Advent Of The Europeans
Class 8 | Social Science — History | Unit 1
Class 8 Unit 1 History
Unit 1 Advent of the Europeans
Learning Objectives
To know about the kinds of sources of modern India
To understand the Portuguese trade interests in India
To understand the impact of Portuguese and Dutch presence in India
To know the colonial settlements of Denmark
To know the arrival and settlement of English and French East India Companies
Introduction
Many of the foreign travelers, traders, missionaries and civil servants who came to India in the 18th and 19th centuries have left accounts of their experiences and their impressions of various parts of the country. To know the events of modern period, we have abundant sources at the international, national, and regional level.
Sources of Modern India
The sources for the history of modern India help us to know the political, socio-economic and cultural developments in the country. From the very beginning, the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French, the Danes, and the English recorded their official transactions in India on state papers. Well preserved records are very valuable to know about their relations in India. The archives at Lisbon, Goa, Pondicherry and Madras were literally store houses of precious historical information. All these sources must, however, be critically evaluated before they are used for historical writing.
Kinds of Sources
We can write history with the help of sources like written sources and material sources.
Written Sources
After the advent of the printing press, numerous books were published in different languages. Hence, people began to acquire knowledge easily in the fields like art, literature, history and science. The Europeans came to know about the immense Wealth of India from the accounts of Marco Polo and similar sources. The wealth of India attracted Europeans to this country. Ananda Rangam is a name to conjure with in the annals of Tamil history. He was a Dubash (Translator) in Pondicherry to assist French trade in India. He recorded the events that took place in French India. His diaries contain the daily events from 1736 to 1760, which are the only written secular record available during that period. His diaries reveal his profound capacity for political judgement and is a most valuable source of history. Written sources include Literatures, Travel Accounts, Diaries, Auto Biographies, Pamphlets, Government Documents and Manuscripts.
Archives
This is the place where historical documents are preserved. The National Archives of India (NAI) is located in New Delhi. It is the chief storehouse of the records of the government of India. It has main source of information for understanding past administrative machinery as well as a guide to the present and future generations related to all matters. It contains authentic evidence for knowing the political, social, economic, cultural and scientific life and activities of the people of India. It is one of the largest Archives in Asia.
Do You Know?
George William Forrest can rightly be called as the "Father of National Archives of India".
Tamil Nadu Archives
The Madras Record Office, presently known as Tamil Nadu Archives (TNA) is located in Chennai. It is one of the oldest and largest document repositories in Southern India. Most of the records in the Tamil Nadu archives are in English. The collections include series of administrative records in Dutch, Danish, Persian and Marathi. Few documents are in French, Portuguese, Tamil and Urdu. Tamil Nadu Archives has 1642 volumes of Dutch records which relate to Cochin and Coromandal coast. These records cover the period from 1657 – 1845. The Danian records cover the period from 1777 – 1845. Dodwell prepared with great effort and the first issue of the calendar of Madras records was published in 1917. He was highly interested in encouraging historical researches. He opened a new chapter in the History of Tamil Nadu Archives.
Material Sources
Many paintings and statues are the main sources of modern Indian history. They give us a lot of information and the achievement of national leaders and historical personalities. Historical buildings like St. Francis Church at Cochin, Saint Louis Fort at Pondicherry, Saint George Fort in Madras, Saint David Fort in Cuddalore, India Gate, Parliament House, President House in New Delhi, etc are different styles and techniques of Indian architecture. Other objects and materials of religious, cultural and historical value are collected and preserved in Museums. These museums help to preserve and promote our cultural heritage. The national museum in Delhi is the largest museum in India which was established in 1949. Coins are a good source to know about administrative history. The first coinage in modern India under the crown was issued in 1862. Edward VII ascended after Queen Victoria and the coins issued by him bore his model. The Reserve Bank of India was formally set up in 1935 and was empowered to issue Government of India notes. The first paper currency issued by RBI in January 1938 was 5-rupee notes bearing the portrait of King George six.
Do You Know?
In 1690, Fort St. David was built by the British in Cuddalore.
Advent of the Europeans
After the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in A.D. (C.E.) 1453, the land route between India and Europe was closed. The Turks penetrated into North Africa and the Balkan Peninsula. It became imperative on the part of the European nations to discover new sea routes to the East.
Audio-visual means possessing both a sound and a visual component, such as slide-tape presentations. Audio-visual service providers frequently offer web streaming, video conferencing and live broadcast services. Television, films, internet are called 'Audiovisual media'.
