European Commerce

European Commerce

Portuguese

With the discovery of sea route from Europe to India, the Political , Economical and Social structure had been changed. Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama reached calicut on 27 May 1498. The Ruler of calicut Zamorin welcomed him. Cochin was the early capital of the Portuguese in India and in 1530 shifted to Goa. Almeida was the first Portuguese Governor in India .The 2nd Governor Alfonso de Albuquerque was the most important Governor of Portuguese in India. He captured Goa from Bijapur in 1510, in 1515 he captured ormuz from Persia and in 1511 he captured Malaca. They had establishments in Daman, Salsette, chaul and Bombay on the western coast and in the East at San Thome near Madras and at Hugli in Bengal. However they lost their settlement to their rivals, in 1631 Mughal noble Qasim Khan drove them from Hugli, in 1661 the king of Portugal gave Bombay to British and finally in 1739 Marathas captured Salsette and Bassien from them. They retained Goa, Daman & Diu till 1961.

Dutch

The Dutch East India company was formed in 1602. Pulicat was their main centre later Negapatam replaced it. They captured Malaca in 1641 and Amboyna in 1605. Dutch power in India began to decline with rise of British. They were defeated by the British in the Battle of Bedera in 1759.

English

Merchant Adventures popularly known as English East India Company was formed in 1599 . A charter granting monopoly of trade with East was granted by queen Elizabeth. Captan Hawkins arrived at Jahangirs court (1609) to seek permission to built a factory at Surat. However a farman was issued only in 1613 due Portuguese resistance. Sir Thomas Roe visited visited Jahangirs court as the ambassador of James I to