Modern India

Stories of India's wealth from travellers and other sources tempted the European nations to discover the sea route to India for trade. The Portuguese were the pioneers in this effort. In 1498, Vasco de Gama discovered the sea route to India and reached Calicut(now Kozhikode). His discovery made the Portuguese to be the first among the European nations to trade with India and found settlements along the coasts. Following them were the Dutch, the English, the Danes and the French. Eventually the English and the French were left in the field to contend for the Indian Trade. Not content with trade only their ambitions took a turn to achieve political power and the conditions that followed the decline of Mughal Empire offered them a golden opportunity to fish in the troubled waters.

Advent of European Commerce British Expansion in India Governor Generals and Viceroys

Advent of European Commerce

The Portuguese Vasco-da-Gama Discovers Sea Route to India : India had commerical relations with the countries of the west from time immemorial. But from the seventh century AD, her sea borne trade passed into the hands of the Arabs, who began to dominate the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. It was from then that the enterprising merchants of Venice and Genos purchased Indian Goods. The geographical discoveries of the last quarter of the fifteenth century deeply affectd the commerical relations of the different countries of the world and produced far-reaching consequences in their history. Bartholomew Diaz doubled the Cape of Good Hope, or the Stormy Cape, as he called it, in 1487; and Vasco de Gama found out a new route to India and reached the famous port of Calicut on the 17th May, 1498. On his arrival at Calicat, Vasco de Gama was received by its Hindu ruler, known by the title of Zamorin. The arrival of Vasco de Gama led to the establishment of trading stations at Calicat.

The Dutch The French The English

The Bengal Nawabs

Portuguese Chronology 1498 1502 1505 Vasco de Gama found a new roue to India and reached the port of Calicut. Vasco de Gama established a factory at Cochin Francis co de Almeida became the first Portuguese governor in India Albuquerque succeeded Almeida as governor. Defeat of the combined fleet of Gujarat, Egypt and Zamorin at the hands of Almeida Governor Nino da Cunha transferred his capital from Cochin to Goa. Diu and Bassein were acquired from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. Subjugation of Diu Martin Alfonso de Souza became new governor during his governorship. The famous Jesuit Saint Franciso Xaveir arrived in India Subjugation of Diu Loss of Surat to the English Loss of Hugli to Qasim Khan, a Mughal role Portuguese King presents Bombay to his Salsethte and Bassein are lost to the Marathas

1510

1530 1534 1535

1542

1559 1612 1631 1661 1739

Vasco-de-Gama estblished a factory at Cochin in 1502. He was followed by Alfonso de Albuquerque in 1503. In 1505, th portuguese decided to appoint a governor to look after their Indian affairs. Franicsco de Almeida became the first governor. Albuquerque succeeded him in 1509. Albuquerque was the real founder of the Portuguese empire in the east.

The Dutch

The lucrative trade which prospered the Portuguese merchants compelled the jealous Dutch to get direct access to the spice markets in South-East Asia. After undertaking a series of voyages since 1596, they set up a small commerical organisation, named the United East India Company in 1602 The main feature of the Dutch trade in India and South East Asia was their conflict with the Portuguese and the English merchants. Their rivalry with the English was influenced by two motives, first, to take advantage agaianst the Portuguese who were the allies of the Spain, the enemy of the Portuguese, their first object was fulfilled and their second objective brought them in continued hositility with the English. Highlights of the Dutch activities in India as as follows :-

Formation of the Company :The Dutch East India Company was formed with powers to make wars, conclude treaties, acquire territories and build fortesses in March, 1602, by a Charter of the Dutch Parliament.

Establishment of Factories :The Dutch set up factories at Masulipatam (1605), Pulicat (1610), Surat(1616), Bimilipatam (1641), K.Arikal (1645), Chinura (1653), Kasimbazar, Barangore, Patna, Balasore, Negapatam (all in 1658) and Cochin (1663) The Dutch replaced the Portuguese as the most dominat power in European trade with the East, including india. Pulicat was their main centre in India till 1690, after which Negapatam replaced it. The Dutch conceded to English after their defeat in the Battle of Bedera in 1759.

Cases of the Decline of Portuguese and Dutch Companies A. Portuguese 1. Inefficient successor of Albuquerque 2. Corruption in Portuguese administration 3. Religious intolerance of the Portugueses 4. Rise of Dutch, French and the British B. Dutch 1. Increasing Anglo- French rivalry 2. Growing interference from the Dutch governement in the internal affairs of the company 3. Dutch government's stress on maintaining its primacy over the affairs of the company raher than focussing on carrying trade. 4. Unsatisfactory behaviour of the Dutch.

The French
In the middle of the seventeenth century Louis XIV's finance minister Colbert formed a French East India Company named Compagnie des Indes Orientales in 1664. Louis XIV provided the Company with an interest-free loan of 3 million livre. The Company was thus, created and financed by the State. After initial attempts made to colonise Madagascar had proved a failure, the Company

undertook a fresh expedition in 1667 under the command of Francis Caron accompanied by Marcara, a native of Ispahan reached India and set up the first French factory at Surat in 1668. The second factory was set up at Masulipatnam in 1669. A factory was also developed at Chandernagar (Bengal) between 1690 and 1692. Two major French trading posts in India were Pondicherry, established in 1674 by Francis martin, and Chandernagar. In 1693, the newly built French factory at Pondicherry was captured by the Dutch but by the Treaty of Ryswick between the European powers, there was restoration of mutual conquests and the Dutch returned Ponidcherry to the French in 1697. During the first quarter of the eighteenth century, however, the French Company suffered serious setback for lack of resources and the factories at Surat, Masulipatam and Bantam had to be abandoned. This condition of the French Company continued till 1720. From after 1742, when Dupleix become Governor of Pondicherry, there was a change in the character and objective of the French Company motive of imperial expansion replaced their former commerical motive. This naturally opened a new chapter in the Anglo-French conflict in India.

