In Search of Sepoys: Indian Soldiers and the Dutch East India Company in India and Sri Lanka, 1760-1795

TY - JOUR

T1 - In Search of Sepoys

T2 - Indian Soldiers and the Dutch East India Company in India and Sri Lanka, 1760-1795

AU - Odegard, Erik

PY - 2021/8/9

Y1 - 2021/8/9

N2 - Unlike the French and English India, the Dutch East India Company did not shift to recruiting predominantly Indian soldier personnel for service in India, sepoys, from the 1740s onwards. Although Dutch Company (VOC) remained much more reliant on European recruitment, it did in fact also recruit sepoys in India. These soldiers remain little noted in the sources and the historical record. This article will explain why the VOC did not follow the French and English lead. The VOC’s late acceptance of sepoys as full-time soldiers meant it could not effectively compete with either French or English companies in India.

AB - Unlike the French and English India, the Dutch East India Company did not shift to recruiting predominantly Indian soldier personnel for service in India, sepoys, from the 1740s onwards. Although Dutch Company (VOC) remained much more reliant on European recruitment, it did in fact also recruit sepoys in India. These soldiers remain little noted in the sources and the historical record. This article will explain why the VOC did not follow the French and English lead. The VOC’s late acceptance of sepoys as full-time soldiers meant it could not effectively compete with either French or English companies in India.

KW - Military History

KW - Dutch East India Company

KW - East India Company (EIC)

KW - labour history

KW - soldiers

KW - recruitment

KW - India

KW - Sri Lanka

KW - war

U2 - 10.5117/TVGESCH2018.3.004.ODEG

DO - 10.5117/TVGESCH2018.3.004.ODEG

M3 - Article

SN - 0968-3445

JO - War in History

JF - War in History

ER -