The Coming of Europeans

Introduction

The Coming of Europeans was a very crucial period in the Indian history. The commercial agreements between Europe and India were very ancient with the land by the Oxus valley or Syria or Egypt. Vasco da Gama explored the new route of the sea towards India in 1498. This discovery created a new channel for Europeans to set up their trading centers in India.

Image 1: Portrait of Vasco da Gama (1524)

Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British visited India for the purpose of trade. Initially, they started as regular go-to traders like other groups. But later, Indian politics piqued their interest, which resulted in a political rivalry between the two groups including Indian rulers too. However, the end result turned in the favour of Britishers, as they finally unlocked the conquering route into India.

Portuguese in India

Portuguese constructed monopoly over India for a large period and they were the first European to arrive as well as leave India.

The followings were the aspects of Portuguese visiting India −

• The Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route from Europe to India in 1498.

• Zamorin welcomed the Portuguese sailor and he returned the next year making a huge profit from the Indian cargo.

• After learning about Vasco da Gama’s voyage, another Portuguese named Pedro Alvares Cabral sailed his way to India in c. 1500 CE. And Vasco da Gama made his second visit to India in 1502.

• Portuguese made their trading compensations at Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore.

• The domination of the Portuguese was made by the establishment on the Asian coast in Malaya and the spice islands in Indonesia for the purpose of trading.

• Portuguese became the strongest power in India.

Causes of Portuguese leaving from India

Portuguese were biased as well as passionate about its Christianity issues. Portuguese were satisfied with the violent conversion to the Christianity of the native people. Additionally, Indians started to showcase the hostile attitude toward the Portuguese.

The Mughal Empire did not allow the trade monopoly by the Portuguese. Consequently, the Portuguese traders started to deliver more attention to the newly discovered Latin America and Brazil.

Arrival of Dutch

The Dutch East India Company was founded in India in 1602 and was founded a factory in Masulipatnam in Andhra. They build up the trading depot in Broach, Surat, Cambay, and Ahmedabad in Gujarat in west India, Cochin in Kerala, Chinsura in Bengal, Patna in Bihar and Agra in U.P. Pulicat.

They defeat the Portuguese and appeared the the utmost prevalent strength for the aspects of European trade in the East. Dutch remained successful in defeating the attempt of British to establish themselves. Later, the British East India Company won settlements on different coasts from Dutch, one by one. The British in the Battle of Bedara in 1759 conquered Dutch.

British in India

The British merchant company that was recognised as The Merchant Adventures was given a royal charter and exclusive freedom to trade in India by Queen Elizabeth in 1600 and was recognised as the East India Company (E.I.C.).

• The British Captain William Hawkins reached the Indian court acquired by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir to ask approval to found a trading region for British E.I.C in Surat, however; he was not approved.

• Jahangir delivered the authorisation to build a trading centre in Surat in 1612.

• Sir Thomas Roe visited the Mughal court and succeeds to receive Imperial trade permission and found industries in different areas near the Indian coasts in 1615

• English founded different factories at Agra, Ahmedabad, Baroda and Broach in 1619.

Arrival of French

Image 2: British Conquest of India

The foundation of the French East India Company was developed in 1664. Francis Caron in Surat developed the first French factory. Later, they established their factories in multiple locations in India like Balasore, Mahe, Qasim Bazar and Karaikal.

British Conquest of India

British arrived in India with the licence of free trading and made India their occupied territory to practice the colonial culture in India.

Plassey’s Battle

Bengal was the considerable productive and wealthiest region of India in 1717. E.I.C. was permitted the freedom to trade in Bengal without any taxes. Even though they received the privilege to issue passes for the movement of products from the Mughal Empire, however; the nawabs of Bengal were not happy about it.

The disagreement in-between Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daulah and the English led to the Plassey’s Battle occurring in 1757. Robert Clive, the commander of the British troops defeats the army of Bengal Nawab.

The comfortable defeat of the Nawab by English was due to the betrayal of Mir Jafar, the commander of the Nawab’s army. The Nawab was pushed to escape, later arrested and set to killed by Miran, the son of Mir Jafar.

Battle of Buxar

Mir Jafar did not satisfy the demands of English and he was forcefully resigned. Mir Qasim was set on the throne and he was later defeated in different battles in 1763. Consequently, the Company’s army at Buxar defeated the nawab. Robert Clive became the first governor of the new administrative system of Bengal.

Reasons for British Supremacy in India

The followings are the reasons behind the supremacy of Britsh in India −

• Great military strategy

• Loyalty, Military discipline and on-time remuneration

• The procedure of officers’ selection

• The leadership quality of English

• Financial backup.

Conclusion

Portuguese was successful in capturing Diu and Daman ports, however; they declined the coats of India at the end of the 16th century except for Diu, Daman, and Goa. Job Charnock developed a city named Calcutta for trading purposes that are currently named Kolkata. E.I.C. developed enough power to gain the sovereign state in India status rule. Among all the Europeans, the British only remain in India for approximate 200 years ruling as the administrative power until 1947.

FAQs

Q1.How British take India under their control?

Ans.British came to India for trading and eventually, they made a political entrance into the country. The first conflict occurred in Plassey’s battle and it started by making the entire sub-continent of India under their control.

Q2.What were the contributions of the Portuguese?

Ans.Portuguese brought the cultivation of tobacco to India and launched the first printing press in Goa in 1556. The Indian Medicinal Plants was considered the first scientific creation posted in Goa.

Q3.When did the Anglo-French war occur?

Ans.The occurrence of Anglo-French was made in 1742.