The English
Before the East India Company established trade in India, John Mildenhall, a merchant adventurer, was the first Englishment who arrived in India in 1599 by the over land route, ostensibly for purpose of trade with Indian merchants. On 31st December, 1600, Queen Elizabeth granted a Charter to the Company named 'The Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading in the East Indies' the right to carry on trade with all countries of the East. This company is commonly known as the English East India Company. Chronology of English East India Company 1600 1608 1609 1613 1615 1616 1632 Establishment of English East India Company Captain William Hawkins visited the Mughal Court of Jehangir. Emperor Jehangir issued farman permitting the English to establish a factory at Surat. The English East India Company's factory was set up at Surat. Sir Thomas Roe was successful in obtaining two farmans from the Mughal Court confirming free trade with exemption from inland toll. The East India Company established its branch factory at Masulipatnam. The English obtained the Golden Farman with the right to trade in the kingdom of Golkunda for a fixed customs duty, from the Sultan of Golkunda. The eastern branch factory of East India Company was established in Hariharpur, Balasore. The local king of Madras(Now Chennai) granted the Company a lease. Nawab Shuja-ud-din of Bengal granted the English, the right to carry on their trade on payment of a fixed duty.

1633 1639 1651

1662

King Charles II of England was given Bombay (Now Mumbai) as dowry after marrying the Portuguese princess The English obtained the royal farman to trade in Bengal from the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The English East India Company replaced its headquarters from Surat to Bombay. The Governor of Bengal gave the English Company Dastaks (Free trade passes) on the payment of a fixed duty. English obtained a number of trade concessions from the Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar after the Emperor was cured of a painful disease by the English Surgeon William Hamilton.

1667 1687 1691

1717

For a few years, the English East India Company confined its activities to the spice trade with Java, Sumatra and the Moluccas. But in 1608 Captain William Hawkins came to the court of Jehangir with a letter from James I, king of England, requesting permission for the English merchants to establish in India. But due to vehement opposition of the Portuguese and the Surat merchants, Emperor Jehangir had to change his mind and Hawkin's mission failed. Next year, Jehangir issued a farman permitting the English to establish a factory permanently at Surat. In 1615, a British mission under Sir Thomas Roe succeeded in obtaining farmans from the Mughal Court confirming free trade without liability to pay inland toll. In 1632 the English obtained from the Sultan of Golconda the Golden farmangranting them the right to trade throughout the kingdom of Golconda on payment of a fixed customs duty of 500 pagodas per year. This farman was renewed in 1634. The Company obtained from the Nawab Shaja-ud-din a farman in 1651 granting the English the right to carry on their trade on payment of a fixed duty of Rs. 3000 per year.

In 1714, an Englishman John Surman was sent to Delhi Court for securing trading facilities for the company. He succeeded in obtaining from Emperor Farukhsiyar a farman in 1717, by which the Company was permitted to carry on trade in Bengal, Bombay and Madras free of customs duty. The Company was also permitted to mint its own coins. The Nawabs of Bengal, however, showed scant regard for the imperial farman .

East India Company and Bengal Nawabs

Siraj-ud-Daula (1756-57)

He seiged the English factory at Kasim bazar on 20th June 1756. Fort William surrendered but Robert Clive recovered Calcutta

On 2nd January 1757, Treaty of Alinagar was signed, whereby Siraj conceded practically all the demands. British then captured Chandernagore, the French settlement, on March 1757.

Battle of Plassey was fought on 23 June 1757, Owing to the conspiracy, the Nawab was defeated. The Mir Manikchand Aminchand Jagat Seth following Jafar Officer betrayed the Mir charge Sikh banker Nawab : Bakshi Calcutta merchant Bengal

in

of of

Rich Biggest

Khandim Khan - Commanded a large number of Nawab's Troops

"Black hole Tragedy" is associated in the Sirajudaulah

Mir Jafar (1757-60)

The Company was granted undisputed right to free trade in Bengal, Bihar and Orrisa. It received the Zamindari of 24 Parganas. Mir Jafar, however, fell into arrears and was forced to abdicate in favour of his son-in-law Mir Qasim

Mir Qasim (1760-64)

Mir Qasim ceded Burdwan, Midnapore and Chittagong. He shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Monghyr.

Mir Qasim soon revolted as he was angry with the British for misusing the dastaks (free duty passes.) However, having been defeated by the British, he fled to Awadh, where he formed a confederacy with Shuja-ud-daulah and Shah Alam.

Battle of Bauxer (1764) Shauja-u-Daulah, Shah Alam and Mir Qasim were defeated by Munro.

Mir Jafar (1763) was again placed on the throne.

Nizam-ud-Daulah (1765-72)

On Mir Jafar's death, his son Nizam-ud-daulah was placed on the throne and signed a treaty on 20th Feburary, 1765 by which the Nawab was to disband most of his army and to administer Bengal through a Deputy Subahdar nominated by the Company.

Clive concluded two seperate treaties of Allahabad with Shuja-ud-daula and Shah Alam II

Dual system of government started in Bengal. The Company acquired both Diwani and Nizamat rights from Najam-ud-Daula (1765-66), the new nawab of Bengal. But the Company did not take over direct administration and revenue collection. Warren Hastings ended the Dual system of Government in 1772.