Portugal
Amongst the entire European nations Portugal was the foremost to make a dynamic attempt to discover a sea route to India. Prince Henry of Portugal, who is commonly known as the "Navigator", encouraged his countrymen to take up the adventurous life of exploring the unknown regions of the world. Bartholomew Diaz, a Portuguese sailor reached the southern-most point of Africa in 1487. He was patronized by the King John II.
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama, another Portuguese sailor reached the southern-most point of Africa and he continued his journey to Mozambique from where he sailed to India with the help of an Indian pilot In A.D. (C.E.) 1498, he reached Calicut, where he was cordially received by King Zamorin, the ruler of Calicut. A second Portuguese navigator, Pedro Alvares Cabral, sailed towards India, following the route discovered by Vasco da Gama with 13 ships and a few hundred soldiers in 1500. On his arrival at Calicut, there arose conflicts between the Portuguese and king Zamorin. Vasco da Gama came to India for the second time in 1501 with 20 ships and founded a trading centre at Cannanore. One after another, they established factories at Calicut and Cochin. King Zamorin attacked the Portuguese in Cochin but was defeated. Cochin was the first capital of the Portuguese East India Company. The third voyage of Vasco da Gama was in 1524. He soon fell ill, and in December 1524 he died in Cochin
Francisco de Almeida (1505 to 1509)
In 1505, Francisco de Almeida was sent as the first Governor for the Portuguese possessions in India. Almeida had the aim of developing the naval power of the Portuguese in India. His policy was known as the "Blue Water Policy". As Portuguese tried to break the Arab's monopoly on Indian Ocean trade, it negatively impacted on the trade interests of Egypt and Turkey. Sultans of Bijapur and Gujarat were also apprehensive of the expansion of Portuguese control of ports which led to an alliance between Egypt, Turkey and Gujarat against Portuguese invaders. In a naval battle fought near Chaul, the combined Muslim fleet won a victory over the Portuguese fleet under Almeida's son who was killed in the battle. Almeida defeated the combined Muslim fleet in a naval battle near Diu, and by the year 1509, Portuguese claimed the naval supremacy in Asia.
Alfonso de Albuquerque (1509 to 1515)
The real founder of the Portuguese power in India was Alfonso de Albuquerque. He captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in November 1510. In 1515, he established the Portuguese authority over Ormuz in Persian Gulf. He encouraged the marriages of the Portuguese with Indian women. He maintained friendly relations with Vijayanagar Empire.
Nino de Cunha (1529 - 1538)
Governor Nino de Cunha moved capital from Cochin to Goa in 1530. In 1534, he acquired Bassein from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. In 1537, the Portuguese occupied Diu. Later, they wrested Daman from the local chiefs of Gujarat. In 1548, they occupied Salsette. Thus, during the 16th century, Portuguese succeeded in capturing Goa, Daman, Diu, Salsette, Bassein, Chaul and Bombay on the western coast, Hooghly on the Bengal coast and Santhome on the Madras coast and enjoyed good trade benefits. The Portuguese brought the cultivation of tobacco to India. Due to the influence of Portuguese Catholic religion spread in certain regions on India's western and eastern coasts. The printing press was set up by the Portuguese at Goa in 1556. A scientific work on the Indian medicinal plants by a European writer was printed at Goa in 1563. In 17th century, the Portuguese power began to decline to the Dutch and by 1739 the Portuguese pockets became confined to Goa, Diu and Daman.
The Dutch
The Dutch followed the Portuguese into India. In 1602, the United East India company of Netherlands was formed, and it received the sanction of their government to trade in East India. After their arrival in India, the Dutch founded their first factory in Masulipatnam, (Andhra Pradesh) in 1605. This company captured Amboyna from the Portuguese in 1605 and established its supremacy in the Spice Islands. They captured Nagapatnam near Madras from the Portuguese and made this place as their strong hold in South India. At first, Pulicat was their headquarters. Later, they shifted it to Nagapatnam in 1690. The most important Indian commodities traded by the Dutch were silk, cotton, indigo, rice and opium. They monopolized the trade in black pepper and other spices. The important factories in India were Pulicat, Surat, Chinsura, Kasim bazar, Patna, Nagapatnam, Balasore and Cochin. The English East India Company remained engaged in rivalry with the Portuguese and the Dutch throughout the 17th century. In 1623, the Dutch cruelly killed ten English traders and nine Javanese in Amboyna. This incident accelerated the rivalry between the two Europeans companies. Their final collapse came with their defeat by the English in the Battle of Bedera in 1759. The Dutch lost their settlements one by one to the English and was completely wiped out by the year of 1795.
