliance treaty but when struck by war. In the context of diversity politics, an ally has been defined as "a person of one social identity group who stands up in support of members of another group; typically a member of dominant group standing beside member(s) of a group being discriminated against or treated unjustly; e.g., a male arguing for equal pay for women." (This definition is adapted from one developed by the [http://www.asu.edu/provost/intergroup Arizona State University Intergroup Relations Center]). Yet another meaning of allies is found in the books of Carlos Castaneda, describing a race of non-human but human-appearing beings which inhabit the earth, and only infrequently interfere with human endeavors. Similar beings exist in various other fictional (and possible non-fiction) works including the book The Holy by author Daniel Quinn, in which one character refers to these beings as "you-whos". These beings may also be related or identical to descriptions of demons or nephilim. The term is generally used in the generic sense of "all who opposed the enemy". In addition, it is usually used in a strict dichotomy of them vs. us, reflecting wartime propaganda, with no account taken of nuances of countries that were occupied as neutrals, changed sides or participated in concurrent wars. In previous major European wars, e.g., those against the declarers of war Louis XIV of France, Louis XV of France, and Napoleon, the term coalition was used because these were not considered total wars, and the sovereign nations could enter and leave belligerency with diplomatic agreements with the enemy. Category:Diplomacy ko:연합국 ja:連合国

Dutch East India Company

: This article is about the trading company. For the record label, see Dutch East India Trading. Dutch East India Trading plus Saint Helena in the mid-Atlantic.]] The Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC in Dutch, literally "United East Indies Company") was established on March 20, 1602, when the Estates-General of the Netherlands granted it a monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia. It was the first multinational corporation in the world and it was the first company to issue stocks. The VOC consisted of 6 Chambers (Kamers) in Amsterdam, Middelburg (for Zeeland), Enkhuizen, Delft, Hoorn and Rotterdam. Delegates of these chambers convened as the Heeren XVII (the Lords Seventeen). To the counsel of Heeren XVII, eight delegates were from the Chamber of Amsterdam, four from Chamber Zeeland and one from each of the smaller Chambers. Access to the seventeenth seat was rotated among the Chamber of Zeeland or one of the smaller Chambers. Amsterdam had thereby the decisive voice. The Zeelanders were particularly suspicious at the start up of the VOC for this reason. The fear was not unfounded, because in practice it meant that indeed Amsterdam stipulated what happened. The start up capital of the Dutch East India Company was 6,424,588 Gulden, which was raised by the 8 chambers;
- The Chamber of Hoorn raised an amount of ƒ 266,868.
- The Chamber of Delft raised an amount of ƒ 469,400.
- The Chamber of Zeeland raised an amount of ƒ 1,300,405.
- The Chamber of Amsterdam raised an amount of ƒ 3,679,915.
- The Chamber of Rotterdam's capital raising did not go so smoothly. They brought in ƒ 173,000 which satisfied by far, the expectations. A considerable part originated from inhabitants of Dordrecht.
- The Chamber of Enkhuizen after the Chambers of Amsterdam and Zeeland with ƒ 540,000 had the largest input in the share capital of VOC. Under the first 358 share holders, were many small entrepreneurs, who dared to take the risk.
- At the registration in the share register of the VOC, immigrants played an important role. Under the 1,143 tenderers were 39 Germans and no less than 301 Zuid-Nederlanders (Belgium); under who, Isaäc le Maire who was the largest subscriber with ƒ 85,000. Belgium The Heeren XVII met alternately 6 years in Amsterdam and 2 years in Middelburg. They defined the VOC's general policy and divided the tasks among the Chambers. The Chambers carried out all the necessary work, built /their own ships and warehouses and traded the merchandise. The Heeren XVII sent the ships' masters off with extensive instructions on the route to be navigated, prevailing winds, currents, shoals and landmarks. The VOC also produced its own sea charts. The company established its headquarters in Batavia on Java (now Jakarta, Indonesia). Other colonial outposts were also established in the East Indies what later became Indonesia, such as on the Spice Islands (Moluccas), which include the Banda Islands where the VOC forcibly maintained a monopoly over nutmeg and mace. Methods used to maintain the monopoly included the violent suppression of the native population, not stopping short of extortion and mass murder. The VOC traded throughout Asia. Ships coming into Batavia from the Netherlands carried silver from Spanish mines in Peru and supplies for VOC settlements in Asia. Silver, combined with copper from Japan, was used to trade with India and China for textiles. These products, such as cotton and silk, including ceramics, were either traded within Asia for the coveted spices or brought back to Europe. The VOC was also instrumental in introducing European ideas and technology to Asia. The Company supported Christian missionaries and traded modern technology with China and Japan. mass murder 1623, for the amount of 2,400 florins]] A more peaceful VOC trade post on Dejima, an artificial island off the coast of Nagasaki, was for a long time the only place where Europeans could trade with Japan. In 1652, Jan van Riebeeck established an outpost at the Cape of Good Hope (the southwestern tip of Africa, currently in South Africa) to re-supply VOC ships on their journey to East Asia. This post later became a fully-fledged colony, the Cape Colony, when more Dutch and other Europeans started to settle there. VOC outposts were also established in Persia (now Iran), Bengal (now Bangladesh and part of India), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Malacca (Melaka, now in Malaysia), Siam (now Thailand), mainland China (Canton), Formosa (now Taiwan) and southern India. In 1662, Koxinga expelled the Dutch from Taiwan (see History of Taiwan). By 1669, the VOC was the richest private company the world had ever seen, with over 150 merchant ships, 40 warships, 50,000 employees, a private army of 10,000 soldiers, and a dividend payment of 40%. The company was in almost constant conflict with the English; relations were particularly embittered after the Amboyna Massacre in 1623. During the 18th century, its possessions were increasingly focused on the East Indies. After the fourth war between the United Provinces and England (1780–1784), the VOC got into financial trouble, and in 1798, the company was dissolved, four years after the end of the Estates-General. The East Indies were awarded to the Kingdom of the Netherlands by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. According to some, the history and exploits of the VOC were also an inspiration for the novel Dune.

