भारत का पूरा आधु क इ हास Part 3/16

With mind maps & notes

MODERN HISTORY OF INDIA
BIPAN CHANDRA
# UPSC CSE
नि
ति
 LESSON 3
Beginnings of European
settlements in India
The story of starting of a new era
Part 1 of lesson 3 - Europeans - why in India, how in India and
what they did.
 AIMS AND AREAS TO BE FOCUSED ON
Why Europeans wanted to trade with India.
Development of European trade with India.
Growth of British east India company and its way of business.
Counter of Britishers with aurengzeb
Other Europeans east India comapnies : Dutch, French and Portuguese.
Anglo French struggle in south India.
Dupleix - the French Governor General for India.
What British learnt in their initial time in India.
Why Europeans were interested in India ?
• Eastern spices were in high demand in Europe since ancient Europeans
cooking Meat
times, Europeans needed spices in winters for their meat, to
In winters
make it palatable.
• In ancient times, this trade was done by Greeks.
• In medieval times, this trade was the virtual monopoly of
italians.
• There were three trade routes from India to Europe
Route 1- from sea to Persian gulf, then overland through
Iraq and turkey and again by sea to Venice and Genoa.
Route 2- from Red Sea to land of Egypt and then by sea to
Venice and Genoa.
Route 3- very less used, from north west of India ( Hindu
Kush) to Russia and Baltic.
• While crossing these state routes every state levied tolls, hence
goods became expensive but still in demand and pro table for
merchants.
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 UNITED KINGDOM

EUROPE

ASIA

AFRICA
• Now old routes came under Turkish control in 1453 Indian spices
and moreover the merchants of Venice monopolised it
and refused other new European states to share the
route, specially Spain and Portugal.
• On other hand, the demand of spices was very
pressing and the wealth of India was also an
attraction for Europeans.
• Now these new states started searching for new
routes to east to break the monopoly of turkey, Venice
and others.
• Luckily till 15th century they came to know ship
building and science of navigation.
• First step was taken by Portugal and Spain, they sent govt.
sponsored seamen to nd the new sea routes. Landing of
• First voyage was : in 1494 by Columbus of Spain ( originally vasco in calicut
Italian) but found America instead of Asia.
• In 1498, Vasco da Gama set out to nd India through the
cape of good hope and reached at Calicut in India.

• These two discoveries, America and sea route to India

changed the world forever, moreover Europeans already
penetrated into Africas and plundered its resources and
peoples for slavery in Americas.
• Families and society of Africa was harshly disrupted by
Europeans. almost 15 to 50 million Africans were sold by
them for slavery.
• The money Europeans earned from this, was later used in
industrial revolution of 18th and 19th century.
• By now, the monopoly of Italy was vanished over the trade,
and centre of power shifted towards westward in Europe.
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EUROPE
AS I A

