The advent of the Europeans: How the Discovery of New Sea routes by the Europeans was a turning point in the history of India

 

 

he coming of the Europeans to India forms an important event in the history of our country. Our country was well known in Europe, for its immense wealth, through the accounts of Marcopolo, a Venice Merchant. India had trade relations with the western world from the ancient times. Indian commodities like spices, certain drugs, metal works, textiles, silk, gold, silver and precious stones were in great demand in the European markets throughout the Middle Ages. These goods used to reach Europe either by land or partly by land, and partly by sea. However, difficulties arose on account of the capture of Constantinople (Modern Istanbul in Turkey) by the Turks in 1453 A.D. It blocked the traditional trade route through land between Europe and the Eastern countries. It made European traders to find out new sea routes to reach the Golden East i.e. India and China.

 

 

The Portuguese

The Kings of Portugal and Spain encouraged the sailors to discover new sea routes. The Portuguese were the pioneers in this field. Prince Henry of Portugal patronized the sailors. He set a regular school for the training of seamen on scientific lines. He supported all those who took up the work of navigation.

 

Bartholomeu Diaz:

In 1487 Bartholomeu Diaz travelled along the west coast of Africa. He reached its southernmost tip. However, he could not continue his voyage further due to heavy storms. This voyage gave hope to the navigators. Hence the southern most tip of Africa is known as Cape of Good Hope.

 

Vasco da Gama:

Vascoda Gama, a Portuguese explorer, sailed through the route of Bartholomeu Diaz. He reached the cape of Good Hope and then Mozambique. From there he continued his journey for a month. He reached near Calicut on 20 May 1498 A.D. He was cordially received by King Zamorin, the local ruler. Vascoda Gama got certain privileges also. They opened the way for commercial relations with India.

 

Vascoda Gama founded a factory at Cannanore on his second visit to India in 1501. In due course, Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore became the Portuguese trading centres. The Arabs could not reconcile the Portuguese reaping their profits. They created enmity between the Portuguese and King Zamorin. King Zamorin attacked the Portuguese in Cochin. But he suffered a defeat. The supremacy of the Portuguese was established.

 

 

Francisco de Almeida (1505 – 1509):

Francisco Almeida came to India in 1505. He was the first Governor of Portuguese possessions in 3 India. He had the aim of developing the naval power of the Portuguese in India. He wanted to make the Portuguese the masters of the Indian Ocean. His policy is known as the Blue water policy.

 

 

Alfonso de Albuquerque (1509 – 1515):

 

The real founder of Portuguese power in India was Alfonso de Albuquerque. He captured Goa from the rulers of Bijapur in 1510. It was made their headquarters. He also strengthened his relationship with the Vijayanagar Empire. In 1511 he captured Malacca. He built the Port of Ormuz in the Persian Gluf in 1515. Even though he was a good administrator, he became unpopular with the Muslims due to his religious policy. He treated the Hindus well. He opened schools for their education. He encouraged marriage relationship between the Indians and the Portuguese His good qualities won him respect among the Indians. By the end of the 16 th Century, the Portuguese brought Goa, Diu, Daman and Salsette and a vast area around them under their rule. However, their power was shortlived. They were displaced with the coming of other European merchants.

 

 

Causes for the decline of the Portuguese power:

1. Portugal was a small country. It could not control a big dominion like India. It did not have resources necessary for building up a large overseas trade colony.

 

2. There appeared corruption in administration. The Portuguese Merchants were rarely honest.

3. The religious policy followed by the Portuguese created enmity of the Muslims. Hindus also did not like forcible conversion of the natives by the Portuguese.

4. The Portuguese often indulged in piracy against the Indian merchants.

5. The prosperity of Goa depended on that of the great Hindu Capital of Vijayanagar. The fall of Vijayanagar in 1565 A.D. was a great blow to the Portuguese.

6. The rise of Mughal power under Akbar and his successors made Portuguese expansion not possible.

7. Lastly the Dutch and the English became strong rivals to the Portuguese in India. These led to the fall of the Portuguese power in India.

