Early History of the Missionary Works of the Royal Danish Missionaries, the German and the Swedish in different packets of Tamil Nadu: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Tamil Nadu was ruled by the kings Chera, Chola and Pandyas during the time of medieval period. Chola emerging and suppressed Pandiyas, some years passed away Pandiyas attained power and established their authority whole part of Tamil Nadu. This situation, Ala udin khiji, sultanate of Delhi and his commander Malikafur invaded on Tamil country and established the supremacy of the sultanate. The Vijayanagar Empire was founded in 1336 A.D for the purpose of prevention of the muslims imperialism in the south India. The Vijayanagar Empire created Nayakams for their administrative convenience of the south part of Tamil Nadu. In this time Christian missionaries particularly Roman Catholic missionaries came and preached settled in Tamil Nadu. Before that St.Thomas , the disciple of  JESUS Christ arrived at Kerala and Mylapore in Tamil Nadu. In India history of Christianity may be divided into four periods namely the Syran period, the Roman period, the Lutheran period and modern period. The oldest Christian community in India is in the native state of Travancore. The Roman period may be said begin with the year A.D though the missionaries of the roman church were in India in the 13^th and 14^th centuries, it was only after the arrival of Vascodagama in 1498 A.D. The greatest missionaries of Roman church were, Francis Xavier, Robert D.Nobilie, Beschi and another missionaries came and preached in  Tamil Nadu and started the schools for native children. The 18^th century saw the beginnings of protestant missionary work in India, Ziegenblag and Plutchav, two godly general were the first protestant missionaries. They were sent out by Frederick IV of Denmark to preach the gospel in the Danish possession in India and arrived at tranquebar on 9^th July 1706 A.D. They were not only founders of the Tranquebar mission. The greatest of these early missionaries was Christian Frederick Schwartz, the father of the Christian church in Thanjore and Thiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu. Johan Zacharias Kiernandar assumed the responsibility of preaching the gospel and he landed the shore of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu in India on the 8^th of August 1740 A.D to 1799.He was the first Swedish missionary  came to India. Sweden started Swedish Mission board in 1874 for the missionaries work. Rev. Carl Jacob sandegren, Rev. Ernst heuman, Rev. David Bexell, Dr. Frederick Kugelberg. Rev C.J. Sandegren, Missionary Esther Peterson, missionary Miss. Ellen Nordmark were the prominent missionaries of the church of Sweden mission. During the period of two world wars the German missionaries could not serve in India because Germany was against British. At the critical juncture Swedish missionaries they were carried out the mission works with great responsibility. The contribution of the missionaries in general and Swedish Christian missionaries in particular towards the abolishment of the cited social evils will go permanent by in the Annals of the history of Tamil Nadu.

Keyword: Leipzig Missionary Society, Society the propagation of the Gospel, Society for Promoting Christine knowledge, Church of Sweden Mission, Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church, Church Missionary Society.