From Trading to Ruling: The Portuguese in India
1.
Vasco da Gama’s Arrival (1498)
- What
Happened:
- Vasco da Gama
reached Calicut
(Kozhikode) in May 1498 with three ships.
- He was guided
by a Gujarati
pilot, Abdul Majid.
- Reaction:
- The Zamorin (Hindu ruler of Calicut) welcomed him warmly because Calicut thrived
on trade.
- Arab
traders were unhappy
because they feared competition from the Portuguese.
- Impact:
- Vasco da Gama
took back a rich cargo
of spices to Portugal,
making huge profits.
- This showed
Europeans the importance
of direct trade with
India, bypassing Arab middlemen.
2.
Portuguese Monopoly and Conflict
- Goal:
- The Portuguese
wanted to monopolize
trade in the Indian
Ocean, especially the spice trade.
- They aimed to exclude Arab traders and dominate the region.
- Conflict
with Calicut:
- In 1500, Pedro
Alvarez Cabral arrived
in Calicut but faced attacks from locals.
- In
retaliation, Cabral bombarded Calicut,
attacked Arab ships, and made treaties with Cochin and Cannanore.
- Vasco da
Gama’s Return (1501):
- Da Gama
returned with a more aggressive approach, attacking Arab ships and
breaking ties with the Zamorin.
- He set up trading factories in Cannanore and Cochin.
3.
Francisco de Almeida (1505-1509)
- Role:
- Appointed as
the first Portuguese
Governor in India.
- His goal was
to protect
Portuguese interests and
destroy Muslim trade.
- Blue Water
Policy:
- Almeida
believed that control of
the sea was more
important than land forts.
- He defeated
the Egyptian and
Gujarat navies in 1509, securing Portuguese dominance in the Indian Ocean.
4.
Alfonso de Albuquerque (1509-1515)
- Role:
- Considered the real founder of Portuguese power in India.
- He established strategic bases across the Indian Ocean (e.g., Goa,
Malacca, Ormuz).
- Key
Achievements:
- Captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in 1510 (first European-controlled territory in
India since Alexander).
- Introduced
policies like abolishing
sati and encouraging
Portuguese men to marry Indian women.
- Focused on persecuting Muslims to eliminate their commercial influence.
5.
Nino da Cunha (1529-1538)
- Role:
- Shifted the
Portuguese headquarters from Cochin to Goa.
- Expanded
Portuguese influence in Gujarat and Bengal.
- Conflict
with Gujarat:
- Allied with Bahadur Shah of Gujarat but later betrayed and killed him in 1537.
6.
Why Were the Portuguese Successful?
- Weak Indian
Powers:
- India was
divided into small kingdoms with no strong navy.
- Gujarat was
the only powerful state, but it couldn’t counter the Portuguese.
- Portuguese
Advantages:
- Advanced naval technology (ships with cannons).
- Strong organization and unity compared to Arab traders.
- No competition
from China, which had limited its naval activities.
Key
Points to Remember:
- Vasco da
Gama arrived in 1498, marking the start of European colonialism in India.
- The Portuguese
aimed to monopolize
trade and exclude Arab traders.
- Albuquerque was the most successful Portuguese leader,
capturing Goa and establishing a stronghold in India.
- Portuguese
success was due to their naval power and
the division of
Indian kingdoms.