D I A
IN

AFRICA
 LESSON 3
Beginnings of European
settlements in India
The story of starting of a new era
Part 2 of lesson 3 - Portuguese and Dutch east India company in
india.
Portuguese east India company ( rise )
• They ruled the east west sea trade route for over 100 years and established
their factories at coachin, Goa, Daman and Diu.
• They used force with trade, their ships were armed, by which they threatened
the land powers.
• They intervened in state con icts between two and took bene ts.
• Portuguese also destroyed Arab shipping and by threatening the Mughal
shipping, secured concessions from Mughal emperor.
• Portuguese established their control on trade from Persian gulf to Indonesia.
• They seized Indian territories on the coast and waged constant wars for
more control against their European rivals.
• Portuguese were religiously intolerant, tried to convert peoples religion to
Christianity by sword.
• They hated the people of India for their religious tolerance in the rule.
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SOUTH EAST ASIA
Portuguese east India company ( decline )
• However they did a mistake, they clashed with the Mughal power in Bengal in
1631 and were driven out of their settlement at Hugli.
• Their hold on Arabian Sea was already weekend by growing English eic.
• By now, Portugal became incapable of maintaining their monopoly reasons were:
It was a small country of less than a million.
It’s court and govt. were autocratic and corrupt, so merchants enjoyed less
power and prestige.
Policy of religious intolerance in India.
By now English and Dutch became more powerful and they all set to rule this
trade route via cape of good hope.
By 1580 it became dependent on Spain’s protection, on the other hand
Spain’s most powerful eet called Spanish Armada was defeated by English and
the dream of Spain and Portugal for an empire in India shattered.
In the end, Dutch gained control on Indonesia and England on India, Ceylon
and Malaya.
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Dutch ( Netherlands ) east India company
• Before direct trade, Dutch used to purchased
eastern goods from Portugal and sold it over Europe,
by doing this they earn good money and business
methods.
• But, relation with Spain and Portugal became bitter
and now they made their own eic and Dutch govt.
gave them charter for trade in 1602.
• Their main interest was Indonesia and its spice
islands and not the India, however they built many
factories at India. They export cotton and silk etc
from here and treated Indians badly like Portuguese.
• They defeated Portuguese and English eic in 1623,
over the trade monopoly for Indonesia.
• But later, they con ned themselves to Indonesia
more and very less in India on other side Britishers
leaved all claims on Indonesia, as a part of treaty.
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SOUTH EAST ASIA
 LESSON 3
Beginnings of European
settlements in India
The story of starting of a new era

Part 3 of lesson 3 - British east India company rise in india

British east India company English planning
• In 16th century, Britishers were in amed by looking at travel to india
the pro ts and success made by Portuguese, but in late
16th century they were too weak to compete Portuguese
power.
• But with time, Britishers gathered strength and defeated
Spanish Armada in 1588.
• Now, they made a company of merchants to trade with
east and got the royal charter for trade in 1600 by queen
elizabeth.
• First they reached Indonesia in 1601 and then to the
west coast of India at Surat.
• Captain Hawkins obtained royal favours for trade by
Mughal emperor Jahangir.
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• But Portuguese were their main opponent in Thomas roe in
Mughal court, and they defeated Portuguese naval Mughal court
force in 1612 and 1614.
• By this action of Britishers, mughals hope to
counter Portuguese by English on the sea, as
mughals were weak in navy.
• Consequently, the English Company was given
permission by a Royal farman to open factories at
several places on the West coast.
• In 1615 British ambassador Sir Thomas Roe
reached the Mughal Court and by threatening the
mughals for their weakness in navy, he got the
imperial Farman to open factories in all parts of
Mughal empire.
• By now, Portuguese were became completely
weak against the English.
Growth of the British east India company
• Though their starting was humble in India, by 1623
they have established many factories in India.
• In 1625, they tried to forti ed their factory at Surat
and got imprisoned by Mughal empire.
• But, in south India conditions were more favourable
for them, as there was no strong Indian government
but just some petty states.
• English established their rst factory in south at
Masulipatam in 1611.
• In 1639, they were given the lease of madras by a
local Raja and authorised them to fortify it. English
made a small fort here named as fort st. George.
• By the end of 17th century, English company claiming
the right over madras and ready to ght for it.
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• Then they acquired the island of Bombay from Bombay
Portuguese in 1668 and forti ed it, but soon changed port
their headquarters to Surat, because they were
threatened by the Maratha power.
• In Eastern India they opened their rst factory in Orissa
and then many more too in Bengal.
• They want to became independent in Bengal also, they
found that aurengzeb was busy with Marathas and this is
the right time to establish control.
• In 1686 they declared war on Mughal emperor
aurengzeb, but English seriously miscalculated him and
the war became a disaster for them.
• Aurengzeb defeated them very badly, seized their
factories and fort and Britishers were threw out of there.
• They learnt the lesson and asked pardoned from
Mughal emperor and again became the humble petitioner
in Mughal court.
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 LESSON 3
Beginnings of European
settlements in India
The story of starting of a new era

