🚢 1. Arrival of the Portuguese
- Vasco da Gama reached Calicut on 20 May 1498.
- He was guided by Ahmad ibn Majid (Gujarati navigator).
- Welcomed by the Zamorin of Calicut.
- Discovered a new sea route from Europe to India, boosting trade.
- Made huge profit (especially from black pepper), attracting other Europeans.
Important Portuguese Governors
- Francisco de Almeida (1505)
- Introduced Blue Water Policy (naval dominance).
- Afonso de Albuquerque (1509)
- Captured Goa (1510) from Yusuf Adil Shah
- Captured:
- Malacca (1511)
- Hormuz (1515)
- Known as Founder of Portuguese power in India
Key Contributions
- First Europeans to:
- Arrive in India (1498)
- Build a fort (Cochin, 1503)
- Establish sea-based trade
- Stayed the longest: 1498–1961
🌎 2. Other Explorers (Context)
- Christopher Columbus → Discovered America
- James Cook → Route to Australia
- Abel Tasman → Tasmania & New Zealand
🏢 3. Dutch East India Company (1602)
- Founded by Dutch Parliament
- Capital: 6.5 million guilders
- Main base: Batavia
- Had monopoly on trade and warfare
Activities in India
- First factory: Masulipatnam
- Bengal factory: Chinsurah (1653)
- Built Fort Gustavus
- Captured Kochi (1663) from Portuguese
4. English East India Company (1600)
- Founded as:
- “Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies”
- During Akbar’s reign
Important Developments
- 1611: First factory at Masulipatnam
- 1613: First permanent factory at Surat
- Thomas Best defeated Portuguese at Battle of Swally
Bombay Acquisition
- 1662: Charles II received Bombay as dowry from Portugal
- Given to East India Company for £10/year
Conflict with Mughals
- John Child attacked Mughal ports
- Aurangzeb expelled English temporarily
5. French East India Company (1664)
- Founded by Jean-Baptiste Colbert under Louis XIV
- First factory:
- Surat (1668)
- Masulipatnam (1669)
Key Figure
- Joseph Francois Dupleix
- Introduced:
- Interference in Indian politics
- Use of Indian troops
- Laid foundation of European political control
- Introduced:
⚔️ 6. Carnatic Wars (Focus: First War)
- First Carnatic War (1746–48)
- Linked to War of Austrian Succession
- French defeated Nawab of Carnatic at St. Thome
- Ended with Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
- Madras returned to English
🏭 7. Portuguese in Bengal
- Factories at:
- Satgaon
- Chatgaon
- Used Hooghly for piracy
- Shah Jahan destroyed Portuguese settlements (1632)
📍 8. Founding of Calcutta
- Job Charnock shifted base to Sutanuti
- Led to establishment of Calcutta
📊 9. Order of European Arrival
- Portuguese (1498)
- Dutch (1602)
- English (1600)
- Danes
- French (1664)
🧠 Key Takeaways
- Trade (not conquest) was the initial motive
- Portuguese dominated early sea trade
- Dutch focused on commerce
- English and French moved toward political control
- European rivalry → Colonial rule in India
FAQ
1. In which year Vasco-da-Gama arrived at Calicut :- 1498 A.D.
2. Which are true about Vasco Da Gama?
(i) Zamorin (Samuthiri) was the ruler of Calicut during Vasco Da Gama’s trip to India in 1498.
(ii) In his first trip Vasco Da Gama stayed for 3 months in India.
(iii)Vasco Da gama revisited India in 1502.
