ADVENT OF THE EUROPEANS – PORTUGUESE

After the capture of Constantinople by the Ottoman Empire of Turks in A.D. (C.E.) 1453, the land route between India and Europe was closed. So there was an urgent need for new trade route to connect South and South East Asia with Europe and all the European countries encouraged their traders to find the trade route. The land routes were not easily accessible due to its rough terrains and climate.

PORTUGUESE

• Prince Henry of Portugal, who is commonly known as the “Navigator”, started a school for training sailor and encouraged his countrymen to explore the unknown regions of the world.
• Bartholomeus Diaz, a Portuguese sailor reached the southern-most point of Africa in 1487. He was patronized by the King John II.
• But due to weather condition he could not reach India and he named the place as the Cape of storm but later renamed as Cape of Good Hope.

Vasco da Gama

• On 17 May 1498, he reached Calicut, where he was cordially received by King Zamorin the ruler of Calicut.
• A second Portuguese navigator, Pedro Alvarez Cabral reached India in 1500 and established the first Portuguese trade Centre in Calicut. There was a conflict between Cabral and King Zamorin.
• Vasco da Gama visited India in second time in 1501 and established Trade Centre and prison at Cannanore and later he established Trade Centre in Cochin.
• In 1504 Portuguese defeated king Zamorin with the help of some allies and Cochin became their first capital.
• During the third visit to India Vasco da Gama died in 1524.

Francisco de Almeida (1505 – 1509)

• First Governor or Viceroy for the Portuguese possessions in India.
• His policy was known as the “Blue Water Policy” that is One who maintain supremacy over Indian Ocean will control Asia- Europe trade
• He destroyed the fleet of Zamorin and a fleet sent by the Sultan of Egypt
• He built fortresses at Cochin, Cannanore.
• Almeida’s son was killed in the naval battle fought near Chaul against the combined Muslim fleet.
• Almeida defeated the combined Muslim fleet in a naval battle near Diu, and by the year 1509, Portuguese claimed the naval supremacy in Asia.
• In 1509 he was killed by Egyptians in the battle.

Alfonso de Albuquerque (1509 – 1515)

• The real founder of the Portuguese power in India.
• He captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in November 1510.
• He built Port of Calicut and captured Malacca (Malaysia) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1511.
• In 1515, he established the Portuguese authority over Port Ormuz in Persian Gulf.
• He encouraged the marriages of the Portuguese with Indian women.
• He maintained friendly relations with Vijayanagar Empire.
• Albuquerque attempted to stop the practice of Sati.

Nino de Cunha (1529 – 1538)

1. Governor Nino de Cunha moved capital from Cochin to Goa in 1530.
2. In 1534, he acquired Bassein from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat.
3. In 1537, the Portuguese occupied Diu. In 1548, they occupied Salsette.
4. The Mughal ruler Akbar visited Cambay in Gujarat and the first contacts between the Portuguese and the Mughal emperor established during the period of De Noronha (1571).
5. 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.

Effects of Portuguese rule in India

• European method of warfare introduced in India. Gun powder and superior artillery played a significant role.

1. The first printing press in India was set up by the Portuguese at Goa in 1556.
2. A scientific work on the Indian medicinal plants by a European writer was printed at Goa in 1563.

• The Portuguese brought the cultivation of Tobacco to India.
• Jesuit missionaries visited India. Notable among them are:

1. Francis Xavier, one of the founders of the Society of Jesus, arrived in Goa in 1542 and travelled as far as Thoothukudi and Punnakayal to baptize the converts.
2. Roberto de Nobili whose linguistic ability enabled him to write extensively in Tamil and in Sanskrit. He is considered the father of Tamil prose.
3. Henriques introduced printing in Tamil and is called the father of printing press. He translated a Portuguese book ‘Christam en Lingua Malaur Tamul’ to Tamil as Thambiran Vanakkam and it was the first printed book in Tamil language.

Decline of Portuguese

• They did not maintain friendly relationship with Indian rulers particularly Mughals.
• The Cartaz system of Portuguese created enmity with Indian as well as foreign traders.

CARTAZ: It was a naval trade license system introduced in 1502 by Portuguese in Indian Ocean. Portuguese issued license to Merchant ships and granting them Protection against pirates and rival states. But in reality Portuguese collect tax in the name of production. If any traders not paid the license fees their ship will be attacked by Portuguese. So Indians and other traders paid Portuguese due to fear.

• Their religious intolerance activities posted threat to other rulers and to common people.
• Fall of Vijayangara Empire after Battle of Talikotta in 1565 was a great blow to Portuguese in south.
• In 1580 Philip II, King of Spain, defeated Portugal and annexed it so they did not get help from their home country.
• In India the Dutch defeated the Portuguese in Ceylon and later seized the Portuguese fort on Malabar Coast
• 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.
• Portugal captured by Dutch after that they concentrated on Southern American countries.