VOC ships

Dune]
- VOC ship Amsterdam
- VOC ship Arnhem
- VOC ship Batavia
- VOC ship Duyfken
- VOC ship Eendracht (1615)
- VOC ship Galias
- VOC ship Grooten Broeck
- VOC ship Gulden Zeepaert
- VOC ship Klein Amsterdam
- VOC ship Leeuwerik
- VOC ship Leyden
- VOC ship Pera
- VOC ship Ridderschap van Holland
- VOC ship Rooswijk
- VOC ship Sardam
- VOC ship Texel
- VOC ship Utrecht
- VOC ship Vergulde Draeck (Gilt Dragon)
- VOC ship Vianen
- VOC ship Vliegende Swaan
- VOC ship Wapen van Hoorn
- VOC ship Wezel
- VOC ship Zuytdorp

See also


- Jan Pieterszoon Coen
- The British East India Company, founded in 1600
- The Danish East India Company, founded in 1616
- The Dutch West India Company, founded in 1621
- The French East India Company, founded in 1664
- The Swedish East India Company, founded in 1731

External links


- [http://www.oldest-share.com/ Oldest share] — the oldest share in the world (VOC 1606)
- [http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=179810 A taste of adventure — The history of spices is the history of trade], The Economist, December 17, 1998.
- [http://www.colonialvoyage.com/ Dutch Portuguese Colonial History]
- [http://www.voc.iinet.net.au/voyages.html Voyages by VOC ships to Australia] Category:Colonial Indian companies Category:Companies of the Netherlands East India Company, Dutch Category:Dutch multinationals Category:History of the Netherlands Category:Exploration ships of the Netherlands ms:Syarikat Hindia Timur Belanda ja:オランダ東インド会社 nb:Det nederlandske Ostindiske kompani

Battle of Colachel

The naval Battle of Kulachal took place on 10 August 1741 between the erstwhile Hindu State of Travancore (also known as Tiruvitamkur) and the forces of the Dutch East India Company (also known as VOC), at Kulachal (anglicised to Colachel or Kolachel) in India. This is considered the first example of an organised Asian power defeating a European naval power. Previous attempts on the West coast of India by native sailors like Kunjali Marakkar in the early 16th century, and by Kanhoji Angre in the early 18th century were on a smaller scale and more guerilla in nature. This battle is important because it marked the decline of Dutch influence over India, assisting the British East India Company's rise and eventual British rule.

