European in India

8/6/2019 European in India

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EUROPEANS IN INDIA



Portugal

Just as it happened with the Greeks, there are many sourcesthat talk about the European presence in India from the 16th Cand on.

For many Centuries, the Europeans had been excluded from adirect relation to India and had been in contact with tem only

through intermediation. The main interest had by the Europeans was the spices coming

from India that were, literally, crucial for their wellbeing.

During Fall, the cattle had to be sacrificed for leather and food

supplies for the Winter. The wine had to be spiced or it would turn into vinegar.

That was the objective of the Portuguese.

From their settlement resulted the Lusitanian-Indian or Goan.



Holland

The second European penetration in Indian territory was

from Holland.

After Spain invaded Portugal and saw total adaptation fromthe colony of Goa they promptly monopolized the trade to

Europe.

Holland used to be a part of the Spanish Empire but their defacto independence commenced in 1585 when they star to

send their own fleets abroad. They arrive to India in 1595.

Pragmatic as they were and with pure commercial intentions

they headed straight to Batavia (Todays Jakarta). They established a commercial trade as well with Ceylan and

even got to Agra, where they established markets andworkshops.



England

The Englishmen arrived the last day of 1600. They were seen by the Hollanders with reserves

and perspicacity. They wanted to monopolizenot to co-exist.

One fact in the equation: Hollanders wereAnabaptist and Calvinist, the British, Anglicanand the Portuguese, Catholic.

In 1623 the Hollanders slaughter a British

community in that which is known as theMassacre of Amboyna. The British played at thetime just a secondary role in India.



England However, the seeds were already there for the British to later

reach their hegemony in India: The Moguls were not in the best terms with the Portuguese

who monopolized the Arab sea and placed obstacles to theMuslim pilgrims that wished to cross the ocean.

The British represented by Captain Hawkins, visited the Moguls

in 1607 who were ruled by Jahangir. Hawkins was named aMansadbar and given 400 men.

The British obtained victories over the Portuguese in 1612 and1618 (lead by Sir Thomas Roe).

The Moguls began to take the British serious who became the

de facto arm of the earlier on the seas. Finally, in 1622 the British were able to surpass the Portuguese

in power and influence in India as they fought together with thePersians to liberate the city of Ormuz.



In 1508 the Company changes its name to UnitedCompany as it absorbed some competitors and rivals.

The earning of the company characterized form beingconstant instead of humongous.

Their main products exported to England were cotton,

cotton thread, indigo, pepper, spices, silk and salt.Opium would come somewhat later.

India imported tin, plumb, ivory, tapestries andmechanic toys.

However, the trading balance leaned towards Indias

exports. Thus, the British had to pay in silver bars. TheCrown wasnt so happy about it and pushed theCompany to make better bussiness.



To shake the pressure of the crown off, theBritish began to make market research, studying

the customs, beliefs and Indian character. They

understood India so well that they would briefly

enter the political scenery.



The French

The first French expedition to India took place inthe first half of the 16th century, they sailed

from Le Havre and were never afterwards heardof.

Several other failing attempts were made toreach India, but it wasnt until 1658,

when François Bernier reached India even

getting to be the personal physician of Aurangzeb for 12 years .



In 1674 François Martin, started to build Pondichéry

(Punducherri) and transformed it from a small fishing villageinto a flourishing port-town.

The French were in constant conflict, in India, with the Dutchand the English. In 1693 the Dutch took over and fortifiedPondichéry considerably.

The French regained the town in 1699 through the Treaty of Ryswick, signed on September 20, 1697.

Between 1720 and 1741, the objectives of the French werepurely commercial.

The French settled branches of the French Company of EastIndia inYanam in 1723, Maheon Malabar Coast in 1725

and Karaikal in 1739. After 1742 political motives began to overshadow the desire for

commercial gain. All factories were fortified for the purpose of defense.

European in India

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