Dutch in Tamil Nadu
The Portuguese who established a control over Pulicat since 1502 were over thrown by the Dutch. In Pulicat, the Dutch built the fort Geldria in 1613. This fort was once the seat of Dutch power. The Dutch established their settlement at Pulicat in 1610. Diamonds were exported from Pulicat to the western countries. The other Dutch colonial forts and possessions were Nagapattinam, Punnakayal, Porto Novo, Cuddalore and Devanampatinam.
The British
On 31st December 1600, Elizabeth, the Queen of England granted a charter to the governor and company of Merchants of London to trade with East Indies. The Company was headed by a Governor and a court of 24 directors. Captain Hawkins visited Jahangir's court in 1608 to get certain concessions for the company. He secured permission to raise a settlement at Surat. However, the Emperor cancelled the permission under pressure from the Portuguese. In 1612, the English Captain Thomas Best, inflicted a severe defeat over the Portuguese in a naval battle near Surat. The Mughal Emperor Jahangir permitted the English to establish their factory in 1613 at Surat, which initially became the headquarters of the English in western India. Captain Nicholas Downton won another decisive victory over the Portuguese in 1614. These events enhanced the British prestige at the Mughal court. In 1615, Sir Thomas Roe was sent to Jahangir's court by King James I of England. He remained at Agra for three years and succeeded in concluding a commercial treaty with the emperor. Before the departure of Sir Thomas Roe, the English had established their trading centres at Surat, Agra, Ahmadabad and Broach. On the coastline of the Bay of Bengal, the English established their first factory in 1611 at Masulipatam, an important port in the territory of the kingdom of Golconda. In 1639, the English merchant, Francis Day, obtained Madras as a lease from Chennappa Nayaka, the ruler of Chandragiri. The East India Company built its famous factory known as 'Fort St. George' in Madras, which became their headquarters for the whole of the eastern belt and first fort built by British. King Charles II of England received the island of Bombay as a part of his dowry from the Portuguese King, on the occasion of his marriage with Catherine. In 1668, the East India Company acquired the island at an annual rent of £ (pounds) 10 from Charles II. In 1690 a factory was established at Sutanuti by Job Charnock. The Zamindari of the three villages of Sutanuti, Kalikata and Govindpur was acquired by the British in 1698. These villages later grew into the city of Calcutta. The factory at Sutanuti was fortified in 1696 and this new fortified settlement was named as 'Fort William' in 1700. After the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and the Battle of Buxar in 1764, the Company became a political power. India was under the East India Company's rule till 1858 after it came under the direct administration of the British Crown.
Danish
On March 17, 1616 the King of Denmark, Christian IV, issued a charter and created a Danish East India company. They established settlement at Tranquebar (Tamilnadu) in 1620 and Serampore (Bengal) in 1676. Serampore was their headquarters in India. They failed to strengthen themselves in India and they sold all their settlement in India to the British in 1845.
Do You Know?
Danish called Tranquebar as Danesborg. The king of Denmark sent Ziegenbalg to India. Ziegenbalg set up a printing press at Tranquebar (Tarangambadi).
The French
The French East India Company was formed in 1664 by Colbert, a Minister of King Louis XIV. In 1667, a French expedition came to India under Francois Caron. France was the last European country to come India as traders. Caron founded the first French factory in India at Surat. In 1669, Marcara founded second French factory at Masulipatam by securing a patent from the Sultan of Golkonda. In 1673, the settlement of Pondicherry was founded by Martin under a grant from Sher Khan Lodi, the ruler of Bijapur. Pondicherry became the most important and prosperous French settlement in India. A fort known as St. Louis was built by Francois Martin in Pondicherry. In 1673, the French obtained permission from Shaista Khan, the Mughal Subedar (governor) of Bengal to establish a township at Chandranagore, near Calcutta. The French East India Company established factories in different parts of India, particularly in the coastal regions such Mahe, Karaikal, Balasore and Kasim Bazar. These were a few important trading Centers of the French East India Company. The vision of the French power in India was further reinforced by the appointment of Joseph Francois Dupleix as the Governor of the French East India Company in 1742. He succeeded Dumas as the French governor of Pondicherry.
Do You Know?
