ADVENT OF EUROPEANS TO INDIA
Answers
Answer:
The European Age of Discovery started with the Portuguese navigators, where Prince Henry the Navigator started a maritime school in Portugal. The resulting of this technical and scientific discoveries led Portugal to develop the most advanced ships, including the Caravel, the Carrack, and the Galleon, where for the first time in history maritime navigation was possible. The Portuguese Empire led the Portuguese Kingdom to discover and map most of the Globe, and find seas routes as far as the East and West, such as the remarkable voyage to find the sea route to India via the Cape of Good Hope. Here, we are giving brief accounts on the arrival of Europeans in India.
ARRIVAL OF PORTUGUESE IN INDIA
It was the Portuguese who first discovered a direct sea route to India. Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama arrived at Calicut an important seaport located in South-West India on May 20, 1498 AD. King Zamorin, the local rule received him and bestowed on him certain privileges. After staying in India for a period of three months Vasco da Gama returned with a rich cargo which he sold in the European market at an exorbitant price- 60 times the cost of his voyage.
ARRIVAL OF BRITISH IN INDIA
Arrival of the British and the establishment of British East India Company was the outcome of the Portuguese traders who earn enormous profit by selling their merchandise in India. Being motivated by the successful business stories of the Portuguese a group of English merchants -‘Merchant Adventurers’ formed a company- the East India Company in 1599 AD. The Company received a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600 AD authorizing it to trade in the East. Queen was herself a shareholder in the East India Company.
ARRIVAL OF DUTCH IN INDIA
The people of Holland (present Netherlands) are called the Dutch. Next to the Portuguese, the Dutch set their feet in India. Historically the Dutch have been experts in sea trade. In 1602, the United East India Company of the Netherlands was formed and given permission by the Dutch government to trade in the East Indies including India.
ARRIVAL OF FRENCH
The last European people to arrive in India were the French. The French East India Company was formed in 1664 AD during the reign of King Louis XIV to trade with India. In 1668 AD the French established their first factory at Surat and in 1669 AD established another French factory at Masaulipatam. In 1673 AD the Mughal Subedar of Bengal allowed the French to set up a township at Chandernagore.