Arrival of Europeans | KPSC KAS Preparation: All subjects - KPSC KAS (Karnataka) PDF Download

Introduction

• India’s trade relations with Europe date back to ancient times, with various trade routes accessible by both sea and land. Goods passed through multiple states, and merchants had to pay heavy duties at each crossing. Despite these high duties, merchants made significant profits due to the strong demand for spices in Europe.
• The main reasons for European interest in India were:
  • European cuisine was very spicy, and they needed to store salted and peppered meat for future use. The high demand for spices in Europe resulted in substantial profits from trade with India.
  • The immense wealth of India and the shortage of gold in Europe. Europeans required gold for continued trade, which was abundantly available in India.

European Exploration and the Search for New Trade Routes to India

• During the 15th century, trade routes between India and other parts of the world included sea routes (indicated by blue lines) and the land-based Silk Route (indicated by red lines). The Silk Route was a significant trade pathway known as the European trade route.
• In 1453, the Turkish Ottoman Empire captured Constantinople, leading to the blockage of the Silk Route—an event famously known as the Fall of Constantinople. With the Silk Route blocked, European nations were unable to trade with India, prompting them to search for new sea routes. By the late 15th century, countries like Portugal and Spain began launching voyages.
  
• In 1492, Christopher Columbus from Spain set out to reach India but instead discovered America. In 1498, Vasco da Gama from Portugal discovered a new sea route to India. He landed at Kappadu beach in Calicut, Kerala, and met the Samudiri (Zamorin) King of Calicut.
• Vasco da Gama’s discovery of the sea route to India led to an influx of European merchants traveling to India by sea. Gama visited India three times, and during his second visit, he reached the Goa coast and built a fort at Kannur. His exploration routes are depicted in the accompanying diagram.
• The substantial profits made by merchants through the sea route attracted other European nations, including the Dutch (Netherlands), Danes (Denmark), and French (France), to establish their own sea routes to India.

Arrival of Britain

• British merchants sought a trade route to India, but their naval power was weaker compared to that of Portugal and Spain. In 1588, Britain defeated the Spanish fleet and established its own sea route to India. British merchants, eager to participate in Asian trade, formed a group called Merchant Adventurers. In 1600, they secured a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth, granting them exclusive trading rights with the East, leading to the creation of the British East India Company (EIC). The EIC began its voyage in 1601 and later commenced trade with India.
• In 1608, the British East India Company aimed to establish a trading post at Surat on the Gujarat coast. Captain Hawkins visited the Mughal court of Jahangir to seek royal favors. However, due to pressure from Portuguese merchants, who were the dominant traders and provided military support to the Mughals, Jahangir denied Hawkins' request. Nevertheless, in 1611, the British established their first factory on the eastern coast at Masulipatanam, Andhra Pradesh.
• Recognizing the need to secure Mughal favor, the British EIC realized they needed a military presence on India's western coast. They engaged in battles with the Portuguese and defeated their naval forces in 1612 and 1614, establishing a strong British presence on the western coast. As a result, the British EIC was granted permission to open factories on the western coast. Unsatisfied with this, the British sent Sir Thomas Roe as an ambassador to the Mughal court, obtaining a royal farman in 1615.

Expansion of British Trading Centers and Fortifications

• The conflict between the Portuguese and the British continued until the Portuguese were confined to Goa, Daman, and Diu. By 1623, the British EIC had established factories in Surat, Broach, Ahmedabad, Agra, and Masulipatanam.
  To solidify their military presence, the British built three major forts in India:
  • In 1639, they constructed Fort St. George in Madras.
  • In 1668, they built a second fort in Bombay.
  • In 1698, they established Fort William in Bengal.
• In 1717, the British EIC obtained a Royal Farman from Mughal Emperor Farukhsiyar, allowing them duty-free trade in Bengal, Gujarat, and the Deccan in exchange for an annual payment of Rs. 3000 to the Emperor. These concessions led to a more than threefold increase in the company's trade with India over the next 30 years.

The Carnatic Wars and the Defeat of the French

• The French were the last European traders to arrive in India. The British EIC fought several battles with French merchants to capture their trading areas, leading to three wars known as the Carnatic Wars. 
• In the Third Carnatic War, the British army defeated the French at the Battle of Wandiwash in Tamil Nadu in 1760, resulting in the loss of all French possessions in India.