Ans. All of the above
3. Who is connected with ‘Blue Water’ policy :- De Almeida
4. Who was the first Portuguese Viceroy in India :- Almeida
5. Who among the following visitor to India did not belong to Portuguese country?
(a) Duarte Barbosa (b) Domingo Paes (c) Peter Mundy (d) Fernao Nuniz
Ans (c) Peter Mundy
6. Match List- I and List- II and select the correct answer from the code given below :
List- I(Voyagers) List- II (Countries)
A. Vasco da Gama 1. Portugal
B. Christopher Columbus 2. Spain
C. Captain Cook 3. Great Britain
D. Tasman 4. Holland
Ans. 1 2 3 4
7. Correctly match the following :
A. Afonso de albuquerque (i)Acquiring Goa in 1510 AD
B. Nuno da Cunha (ii) Change of Portuguese headquarter from Cochin to Goa
C. Pedro Alvares Cabral (iii) Arrival in India in September 1500 AD
D. Francisco de Almeida (iv) Blue Water Policy
Ans. All of the above
8. Match List-I with List-II :
List- I(Explorer) List-II(Birthplace)
A. Christopher Columbus 1. Italy
B. Jacques Cartier 2. France
C. Sir Francis Drake 3. United Kingdom
D. Ferdinand Magellan 4. Portugal
Ans.1 2 3 4
9. Who were the first Europeans to come to India for trade :- Portuguese
10. Who was the real founder of Portuguese power in India :- Albuquerque
11. With reference to the entry of European powers into India, which statements is correct?
(a) The Portuguese captured Goa in 1510
(b) The English opened their first factory in South India at Masulipatnam
(c) In Eastern India, the English company opened its first factory in Orissa in 1633
(d) Under the leadership of Dupleix, the French occupied Madras in 1746
Ans. All of the above
12. At which places in India did the Portuguese build their first fortress :- Cochin
13. Who were the first Europeans to set up sea trade centres in India :- The Portuguese
14. Among the factories in Bengal, the one established by the Portuguese was:– Hooghly
15. With reference to Pondicherry (Now Puducherry), consider the correct statements:
1. The first European power to occupy Pondicherry were the Portuguese.
2. The second European power to occupy Pondicherry were the Dutch.
3. The English occupied Pondicherry in 1793 but handed it over to France in 1814 as per the the Treaty of Paris..
Ans. 1, 2 and 3
16. Hooghly was used as a base for piracy in the Bay of Bengal by :– Portuguese
17. Who was the founder of Calcutta :- Job Charnock
18. In India the First Municipal Corporation was set up in which places :- Madras
19. The first to start a joint stock company to trade with India were :– Dutch
20. Which is the correct statement?
(a) The Dutch defeated the Portuguese and built Fort Williams in the modern Kochi.
(c) Kochi was included in the British colonial region in 1814.
Ans. Both
21. With reference to Indian history, consider the correct statements :
1. Dutch snatched Cochin (Kochi) from Portuguese at east coast and later established their factories on the coast of Andhra and Odisha in 17th century while the rule of Gajapati rulers was declined by 16th century.
2. Alfonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate.
3. The English East India Company established a factory at Madras on a plot of land leased from a representative of the Vijayanagara empire.
Ans :- 1 2 3
22. The secret of success of East India Company in India was :
(a) Absence of Nationalism in India
(b) The company army received western training and they had modern arms.
(c) Indian Soldiers lacked fidelity consequently the one who paid them sufficient could have them on his service
Ans. All the above
23. Which British companies got the first charter permitting them to trade in India :- Levant Company
24. Who was the Emperor of India when the British East India Company was formed in London :-Akbar
25. During the time of which Mughal Emperor did the English East India Company establish its first factory in India :- Jahangir
26. Where in India did Britishers set up their first factory in 1613 :- Surat
27. Which British officials defeated Portuguese at Swally :- Thomas Best
28. With reference to the captain Hawkins, which statements is correct?
(1) He came to India in 1609 as an envoy of James-I.
(2) He was very well versed in Turkish language.
Ans. Both
29. In the first quarter of seventeenth century, where was the factories of the English East India Company located?
1. Agra, Ahmedabad, Baroda and Broach by 1619.
2.Masulipatnam in 1611 and Armagaon in 1628.
