Portuguese Lose Favour with the Mughals
1.
English Entry into India (1608)
- Captain
William Hawkins:
- Arrived in Surat in 1608 with
a letter from King James I of England.
- He sought
permission to trade in India.
- Jahangir’s
Reaction:
- Jahangir
welcomed Hawkins and gave him a favourable reception in 1609.
- Hawkins spoke Turki (Jahangir’s language) and impressed the emperor.
- Jahangir
appointed Hawkins as a mansabdar (rank
of 400) but never paid his salary.
- Hawkins
married the daughter of an Armenian Christian,
Mubarak Shah.
- Portuguese
Opposition:
- The Portuguese
tried to stop Hawkins from reaching the Mughal court but failed.
- They were offended when Jahangir allowed the English to trade.
2.
Conflict Between English and Portuguese (1612)
- Naval
Battle:
- In 1612, English ships (Dragon and Osiander)
defeated a Portuguese fleet.
- Jahangir was impressed by the English victory since the Mughals
had no strong navy.
- Portuguese
Piracy (1613):
- The Portuguese
angered Jahangir by:
- Capturing Mughal ships.
- Imprisoning Muslims.
- Plundering cargo.
- Jahangir
ordered Muqarrab
Khan (governor of
Surat) to seek compensation.
3.
Decline of Portuguese Influence
- Under Shah
Jahan:
- The Portuguese
lost their privileges in the Mughal court.
- Their hopes of
converting the Mughal royal family to Christianity ended.
Capture
of Hooghly (1632)
1.
Portuguese Activities in Hooghly:
- Settlement:
- The Portuguese
settled in Hooghly (near Satgaon, Bengal) based on a farman (royal order) from 1579.
- They built big buildings and shifted trade from Satgaon to Hooghly.
- Monopoly and
Exploitation:
- They
monopolized salt
production and built a customs house.
- They imposed
heavy duties on tobacco (a
major trade item).
- They engaged
in slave trade, capturing Hindu and Muslim children and
converting them to Christianity.
2.
Mughal Reaction:
- Offense to
Mughals:
- The Portuguese
captured two slave
girls of Mumtaz Mahal (Shah Jahan’s wife).
- This angered
Shah Jahan, who ordered Qasim Khan (Bengal
governor) to attack Hooghly.
- Siege of
Hooghly (1632):
- The Mughals
captured Hooghly after a 3-month siege.
- The Portuguese
fled, and the Mughals took 400 prisoners to
Agra.
- Prisoners were
given the choice to convert to Islam or
become slaves.
Key
Points to Remember:
- William
Hawkins was the first
Englishman to reach the Mughal court (1608).
- The English defeated the Portuguese in a naval battle (1612), impressing
Jahangir.
- The Portuguese
lost Mughal favour due to piracy and slave trade.
- Shah Jahan
captured Hooghly in 1632 after
the Portuguese offended the Mughals.