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Advent of Europeans to India

Read notes on the Advent of Europeans to India and learn about the arrival, expansion, and subsequent decline of the Portuguese, the Dutch, The English, and the French.

In our article, on the Advent of Europeans to India, we will discuss the timeline of the arrival, expansion, and subsequent decline of European colonizers in India. This article will focus on Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French. 

The Portuguese 

  • Vasco da Gama was the first European to discover India via a direct sea route
  • The Portuguese had a monopoly over the sea route and quickly established their control over India
  • It is noteworthy that not only were the Portuguese the first Europeans to arrive in India, but they were also the last ones to leave. The Portuguese lost their dominance over their Indian territories in 1961 
  • Portuguese control over India declined due to the entry of other European colonizers

The Dutch 

  • The Dutch government permitted the United East India Company of the Netherlands to begin trading with India in the 17th century
  • The first Dutch factory was established in Andhra Pradesh in 1605, and soon they started to establish various trading centres around India
  • The Dutch successfully conquered Ceylon and several Portuguese Forts on the Malabar Coast from the Portuguese
  • The Dutch traded in cotton, opium, silk, indigo, rice, and black pepper
  • The Dutch presence in India declined by the early 19th century

The English 

  • The British East India Company was established in 1599 and 1600; they got permission from the Queen to start trading with the East
  • The English quickly established their strongholds in the south and the west by setting up several factories by the first half of the 17th century
  • The East India Company established a stronghold over India by the 19th century. However, after the Revolt of 1857, they had to concede their power over India to the British government 
  • The persistent fight for Independence in India and the two World Wars weakened the British power in India. And in 1947, India won its independence

The French 

  • The French were the last European power to enter Indian soil
  • The French East India Company was formed in 1664 under the reign of King Louis the XIV
  • In 1668, the French established their first factory in Surat, and in 1674 they conquered the city of Pondicherry

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