The Swedish East India Company was founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1731 for the purpose of conducting trade with the Far East. The venture was inspired by the success of the Dutch East India Company and the British East India Company.
Conclusion
Since the Portuguese were eliminated by the Dutch and the later extinguished by the English, the French were left to face the English for control over trade and territory. The French neglected trade and entangled themselves in wars with Indian and other European powers. The three "Carnatic wars" ruined the French and rejuvenated the English to embark on a systematic territorial expansion. The comparative success of the British over the Portuguese, the Dutch, the Danish, and the French was largely due to their commercial competitiveness, spirit of supreme sacrifice, government support, naval superiority, national character and their ascendency in Europe.
Recap
Ananda Rangam is a name to conjure with in the annals of Tamil history.
The Madras Record Office, known as Tamil Nadu Archives (TNA) is located in Chennai.
Prince Henry of Portugal, is commonly known as the "Navigator".
The "Blue Water Policy" was followed by Almeida.
The Mughal Emperor Jahangir permitted the English East India Company to establish their factory in 1613 at Surat.
French East India Company was formed in 1664 by Colbert.
Pondicherry became the most important and prosperous French settlement in India.
Glossary
Missionaries (n) religious missions சமயப்பரப்பு குழுவினர் Pamphlets (n) a small booklet பிரசுரங்கள் Archives (n) the place where historical documents and records are kept ஆவணக்காப்பகம் Manuscripts (n) handwritten books or documents கையெழுத்து பிரதிகள் Repository (n) a person or thing regarded as a store of information களஞ்சியம் Voyage (n) a long journey especially by ship கடற்பயணம் Monopoly (n) exclusive control or possession of something முற்றுரிமை Navigator (n) in earlier times, a person who explored by ship கடல்வழி வல்லுநர்/ மாலுமி
Evaluation
Exercise 1. Choose the correct answer
1. Who laid the foundation of Portuguese power in India?
a. Vasco da Gama b. Bartholomew Diaz c. Alfonso de Albuquerque d. Almeida
2. Which of the following European Nation was the foremost attempt to discover a sea route to India?
a. Dutch b. Portugal c. France d. Britain
3. In 1453 Constantinople was captured by ____.
a. The French b. The Turks c. The Dutch d. The British
4. Sir William Hawkins belonged to ____.
a. Portugal b. Spain c. England d. France
5. The first fort constructed by the British in India was ____.
a. Fort William b. Fort Saint George c. Agra Fort d. Fort St. David
6. Who among the following Europeans were the last to come India as traders?
a. The British b. The French c. The Danish d. The Portuguese
7. Tranquebar on the Tamilnadu coast was a trade centre of the ____.
a. The Portuguese b. The British c. The French d. The Danish Exercise 2. Fill in the blanks
1. National Archives of India (NAI) is located in .
2. Bartholomew Diaz, a Portuguese sailor was patronized by .
3. The printing press in India was set up by at Goa in 1556.
4. The Mughal Emperor permitted the English to trade in India.
5. The French East India Company was formed by .
6. the King of Denmark issued a charter to create Danish East India company.
Exercise 3. Match the following
| 1. The Dutch | |
| 2. The British | |
| 3. The Danish | |
| 4. The French | |
Options: 1664, 1602, 1600, 1616
Exercise 4. State true or false 1. Auto biography is one of the written sources. 2. Coins are one of the material sources. 3. Ananda Rangam was a translator served under British. 4. The place where historical documents are preserved is called archives. Exercise 5. Consider the following statements and tick ( ✓ ) the appropriate answer
1. Governor Nino de Cunha moved Portuguese capital from Cochin to Goa.
2. Portuguese were the last to leave from in India.
3. The Dutch founded their first factory at Surat.
4. Sir Thomas Roe was sent to Jahangir's court by King James I of England.
a) 1 & 2 are Correct. b) 2 & 4 are Correct. c) 3 is correct. d) 1, 2 & 4 are correct.
Find out the wrong pair
a) Francis Day - Denmark b) Pedro Cabral - Portugal c) Captain Hawkins - Britain d) Colbert – France Exercise 6. Answer the following in one or two sentences
1. Give a short note on Archives.
2. Write about the importance of Coins.
3. Why Prince Henry is called 'Henry the Navigator'?
4. Name the important factories established by the Dutch in India.
5. Mention the trading centres of the English in India.
Exercise 7. Answer the following in detail
1. Give an account of the sources of Modern India.
2. How did the Portuguese establish their trading centres in India?
3. How did the British establish their trading centres in India?
Exercise 8. Map skill
On the river map of India, mark the following trading centres of the Europeans.