Battle

On July 31 1741 [http://mod.nic.in/samachar/april15-04/body.html#l1], the naval forces of Marthanda Varma, the Raja of Travancore, defeated the combined forces of the VOC expeditionary navy and the allied Rani of Eleyadathu Swarupam. The Raja's success is attributed to the tactical genius of his prime minister, Ramayyan Dalava. The battle began when a small force of Dutch marines under the leadership of a Flemish commander, Captain Eustace De Lannoy (also spelt D'lennoy) were sent to Travancore to secure a trading post from the Raja. They landed with artillery in Kulachal, then a small but important coastal town, and captured the territory up to Padmanabhapuram, the then-capital of Travancore. The arrival of the Raja's army from the north forced the Dutch to take up defensive positions in Kulachal, where they were attacked and defeated by the Travancore forces. The key element of the Raja's army was his personal bodyguard, known as the Travancore Nayar Brigade. This unit was later integrated into the Indian Army as the 9th Battalion of the Madras Regiment in 1954, and it recently celebrated its tercentenary. Some twenty eight Dutch soldiers were taken prisoner. After the defeat, the commander joined the Raja's army in return for his life being spared, and served in it for over two decades.

Background

The seeds for the battle were laid when the Raja began expanding his small kingdom by entering into territorial disputes with his neighbours, the Kingdoms of Kayamkulam and Kollam in 1731. These disputes began impacting the VOC since they had factories for exporting pepper in these areas. The destruction of crops in the war made it difficult for the Kollam merchants to fulfill their agreements with the Dutch. By 1733 VOC pepper exports came down to less than half the quantities of 1730-31. To help the three Kingdoms mediate the VOC deputed their emissaries, William Feling, Abraham Van De Welle, Ezechiel Rhabbi and Brouwer to Kayamkulam in May, 1734 to negotiate with the Raja, though unsuccesfully [http://www.keralahistory.ac.in/ke_commingeuropeans.htm]. The annexation of Eleyadathu Swarupam, the largest pepper producing area in southern Kerala, by the Raja during 1737 made a confrontation between him and the VOC inevitable. The advent of English traders in this market also made the price of pepper soar. All of this forced the VOC to engage the Raja and thus began the Travancore–Dutch war of 1739 that led to this battle.

Impact

A direct outcome of the event at Kulachal was the take over of pepper trade by the State of Travancore. This development was to have serious repercussions on the Dutch and the trading world of Kerala at large. In 1753 the Dutch signed the treaty of Mavelikkara with the Raja agreeing not to obstruct the Raja's expansion, and in turn to sell to him arms and amunition. This marked the beginning of the end of Dutch influence in India. The VOC began selling Indonesian spices and sugar in Kerala until 1795, at which time the English conquest of the Kingdom of Kochi ended their rule in India. Capitan De Lannoy, who joined his service, was promoted to the commander-in-chief (Valiya Kappithan), and modernised the Travancore army by introducing firearms and artillery.

Colachel

This small town is on the route from Thiruvananthapuram to Kanyakumari on National Highway 47 in present day state of Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district in India. It is situated very close to Mahendragiri, where the Indian Space Research Organisation's rocket testing facility is located.

Captain De Lannoy

From 1741, Captain De Lannoy remained in command of the Travancore Forces, and was involved in the annexation of Attingal, Quilon, Kayankulam, Panthalam, Ambalapuzha, Edapalli, Thekkanpur and Vadakkanpur. He modernised the Travancore army, and built the Nedumkotta, a line of fortifications in the North of the Kingdom, which held up the army of Tipu Sultan in 1791, during his ill-fated invasion of Travancore. Being a Christian, he was not allowed inside the Fort of Padmanabhapuramm, the capital of the Kingdom. So, he established himself at a place called Udayagiri, about a mile and a half from the capital, where he raised a Fort, today known as the Udayagiri Fort (also known in Malayalam as Dillanai Kottai — De Lannoy's Fort). After the demise of Marthanda Varma in 1758, Capt De Lannoy retired from active service and lived in Udayagiri. He died in 1777, and was buried in the Fort. De Lannoy's tomb, along with those of his wife and son, is situated at a small chapel inside the Fort. The tomb bears the inscription "Stand, Traveller, and behold! For here lies Captain Delannoy, who served Maharaja Marthanda Varma and Travancore faithfully for three decades".

Tributes

chapel depicts the scene at the Battle of Colachel of 1741, and the victory pillar erected at the site.]]
- The Indian government has built a pillar of victory in Kulachal to commemorate the event.
- The Indian Post Department released a Rupee 5 stamp on April 1, 2004 to commemorate the tercentenary (300th anniversary) of the raising of the 9th Battalion of Madras Regiment.

