Nagappattinam

The VOC besieged the Portuguese at Negapatnam and captured the town in 1658. On the advice of Commissioner-General Van Rheede the town was made the Company's headquarters on the Coromandel Coast. He constructed an enormous fortress, where a sizeable force was garrisoned. However this major investment did little to render the trading activities here profitable. From 1687 onwards Nagappattinam functioned as the governor of Coromandel's residence until the town fell to the English in 1781. The residence of the governor subsequently reverted to Pulicat, its base prior to 1687.