Part 4 of lesson 3 - British east India company settlements

• Mughals pardoned them many times, they could not English asking
recognised the future threats and just look at the enriching pardon to
treasury by trade. aurengzeb
• Though English were weak on land but supreme in navy power.
• In 1698, company acquired zamindari of 3 villages and built fort
William there, these villages soon grew into a city, which came
to known as Calcutta.
• But, In Bengal the rst nawabs were very strong and they used
strict control over English company and didn’t let them grow.
• Though Politically declined, but company made heavy pro ts
in money by trade.
• British settlements in madras, Bombay and Calcutta soon
became ourished cities. As commercial opportunities
increased, the population was also increased in all 3 places.
• As these cities were on the coasts, English company used this
bene t , whenever any con ict occurred they escaped in sea
and came back when everything became normal.
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Internal organisation of the company
• Charter of 1600 granted exclusive right to eic for trade to the east of cape of good
hope.
• Company was managed by a committee known as court of directors which
consisted of directors and 24 members.
• In initial 12 years company’s pro t was very high, in 1612 company made a pro t
of 10 lakh euro on the capital of 2 lakh.
• Now, the merchants who were not the member of eic, also want to taste the
pro t.
• But, company monopolised the trade, by giving bribes and loans to monarch and
other powerful peoples.
• Company got the right from Charles II to, make forts, raise troops and wage war
against eastern powers.
• Now due to revolution of 1688 in England, the parliament became supreme and
due to this change of power, other merchants press their demand for right to do
trade and called themselves “free merchants”
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• But eic defended itself by again giving heavy bribes, of 80,000, out of
which 10,000 to the king and secured again a charter in 1693.

• However, this success was short lived, the House of Commons passed a
resolution in which everyone from England got the right to trade with east.
• Now the rival merchants found a company called “new company” and
gave a loan of 20 lakh euros to the govt. and the eic could o er only 7 lakh
euros.
• Consequently the new company got the monopoly on trade, both new
and old company fought for long time, but in 1702 both company joined
together and formed a united company.

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 East India
The government and the organisation of the company Factory
company’s factories in India.
• These factories were generally a forti ed area with
warehouses, o ces and houses of the o cials.
• O cials were divided into 3 ranks : writers, factors
and merchants and they got low salaries.
• Still they were very interested to get posted in
India, because they got the permission to do inland
private trade, but trade between Europe and east
remained company’s monopoly.
• The factories were administered by governors and
council members on majority vote basis.
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 LESSON 3
Beginnings of European
settlements in India
The story of starting of a new era
Part 5 of lesson 3 - French east India company and Anglo French
Struggle
The Anglo French struggle.
• The ambitions of eic for political powers, which were
suppressed by aurengzeb in late 17th century, were
now again emerging after the death of aurengzeb and
nadir shah’s invasion.
• But in west Marthas and in east nawabs of Bengal
were at their peak power, so no chance their.
• However, Hyderabad and south became a disturbed
and weak land by know, specially after nizam’s death
and plundered by Marathas, British eic found their
opportunity here.
• But British eic was not a single contender in south
India, now French was their new rival and to decide
the domination both fought from 1744-1763.
But before this lets see the history.
French east India company
• Founded in 1664, but progressed after its reorganisation in 1720.
• It established factories at Calcutta, Pondicherry in east coast and some
others on west coast as well and soon competed with British eic.
• But this company was bounded with its government in France, which was
highly Corrupted, ine cient and traditional, instead of forward looking. The
govt. o cials were narrow minded for short term bene ts and had no vision of
company’s lasting success.
• Company was dependent on this government for help, grants and subsidies,
also the directors of the company were recruited by the government and these
things were injurious for the company.
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War between France and England in Europe
• War started between France and England over the controls of
America, India and specially over the opportunity to establish their
control over the India under declining Mughal empire.
• British eic was superior in money and force due to their better
settlements of factories in India and wealth earned by trade and also in
naval strength.
• This war spread to India and British eic captured French ships.
Dupleix
• Dupleix, the French governor of Pondicherry a genius commander fought
back and occupied madras ( which was in carnatic control ) in 1746.
• Now, Britishers played the game, they appealed to the nawab of Carnatic
to took back his territory from French.
• Nawab sent an army of 10,000 to show that he was still the master of his
territory.
• Though, French army was below 1000, they were well trained on western
lines and disciplined, so they defeated nawabs army at Adyar river.
• This showed that, Indian troops had no match against technologically
advanced western armies, by this new ambitions aroused in both
companies to gain territory and power.