Additional reading


- Iyer, Dr. S. Krishna. Travancore-Dutch Relations, Nagercoil: CBH Publications, 1994, 164 pgs. ISBN 8185381429
- Menor, Sheela. Military History of Travancore with special reference to the Nayar Brigade, Ethiraj College for Women, 1995

External links


- [http://www.tanap.net/content/about/first_steps.cfm TANAp-a National Archives of Netherlands project]
- [http://www.rediff.com/news/jan/14raj.htm Rediff.com] Category:1741 Colachel 1741 Colachel 1741 Category:Kanyakumari Category:Kingdom of Travancore

1741

Events


- April 10 - Austrian army attack troops of Frederick the Great at Mollwitz
- August 10 - Raja of Travancore defeats Dutch East India Company naval expedition at Battle of Colachel
- December 19 - Vitus Bering dies in his expedition east of Siberia
- December 25 - Anders Celsius develops his own thermometer scale Celsius
- Prague occupied by French-Bavarian armies
- William Browning invents mineral water
- Elizabeth of Russia became czarina.

Ongoing events


- War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748)

Births


- January 14 - Benedict Arnold, American Revolutionary War general and traitor (d. 1801)
- March 13 - Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor (d. 1790)
- March 17 - William Withering, British physician (d. 1799)
- March 20 - Jean Antoine Houdon, French sculptor (d. 1828)
- April 14 - Emperor Momozono of Japan (d. 1762)
- May 23 - Andrea Luchesi, Italian composer (d. 1801)
- September 22 - Peter Simon Pallas, German zoologist (d. 1811)
- October 18 - Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, French general and author (d. 1803)
- Ali Pasha, Albanian ruler (d. 1822)

Deaths


- March 17 - Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, French poet (b. 1671)
- March 31 - Pieter Burmann the Elder, Dutch classical scholar (b. 1668)
- May 25 - Daniel Ernst Jablonski, German theologian (b. 1660)
- July 28 - Antonio Vivaldi, Italian composer (b. 1678)
- August 4 - Andrew Hamilton, American lawyer
- August 31 - Johann Gottlieb Heineccius, German jurist (b. 1681)
- November 24 - Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (b.1688)
- December 14 - Charles Rollin, French historian (b. 1661)
- December 19 - Vitus Bering, Danish-born explorer (b. 1681) Category:1741 ko:1741년 simple:1741

1746

Events


- January 8 - Bonnie Prince Charlie occupies Stirling
- April 16 - Battle of Culloden brings an end to the Jacobite Risings
- August 18 - Two of the four rebellious Scottish lords, Earl of Kilmarnock and Lord Balmeniro beheaded in the Tower (Lord Lovat executed 1747)
- October 22 - The College of New Jersey is founded (it becomes Princeton University in 1896)
- October 28 - An earthquake demolishes Lima and Callao, in Peru
- Catharine de Ricci (born 1522) canonized.
- Town of Vilkovo (Odes'ka oblast', Ukraine) is founded.

Births


- January 12 - Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Swiss pedagogue (d. 1827)
- January 24 - King Gustav III of Sweden (d. 1792)
- February 4 - Tadeusz Kościuszko, Polish general and nationalist (d. 1817)
- February 5 - Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, American politician and soldier (d. 1825)
- March 7 - André Michaux, French botanist (d. 1802)
- March 30 - Francisco Goya, Spanish painter (d. 1828)
- July 3 - Henry Grattan, Irish politician (d. 1820)
- September 28 - Sir William Jones, English philologist (d. 1794)
- November 27 - Robert R. Livingston, American signer of the Declaration of Independence (d. 1813)

Deaths


- February 28 - Hermann von der Hardt, German historian (b. 1660)
- March 18 - Anna Leopoldovna, regent of Russia (b. 1718)
- March 20 - Nicolas de Largillière, French painter (b. 1656)
- May 22 - Thomas Southerne, Irish playwright (b. 1660)
- June 14 - Colin Maclaurin, Scottish mathematician (b. 1698)
- July 2 - Thomas Baker, English antiquarian (b. 1656)
- July 9 - King Philip V of Spain (b. 1683)
- July 28 - John Peter Zenger, American printer (b. 1697)
- August 6 - Christian VI, King of Denmark and Norway (b. 1699)
- October 2 - Josiah Burchett, English Secretary of the Admiralty
- November 14 - Georg Steller, German naturalist (b. 1709)
- December 6 - Lady Grizel Baillie, Scottish poet (b. 1665)
- December 8 - Charles Radclyffe, British politician (b. 1693) Category:1746 ko:1746년

8th century

Events


- The Iberian peninsula is conquered by Arab and