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Tellicherry Fort

Kerala, IN

Tellicherry Fort

Tellicherry Fort is a fortress located in Thalassery (Tellicherry), a town in North Malabar of Kerala state, South India. Thalassery was one of the most important European trading centers in Kerala. The Fort lies on a group of low wooden hills running down to the sea and is protected by natural wate

rs. It has been the main outlet for the rich spices, hill products, and timber of the vast hinterland. The French were the first to engage in trading at Tellicherry, establishing a stronghold at Mahé, Puducherry, 5 km south of Tellicherry town. Toward the end of the 17th century, the British opened a factory north of Tellicherry. Later, they obtained a site from Vadakkelamkur, the de facto ruler of Kolathunad, and established a factory at Tellicherry in 1708. However, the Udayamangalam branch of the Kolathiri family and Korangoth Nair, the local chieftain, resented this action and launched an attack, causing serious damage to English property. In order to safeguard their trade activities, with the support of the Kolathiri Raja, they built a fort around the outlying hills of Tellicherry. The French occupation of Mahé in 1725 compelled the British Company to strengthen the fortification to...

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