• Now, war ended between French and British in 1748 as a peace

settlement, but rivalry over trade continued and had to be decide one way
or the other.
• Dupleix learnt the lesson by this war, he organised more modern armies,
intervene in interstate quarrels and support one against the other, as a result
whoever wins, gave Dupleix nancial and territorial favours.
• Indian rulers were narrow minded and they had no hesitation to invite the help of
foreigners in state matters.
• Dupleix found two opportunities to gain hold:
In carnatic - Chanda shaheb conspired against nawab of Carnatic, Dupleix
gave him support and killed the nawab, now Chanda Shaheb took all control and
rewarded dupleix with 80 villages around Pondicherry.
In Hyderabad - after the death of nizam ul mulk, his son and grandson fought
for the throne. In this dupleix supported the muja arjung, the grand son of nizam
and killed the other rival. In reward new nizam gave dupleix the control over
Masulipatam, 5 lakh rupees to company, 5 lakh rupees to its troops. Dupleix alone
received 2 lakh rupees, a jagir and he was made the governor of Mughal
dominions on the east coast. dupleix stationed his best o cer in Hyderabad and
took active control in state a airs.
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 LESSON 3
Beginnings of European
settlements in India
The story of starting of a new era

Part 6 of lesson 3 -Decline of the French and MIND MAPS

• French power is now at its height in south
India, but britisher had their eyes on their
rivals.
• To counter the French, Britishers met
Muhammad Ali ( the son of nawab of
Bengal, who was killed by dupleix and
Chanda saheb ).
• Britishers throw all their power behind
Muhammad Ali by attacking the carnatic,
on the advice of a eic clerk “Robert Clive”
to overthrow the French.
• British defeated the French forces again
and again in carnatic and killed Chanda
saheb.
 A big blow to the French aspirations.
Statue of dupleix
• Dupleix tried hard to regain the fortunes, but he was not
In puducherry
supported by the French governments and the high
o cials.
• By this time French govt. did not want to bear the
expense on wars in India and also fearing for the lost of its
American colonies.
• French govt. made peace treaty with British in 1754 and
called back dupleix from india, as per the demand of
Britishers.
• But this peace treaty ended in 2 years, as a result both
Fought again.

• French had less hope in India now, on the other hand

Britishers gained control and wealth of Bengal. By this they
became very powerful.
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• French govt. again made an attempt to overthrow British from India and
sent a strong eet of ships, but it all gone in vain.
• British general eyre Coote defeated French very badly in battle of
wandiwash in 1760 and French possessions were lost completely from
their hand along with their role as nizams protectors in Hyderabad.

• These wars came to end with the treaty of Paris in 1763, some French
factories were restored to them and they lived under British protection.
• By now, French dreams of empire in India ended and British faced no
rivals from Europe.
• Now Britishers set about to conquer Indian kingdoms.
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 A sepoy in 1900
Some lessons learnt by Britishers in this long
time.
• India lacks feeling of nationalism, and they
could take the bene t of internal quarrels.
• Indian style traditional army could be easily
defeated by modern western army.
• Indian soldier, if trained could be as good
as an European soldier, moreover they
lacked nationalism, so could be used or
employed by paying well.
• As a result, British created a new army of
Indian soldiers called “sepoys” under English
o cers and used it for their dreams.
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