3.Hariharpur and Balasore (in Odisha) in 1633
Ans :- All of the above
30. Which European trading company was the first to establish its factory at Surat :- The English
31. In the year 1613, where was the English East India Company given permission to set up a factory (trading post) :- Surat
32. Where was the Western Presidency situated in the early period of the East India Company :-Surat
33. Bombay was taken over by the English East India Company from :– The Portuguese
34. In which year, was the authority of the British established over the fort of Prayagraj (U.P.) :1798
35. Which English Governor of East India Company in India was expelled by Aurangzeb :- Sir John Child
36. Which was the immediate cause of the First Carnatic War :- Capture of French ships by the British
37. Carnatic War was fought between :– English and French
38. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List-I List-II
A. First Carnatic War 1. Ended by Treaty of Aix La Chapelle
B. Third Carnatic War 2. Ended by Treaty of Paris
C. Second Carnatic War 3. Inconclusive War
D. First Mysore War 4. Britishers Lost
Ans. All of the above
39. Which is correctly matched?
(a) First battle of Karnataka – 1746-48 (b) Second battle of Karnataka – 1749-54
(c) Third battle of Karnataka – 1758-63 (d) Third battle of Panipat – 1761
Ans. All of the above
40. What are true in relation to ‘Battle of Ambur’?
(i) This battle was fought in 1749.
(ii) In this battle, armies of Muzaffarjang, Chanda Sahib and French fought together against Anwarud-din.
(iii) In this battle, army of Anwar-ud-din had to face defeat.
Ans.all of the above
41. Who was the first European to initiate the policy of taking part in the quarrels of Indian Princess with a view to acquire territories :- Dupleix
42. In India, the French established their earliest factory at :– Surat
43. French East India Company was constituted during the reign of :- Louis XIV
44. Who is considered the founder of French Company in India :– Colbert
45. Which factories of Bengal was established by the Dutch :- Chinsurah & Hooghly
46. Dutch East India company established its factory at Patna in which year :- 1632
47. Match the following Dutch factories with their years of establishment :
A. Bimlipatam (i) 1641
B. Karaikal (ii) 1645
C. Cochin (iii) 1663
D. Chinsura (iv) 1653
Ans. All of the above
48. The French failed to establish power in the Deccan because:– The English had a strong army
49. The chronological order of European Powers entered into Indian trade at one time or the other :
1. The Portuguese 2. The Dutch 3. The English 4.Danes 5. The French
Ans. All are correct
50. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer from the code given below the lists:
List- I List- II
A. Pondicherry 1. French
B. Goa 2. Portuguese
C. Tranquebar 3.Danish (Dane)
D. Sadras 4. Dutch
Ans. 1 2 3 4
51. Identify the region from where Europeans got best shora (Saltpetre) and opium :- Bihar
52. Which Europeans, was the last to come to pre-independence India as traders :- French
53. In which places the Dutch established their trading centre in India?
(a) Nagappattinam, Chinsura, Machilipatnam (b) Surat, Bharuch, Agra
(c) Cochin, Ahmedabad, Patna
Ans. All the above
54. Consider the correct statements
1. The assessment of land revenue on the basis of nature of the soil and the quality of crops was introduced during the reign of Sher Shah Suri and Akbar much before the British.
2. Use of mobile cannons in warfare were introduced in the Mughal Era.
3. Cultivation of tobacco and red chillies in India was contributed by Portuguese.
Ans. All of the above
55. Who remarked about the East India Company that “The Company is an anomaly but it is part of a system where everything is an anomaly” :- G.B. Macaulay
56. With reference to the Treaty of “Aix-la-Chapelle-1748” which statements are correct?
1. The 1st Carnatic War was ended.
2. The English got back Madras.
Ans :- Both 1 and 2
57. With reference to “the causes of the success of British and failure of the French in India” which statement are correct?
1. Getting huge wealth and manpower from Conquest of Bengal by British.
2. Naval superiority of the British.
Ans :- Both 1 and 2