Calicut, Cochin, Madras, Pondicherry, Surat, Chinsura, Pulicat, Calcutta
Exercise 9. HOTs
How did the fall of Constantinople affect the European nations?
Exercise 10. Student Activity
Prepare a chart on the kinds of sources of Modern India.
Reference Books
Bipan Chandra - History of Modern India, Orient Blackswan Private Limited 2018
Sumit Sarkar, Modern India 1885-1947, Laxmi Publications; Reprint edition (2008)
Ishita Banerjee-Dube - A History of Modern India, Cambridge University Press 2014
Internet Resources
www.india.gov.in
www.historynet.com
www.ducksters.com
ICT Corner
Advent of the Europeans
Through this activity you will visualize the Sources of Indian History
Steps:
• Open the Browser and type the URL given below (or) Scan the QR Code.
• Click on Timeline, go to left side menu and Select any one (Ex. Paintings)
• Drag the Time line bar to appropriate period (Ex.1500-1600 A.D)
Website URL: http://museumsofindia.gov.in/repository/home
Book-back Exercises — Questions & Answers
Answers generated strictly from the Samacheer Kalvi textbook content. Attempt each question first, then click "Show Answer" to check.
1. Choose the correct answer
1. Who laid the foundation of Portuguese power in India?
a) Vasco da Gama b) Bartholomew Diaz c) Alfonso de Albuquerque d) Almeida
Answer: c) Alfonso de Albuquerque
Explanation: According to the chapter, "The real founder of the Portuguese power in India was Alfonso de Albuquerque."
2. Which of the following European Nation was the foremost attempt to discover a sea route to India?
a) Dutch b) Portugal c) France d) Britain
Answer: b) Portugal
Explanation: The chapter states "Amongst the entire European nations Portugal was the foremost to make a dynamic attempt to discover a sea route to India."
3. In 1453 Constantinople was captured by ____.
a) The French b) The Turks c) The Dutch d) The British
Answer: b) The Turks
Explanation: The chapter mentions "After the capture of Constantinople by the Turks in A.D. (C.E.) 1453, the land route between India and Europe was closed."
4. Sir William Hawkins belonged to ____.
a) Portugal b) Spain c) England d) France
Answer: c) England
Explanation: The chapter states "Captain Hawkins visited Jahangir's court in sixteen not eight to get certain concessions for the company" referring to the English East India Company.
5. The first fort constructed by the British in India was ____.
a) Fort William b) Fort Saint George c) Agra Fort d) Fort St. David
Answer: b) Fort Saint George
Explanation: The chapter mentions "The East India Company built its famous factory known as 'Fort St. George' in Madras, which became their headquarters for the whole of the eastern belt and first fort built by British."
6. Who among the following Europeans were the last to come India as traders?
a) The British b) The French c) The Danish d) The Portuguese
Answer: b) The French
Explanation: The chapter clearly states "France was the last European country to come India as traders."
7. Tranquebar on the Tamilnadu coast was a trade centre of the ____.
a) The Portuguese b) The British c) The French d) The Danish
Answer: d) The Danish
Explanation: The chapter mentions "They established settlement at Tranquebar (Tamilnadu) in 1620" referring to the Danish.
2. Fill in the blanks
1. National Archives of India (NAI) is located in ____.
Answer: New Delhi
2. Bartholomew Diaz, a Portuguese sailor was patronized by ____.
Answer: King John II
3. The printing press in India was set up by ____ at Goa in 1556.
Answer: the Portuguese
4. The Mughal Emperor ____ permitted the English to trade in India.
Answer: Jahangir
5. The French East India Company was formed by ____.
Answer: Colbert
6. ____ the King of Denmark issued a charter to create Danish East India company.
Answer: Christian IV
3. Match the following
1. Match the Following
| 1) The Dutch | a) 1664 |
| 2) The British | b) 1602 |
| 3) The Danish | c) 1600 |
| 4) The French | d) 1616 |
Answers: 1-b, 2-c, 3-d, 4-a
4. State true or false
1. Auto biography is one of the written sources.
Answer: True
2. Coins are one of the material sources.
Answer: True
3. Ananda Rangam was a translator served under British.
Answer: False
4. The place where historical documents are preserved is called archives.
Answer: True
5. Consider the following statements and tick (✓) the appropriate answer
1. Governor Nino de Cunha moved Portuguese capital from Cochin to Goa.
2. Portuguese were the last to leave from in India.
3. The Dutch founded their first factory at Surat.
4. Sir Thomas Roe was sent to Jahangir's court by King James I of England.
a) 1 & 2 are Correct b) 2 & 4 are Correct c) 3 is correct d) 1, 2 & 4 are correct
Answer: Refer to the chapter text for this answer.
