Indian History and World History (Part-25)

The British landed in India at Surat on August 24, 1608.

Mughal emperor Jahangir granted a Firman to Captain William Hawkins, permitting the English to build a factory at Surat in 1613.

The Dutch army was decisively defeated by the British, and after that, they left India and went back to Indonesia.

Factories Built by Europeans in India

1. Portuguese:

   • Goa (1510): First Portuguese factory established here, becoming their base in India.

   • Cochin (1503): Another major Portuguese base and trading post.

2. Dutch:

   • Surat (1616): The Dutch East India Company established their first factory here.

   • Pulicat (1609): Another important Dutch factory on the Coromandel Coast.

   • Chinsura (1653): Located in Bengal, this was another key Dutch trade post.

3. English:

   • Surat (1612): The English East India Company set up its first factory here.

   • Madras (1639): The English built Fort St. George and established a major trading hub.

   • Bombay (1668): Acquired by the British from the Portuguese, it became an important factory and port.

   • Calcutta (1690): Established by the British as a factory, later becoming the capital of British India.

4. French:

   • Chandernagore (1673): The French East India Company set up a factory here.

   • Pondicherry (1674): The French established a major trading center and fortified settlement.

5. Danish:

   • Tranquebar (1620): Danish East India Company established its first and only factory here on the Coromandel Coast.

6. Swedish:

   • Tranquebar (1732): The Swedish East India Company established a small factory here, but their influence remained limited.

Factories Built by Europeans in India

1. Portuguese:

   • Goa (1510): First Portuguese factory established here, becoming their base in India.

   • Cochin (1503): Another major Portuguese base and trading post.

2. Dutch:

   • Surat (1616): The Dutch East India Company established their first factory here.

   • Pulicat (1609): Another important Dutch factory on the Coromandel Coast.

   • Chinsura (1653): Located in Bengal, this was another key Dutch trade post.

3. English:

   • Surat (1612): The English East India Company set up its first factory here.

   • Madras (1639): The English built Fort St. George and established a major trading hub.

   • Bombay (1668): Acquired by the British from the Portuguese, it became an important factory and port.

   • Calcutta (1690): Established by the British as a factory, later becoming the capital of British India.

4. French:

   • Chandernagore (1673): The French East India Company set up a factory here.

   • Pondicherry (1674): The French established a major trading center and fortified settlement.

5. Danish:

   • Tranquebar (1620): Danish East India Company established its first and only factory here on the Coromandel Coast.

6. Swedish:

   • Tranquebar (1732): The Swedish East India Company established a small factory here, but their influence remained limited.

• The company set up its first factory at Surat under Francis Caron in 1667.
• The second factory was set up at Masulipatnam a year later, in 1668.
• Jean-Baptiste Colbert founded the French East India Company in 1664. Finally, Francois Martin of the French East India Company set up a trading centre at Pondicherry in 1674.

The fort was built around 1701 by François Martin and was completed after his death around 1706.

• Received permission from Ibrahim Khan, the then Nawab of Bengal, to establish a trading post on the right bank of the Hooghly River.
• In 1730, Joseph Francois Dupleix was appointed governor of the city. In 1756 war broke out between France and Great Britain and on March 23, 1757 Chandannagar was captured by the British fleet.

The battle was fought between France and Great Britain.

Robert Clive led the British East India Company, and Charles Watson led the Royal Navy They bombarded and captured Chandernagore (Chandannagar) in March 1757.

It is also called 'India's Little France'.

The French established their supremacy in Pondicherry in the year 1673. French East India Company set up a trading centre at Pondicherry in 1674. The name Pondicherry was renamed Puducherry in 2006.

The Battle of Wandiwash was fought on 22 January 1760 between the British East India Company and the French East India Company during the Seven Years' War.

Key Points:

1. Combatants:

   • British: Led by Sir Eyre Coote.

   • French: Led by Count de Lally.

2. Outcome:

   • The British won a decisive victory over the French.

   • This ended French influence in India and solidified British dominance.

3. Aftermath:

   • French influence significantly weakened; Pondicherry remained French but most territories were lost to the British.

   • The British East India Company secured control over southern India.

Significance:

• Marked the end of French ambitions in India and the rise of British control, setting the stage for British rule in India.