Advent of Europeans in India
Complete exam-oriented quick revision notes
Order of Advent of Europeans in India
| Order | European Power |
|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese тАФ 1498 |
| 2 | Dutch тАФ 1602 |
| 3 | English тАФ 1608 |
| 4 | Danes тАФ 1616 |
| 5 | French тАФ 1668 |
Quick Order:
Portuguese тЖТ Dutch тЖТ English тЖТ Danes тЖТ French
Portuguese
Arrival of Portuguese
- The Portuguese came to India for various economic and religious reasons.
- They were the first to introduce tobacco and cashew nuts in India.
- They were the first to arrive and the last to leave.
- Goa was liberated in 1961.
Exam Point:
Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India and the last to leave.
Vasco da Gama (1498)
- Vasco da Gama was the first to discover the sea route to India via the Cape of Good Hope.
- He was a Portuguese explorer who came to Calicut in 1498 during the rule of King Zamorin.
- He reached Calicut aboard the Portuguese ship Sao Gabriel.
- The ship was guided by an Arab navigator named Ahmad ibn Majid (Ibn Majid).
Treaty of Tordesillas:
Signed on 7 June 1494 between Spain and Portugal. It aimed to resolve conflicts over newly discovered lands by dividing the world into two spheres of influence.
Francisco de Almeida (1505)
- He was the first Portuguese Viceroy of India.
- He introduced the Blue Water Policy (Cartaz System).
- The Cartaz System was a trade licensing system that allowed the Portuguese to control trade in the Indian Ocean.
Remember:
Francisco de Almeida = First Portuguese Viceroy + Blue Water Policy
Afonso de Albuquerque (1509)
- He was the second Portuguese Governor of India.
- He is considered the real founder of Portuguese power in India.
- He captured Goa in 1510 from Adil Shah of Bijapur.
- He abolished Sati.
- He received permission to build a fort at Bhatkal from Krishnadevaraya.
Nuno da Cunha
- He was a Portuguese Governor who moved the capital from Cochin to Goa in 1530.
- Bahadur Shah, ruler of Gujarat, surrendered Diu to the Portuguese in 1535.
Dutch
Arrival of Dutch
- Dutch refers to people from Netherlands.
- Dutch East India Company was formed in 1602.
- They set up their first factory in Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam), Andhra Pradesh in 1605.
Exam Point:
Dutch East India Company = 1602; First factory in India = Masulipatnam, 1605
English
Arrival of English
- 1599: East India Company came into existence.
- 1600: East India Company received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I to trade in India.
- 1608: William Hawkins was sent by King James I of England and arrived at the court of Jahangir.
- 1611: First factory at Masulipatnam was established temporarily.
- 1613: First permanent factory at Surat was established.
- 1615: Sir Thomas Roe visited the court of Jahangir, arriving on the English ship Hector, to obtain official trading rights for the English East India Company.
- 1620: Danes established their first factory at Tranquebar in Tamil Nadu.
- 1668: French established their first factory at Surat.
Important Dates:
1600 = Royal Charter | 1608 = William Hawkins | 1613 = Permanent factory at Surat | 1615 = Sir Thomas Roe
Expansion of Britishers
Battle of Swally / Suvali (1612)
The Battle of Swally was fought at Surat. The British defeated the Portuguese.
Exam Point:
Battle of Swally (1612) = British victory over Portuguese
Battle of Chinsurah / Bedara / Hooghly (1759)
The battle was fought on the banks of the Hooghly River. The British defeated the Dutch.
Battle of Colachel (1741)
The Battle of Colachel was fought between Marthanda Varma, King of Travancore, and the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch were defeated.
Quick Revision:
Swally тЖТ Portuguese defeated | Colachel тЖТ Dutch defeated | Chinsurah тЖТ Dutch defeated
Quick Revision – Advent of Europeans
| Topic | Key Point |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | First Europeans to arrive in India; last to leave |
| Vasco da Gama | Reached Calicut in 1498 via the Cape of Good Hope |
| Almeida | First Portuguese Viceroy; Blue Water Policy |
| Albuquerque | Second Portuguese Governor; captured Goa in 1510 |
| Dutch | Dutch East India Company – 1602; first factory at Masulipatnam – 1605 |
| English | Royal Charter – 1600; William Hawkins – 1608; permanent factory at Surat – 1613 |
| Sir Thomas Roe | Visited Jahangir’s court in 1615 |
| Swally | 1612 – British defeated Portuguese |
| Colachel | 1741 – Travancore defeated Dutch |
| Chinsurah | 1759 – British defeated Dutch |
Exam Capsule
1498:
Vasco da Gama reached Calicut.
1505:
Francisco de Almeida became the first Portuguese Viceroy of India.
1509:
Afonso de Albuquerque became the second Portuguese Governor of India.
1510:
Albuquerque captured Goa.
1600:
English East India Company received the Royal Charter.
1602:
Dutch East India Company was formed.
1608:
William Hawkins arrived at Jahangir’s court.
1612:
Battle of Swally – British defeated Portuguese.
1613:
First permanent English factory was established at Surat.
1615:
Sir Thomas Roe visited Jahangir’s court.
1741:
Battle of Colachel – Dutch were defeated.
1759:
Battle of Chinsurah – British defeated Dutch.