 

 

The Dutch

 

The Dutch were a hardy race of simple, adventurous, maritime people. They rose to prominence by the end of the 16 th Century. The United East India Company of the Netherlands was founded in 1602 in Holland. They established their settlements first in Indonesian Islands. Then they turned their attention towards India. They founded a factory at Masulipatnam in 1605. They built their first fort on the main land of India at Pulicut in 1609, near (Madras) Chennai. They captured Nagapattinam from the Portuguese. They made Agra, Surat, Masulipatnam and Chinsura in Bengal as their trading centres. The Dutch did not aim at establishing an empire in India. Their main object was trade. They were happy with the huge profits they got from the commercial ventures. Moreover, they concentrated their attention on the Spice Islands in the Far East. Greatmen like Coen and Van Diemen were responsible for the success of the Dutch in the east.

 

Causes for the decline of the Dutch

1. The rivalry between the English and the Dutch increased to such an extent that in 1623 the Dutch perpetrated a massacre of the English at Amboyna. After this tragedy, the English were forced to leave the Spice Islands (Indonesia). They retired to the mainland of India.

2. The Dutch had to yield their position in India to the English. They concentrated trade with Indonesia rather than India.

3. From the beginning to the end the position of the Dutch in India was insignificant.

 

 

The Danes

Danish Settlements: The Danish East India Company was established in 1616 in Denmark. They came to South India and ounded a factory at Tranquebar (Tharangambadi) in 1620. They also made settlements at Serampore near Calcutta. Excepting the Danish missionaries, their merchants were not prominent. They sold their factories to the English in 1845.

 

 

The English

Like other Europeans, the English men were also fond of Indian commodities. They wanted to have direct trade with India. In 1600. Queen Elizabeth of England gave permission to a group of hundred merchants of London to establish Trade with the East. Later on, they formed a company known as the English East India Company. The East India Company sent Sir William Hawkins to the court of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1609 to obtain permission to erect a factory at Surat. But due to the Portuguese influence, the Mughals did not give permission. In 1613 the Mughal Emperor allowed the English to open a trading centre at Surat. In 1615, Sir Thomas Roe, another British merchant, came to Jahangir’s court. He stayed for three years and succeeded in getting permission to set up their trading centres at Agra, Surat, Ahmedabad and Broach. In 1639. Francis Day, an English merchant bought the site of Madras from a local Nayak, who was the subordinate of the ruler of Chandragiri. He built a fortified factory called Fort.St. George. In 1651 a factory was set up at Hugli near Kolkata. In 1661. Charles II leased out Mumbai (Bombay) to the East India Company. King Charles got Bombay as dowry after his marriage with Portuguese Princess.

 

 

In 1690, the British got permission from Aurangazeb to build a factory on the site of Kolkata. In 1696 a fort was built at that place. It was called Fort William. The English East India company expanded its influence and laid down strong roots in India till 1857. After the Revolt of 1857, Queen Victoria took over the administration of India.

 

The French

The French were the most serious rivals to the English in India. The French East India Company was established in 1664 under the inspiring and energetic leadership of Colbert, the economic adviser of the French King Louis XIV. In 1667 the first French factory was established at Surat by Francis Caron who was nominated as Director - General. In December 1669 another French factory was established at Masulipatnam. Francis Caron was replaced by Francis Martin. He founded the settlement of Pondichery in 1674 under a grant from Sher Khan Lodi, the Sultan of Bijapur. He made Pondicherry as the French headquarters. The French had gained settlements in Chandranagore, Balasore and Qasim Bazar. On the Malabar coast the French got Mahe in 1725 Karaikal, on the coromandal coast, became a French settlement in 1739.

 

 

Dumas was the French Governor in India from 1735 to 1741. His successor Dupleix was an able statesman. He wanted to found a French empire in India. He had to wage several wars for retaining French power in India. However, the French could retain only Pondicherry, Mahe, Chandranagore, Karaikal and Yenam. The English overtook them in establishing their rule in India.