Battle of Colachel Marthanda Varma

In the 1700s, Travancore king Marthanda Varma accomplished something that seemed almost impossible at that time. He had challenged the Dutch dominance in the Malabar Coast spice trade, and through a series of military and tactical moves, had crushed the Dutch monopoly. The Battle of Colachel in 1741 is the first time an Indian kingdom defeated a major European naval power.