During the late 16th and the 17th Centuries, the European trading companies in India competed with each other ferociously. By the last quarter of the 18th Century the English had outdone all others and established themselves as the dominant power in India. The British administered India for a period of about two centuries and brought about revolutionary changes in the social, political and the economic life of the country.
The Advent of Europeans
Portuguese
Vasco Da Gama Meets Zamorin of Calicut |
- Vasco da Gama reaches Calicut on May 17,
1498. via "Cape of Good Hope"
- At that time Calicut was ruled by a King named Zamorin.
- The first Governer of portugese in India
was Francisco Almeida - "Blue water Policy"
- In 1661, the King of Portugal gave Bombay
to Charles II of England as dowry when he married the former’s sister.
- 2nd Governor(1509) - Albuquerque (Real Founder)
- Captured Goa from ruler of Bijapur & made it his capital & also captured Malacca & Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
- Made fort of Calicut, died in 1515
Dutch
- Formation of the Company in March, 1602,
by a charter of Dutch parliament the Dutch East India Company.
- Main centre was 'Pulicat' & later 'Nagapattinam'
- Called East Asia as "Spice Island'
- The Dutch replaced the Potuguese as the
most dominant power in European trade with east, including India.
- 'Amboyna Massacre' - Many Eng merchants killed by Dutch, Therefore Enemity b/w End & Dutch
- The Dutch conceded to English after their
defeat in the battle of Bedera in 1759.
English
- The English East India Company was set up in 1600.
- In 1608 King James I sent Capt William Hawkins to the court of Jahangir to get permission for Surat factory but rejected
- In 1611, the Company built its first
factory in the south in Masulipatnam.
- In 1613 Jahangir issued a Farman to eastablish factory at Surat
- In 1615 Thomas Roe got permission for Agra & Ahemdabad
- "Fort St.George"(1644) Madras - by Franchis Day & founded city 'Madras'
- Charles II got Bombay as dowry from Potuegese
- In 1699 Aurengzeb gave permission to eastablish factory at Calcutta & 'Fort William' constructed
Danish
- Trade Centre - Tranquebar, Serampore (Bengal)
French
- The French East India Company was formed
by Colbert under state patronage in 1664.
- They established their first factory at
Surat in 1668 and at Masulipatnam in 1669.
to be continued .............