PORTUGUESE IN INDIA

• 1498 – Vasco da Gama arrives at Calicut with help of Gujarati pilot Abdul Majid
• 1500 – Pedro Álvares Cabral establishes factory at Calicut; attacked by locals → conflict begins
• 1503 – First Portuguese fort established at Cochin
• 1505 – Francisco de Almeida appointed first Governor of Portuguese India
  • Introduced Blue Water Policy → focus on naval supremacy over territorial expansion
• 1507 – Portuguese defeated at Diu by Egyptian + Gujarat forces
• 1509 – Almeida defeats enemies at Diu → establishes naval dominance in Indian Ocean
• 1510 – Afonso de Albuquerque captures Goa → first European territorial possession in India
  • Considered real founder of Portuguese power in India
• Albuquerque’s Policies & Contributions:
  • Captured strategic centres → Goa, Malacca, Ormuz, East Africa
  • Introduced Cartaz system (permit system for ships)
  • Controlled shipbuilding centres
  • Encouraged intermarriage with Indians
  • Promoted settlement policy
  • Improved agriculture → coconut, cashew
  • Developed Goa as commercial hub
  • Abolished sati (in Portuguese territories)
  • Destroyed Muslim trade dominance → created hostility
• 1530 – Goa becomes capital of Portuguese India
• Nuno da Cunha shifts capital from Cochin to Goa
• 1534 – Bahadur Shah of Gujarat cedes Bassein to Portuguese and allows base at Diu
• 1535 – Portuguese capture Diu
• 1537 – Bahadur Shah killed by Portuguese → relations worsen
• 1559 – Portuguese capture Daman

PORTUGUESE ADMINISTRATION

• Headed by Viceroy (tenure: 3 years)
• Supported by council and secretary

ENTRY OF ENGLISH (DECLINE PHASE START)

• 1608 – William Hawkins arrives with letter from James I of England at Mughal court
• Jahangir appoints Hawkins as Mansabdar (rank 400)
• 1612 – English defeat Portuguese at Surat (naval battle) → impresses Jahangir
• 1613 – Portuguese piracy (capture of Mughal ships) angers Jahangir

DECLINE OF PORTUGUESE POWER

• 1596 – Dutch oust Portuguese from South-East Asia
• 1612 – English naval victory weakens Portuguese dominance
• 1663 – Dutch capture Malabar forts → major decline in India

DUTCH & ENGLISH IN INDIA 

DUTCH IN INDIA

• 1596 – Cornelis de Houtman reaches Sumatra and Bantam → first Dutch entry in East
• 1602 – Dutch East India Company (VOC) formed by States-General of the Netherlands
  • Unified multiple trading companies
  • Functioned as trading + political-military organization
• 1605 – First Dutch factory established at Masulipatnam
• 1609 – Pulicat factory established → main Dutch base in Coromandel
• Dutch expansion:
  • Factories at Surat, Gujarat, UP, Bengal, Bihar
  • Key centres → Pulicat (1609), Surat (1616), Bimlipatam (1641), Karaikal (1645), Chinsura (1653), Baranagar, Kasimbazar, Balasore, Patna, Nagapatam (1658), Cochin (1663)
• Captured Nagapatam from Portuguese → main stronghold in South India
• 1623 – Amboyna Massacre → Dutch killed 10 English + 9 Japanese → hostility intensified
• 1667 – Anglo-Dutch compromise
  • English withdrew from Indonesia
  • Dutch withdrew focus from India → concentrated on spice trade
• Dutch trade focus:
  • Indonesia → spices, black pepper
  • India → silk, cotton, indigo, rice, opium

DECLINE OF DUTCH IN INDIA

• Focus shifted to Malay Archipelago (higher profits)
• 1672–74 – Third Anglo-Dutch War → communication disruption
• Dutch captured English ships in Bay of Bengal
• 1759 – Battle of Hooghly → English defeat Dutch decisively
• Limited political ambition → no empire-building in India

ENGLISH ENTRY INTO INDIA

• 1580 – Francis Drake circumnavigation → boost to maritime ambition
• 1588 – Defeat of Spanish Armada → England emerges naval power
• 1599 – Merchant Adventurers form trading group
• 1600 – East India Company established by charter of Elizabeth I
  • Monopoly for 15 years → renewed indefinitely in 1609

EARLY ENGLISH CONTACT WITH MUGHALS

• 1609 – William Hawkins reaches court of Jahangir
  • Failed to secure Surat factory due to Portuguese opposition
• 1611 – English begin trade at Masulipatnam
• 1612 – Thomas Best defeats Portuguese near Surat
• 1613 – Jahangir permits factory at Surat (Thomas Aldworth)

CONSOLIDATION OF ENGLISH POWER

• 1615 – Thomas Roe arrives at Mughal court
  • Secures trade privileges (Agra, Ahmedabad, Broach)
• 1632 – Golden Farman by Sultan of Golconda → free trade against 500 pagodas
• 1633 – Factories at Hariharpur and Balasore
• 1639 – Francis Day obtains Madras → Fort St. George established

ENGLISH IN BENGAL

• 1651 – Shah Shuja permits trade at Hooghly (₹3000 annual payment)
  • Factories → Hooghly, Kasimbazar, Patna, Rajmahal
• 1682 – William Hedges appeals to Shaista Khan → no result
• 1686 – Hooghly sacked by Mughals
• English attacks → Thana, Hijli, Balasore → later withdraw
• Job Charnock settles at Sutanuti
• 1691 – Farman allows trade in Bengal (₹3000 annual payment)
• 1696 – English fortify Sutanuti (rebellion of Sobha Singh)
• 1698 – Zamindari of Sutanuti, Gobindapur, Kalikata acquired
• 1700 – Fort William established → Calcutta Presidency

WESTERN INDIA DEVELOPMENTS

• 1662 – Bombay given to Charles II of England by Portugal (dowry)
• 1668 – Bombay transferred to East India Company
• 1687 – Western Presidency shifted from Surat to Bombay

FINAL CONSOLIDATION

• 1667 – Mughal farman for Bengal trade
• 1715–1717 – Mission of John Surman to Mughal court
• 1717 – Farman of Farrukhsiyar
  • Known as Magna Carta of Company
  • Granted extensive trade privileges

COMPANY STRUCTURE CHANGE

• 1688 – English Revolution → opposition to monopoly
• Rival company formed → fails
• 1708 – Two companies merged → “United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies”

FINAL REVISION LINE (EXAM USE)

• Dutch → Trade focused (Spices) + No empire-building → Decline
• English → Trade → Diplomacy → Fortification → Political control
• Key turning points → 1612 (Surat victory), 1639 (Madras), 1698 (Calcutta), 1717 (Farman)