2. Find out the wrong pair
a) Francis Day - Denmark b) Pedro Cabral - Portugal c) Captain Hawkins - Britain d) Colbert – France
Answer: a) Francis Day - Denmark
Explanation: Francis Day was an English merchant who obtained Madras from Chennappa Nayaka, not associated with Denmark.
6. Answer the following in one or two sentences
1. Give a short note on Archives.
Answer: Archives is the place where historical documents are preserved. The National Archives of India (NAI) is located in New Delhi and is the chief storehouse of the records of the government of India.
2. Write about the importance of Coins.
Answer: Coins are a good source to know about administrative history. The first coinage in modern India under the crown was issued in 1862.
3. Why Prince Henry is called 'Henry the Navigator'?
Answer: Prince Henry of Portugal is commonly known as the "Navigator" because he encouraged his countrymen to take up the adventurous life of exploring the unknown regions of the world.
4. Name the important factories established by the Dutch in India.
Answer: The important factories established by the Dutch in India were Pulicat, Surat, Chinsura, Kasim bazar, Patna, Nagapatnam, Balasore and Cochin.
5. Mention the trading centres of the English in India.
Answer: Before the departure of Sir Thomas Roe, the English had established their trading centres at Surat, Agra, Ahmadabad and Broach. They also established factories at Masulipatam, Madras, Bombay and Calcutta.
7. Answer the following in detail
1. Give an account of the sources of Modern India.
Answer: The sources for the history of modern India help us to know the political, socio-economic and cultural developments in the country. We can write history with the help of written sources and material sources. Written sources include Literatures, Travel Accounts, Diaries, Auto Biographies, Pamphlets, Government Documents and Manuscripts. Material sources include paintings, statues, historical buildings, coins and objects preserved in museums. Archives like the National Archives of India and Tamil Nadu Archives preserve these historical documents and records.
2. How did the Portuguese establish their trading centres in India?
Answer: Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498 and was received by King Zamorin. Pedro Alvares Cabral came with 13 ships in 1500 but conflicts arose with Zamorin. Vasco da Gama returned in 1501 with 20 ships and founded a trading centre at Cannanore. They established factories at Calicut and Cochin. Alfonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in 1510. Governor Nino de Cunha moved the capital from Cochin to Goa in 1530 and acquired Bassein, Diu, Daman and other territories. Thus, the Portuguese succeeded in capturing various coastal regions and enjoyed good trade benefits.
3. How did the British establish their trading centres in India?
Answer: The British East India Company was formed in 1600 with a charter from Queen Elizabeth. Captain Hawkins visited Jahangir's court to get concessions and secured permission at Surat. After naval victories over the Portuguese, the Mughal Emperor permitted the English to establish their factory at Surat in 1613. Sir Thomas Roe concluded a commercial treaty with the emperor. Francis Day obtained Madras in 1639 and built Fort St. George. The Company acquired Bombay from Charles II in 1668. Job Charnock established a factory at Sutanuti in 1690, which later became Calcutta with Fort William. After the battles of Plassey and Buxar, the Company became a political power and ruled India till 1858.
📝 Summary
- Foreign travelers, traders, missionaries and civil servants from the 18th and 19th centuries left detailed accounts of their experiences in India, providing abundant sources for understanding the modern period at international, national, and regional levels.
- Written sources include literature, travel accounts, diaries, autobiographies, pamphlets, government documents and manuscripts, with Europeans learning about India's immense wealth from accounts like those of Marco Polo, which attracted them to the country.
- The National Archives of India (NAI) in New Delhi serves as the chief storehouse of government records and is one of the largest archives in Asia, preserving authentic evidence of India's political, social, economic, cultural and scientific life.
- Tamil Nadu Archives (formerly Madras Record Office) in Chennai is one of the oldest and largest document repositories in Southern India, containing 1642 volumes of Dutch records covering the period from 1657-1845 and Danish records from 1777-1845.
- Ananda Rangam, a Dubash (translator) in Pondicherry, recorded daily events from 1736 to 1760 in his diaries, which serve as the only written secular record available during that period and reveal his profound capacity for political judgement.