British (ఆంగ్లేయులు) Arrival & Establishment

 Here are the notes from the lecture on the arrival of Europeans in India, focusing on the British, Danes, and French:

Recap & Introduction

1. Topic: Arrival of Europeans in India (ఐరోపా వారి రాక).

2. Previously Discussed: Portuguese (పోర్చుగీస్) and Dutch (డచ్).

3. To be Discussed: British (ఆంగ్లేయులు), Danes (డేన్స్), and French (ఫ్రెంచ్).

4. Order of Arrival (Main Groups): Portuguese -> Dutch -> British -> Danes -> French.

5. Purpose: All primarily came for trade (వర్తకం కోసం).

Recap of Portuguese & Dutch

• Portuguese Contributions: Introduced Tomato, Potato, Dried Chilli, and Tobacco (during Jahangir's time, later banned by him). Established the first printing press in Goa. Introduced the Cartaz system (permits for sea trade), which even Mughal Emperor Akbar and SKD (Sri Krishnadevaraya) had to adhere to for certain voyages (like Mecca pilgrimages).

• Dutch Contributions: Their importance in India was limited compared to the Portuguese or British. They primarily developed Bheemili (also known as Bheemunipatnam).

  • First Municipality Debate: Bheemili is considered by some sources (like NCERT mentioned by the speaker) as the first municipality in India, established by the Dutch before Madras. The Dutch focused more on Indonesia (Java, Sumatra).

British (ఆంగ్లేయులు) Arrival & Establishment

1. Early British Visitors (Pre-EIC):

   • Ralph Fitch: The first Englishman to visit India, reaching Akbar's court.

   • John Mildenhall (1599): A merchant who arrived via the land route.

2. English East India Company (EIC):

   • Formation: Established on December 31, 1600. It was a private Joint Stock Company (జాయింట్ స్టాక్ షేర్ కంపెనీ) formed by merchants known as "Merchants of Adventure" with a capital of £17,000. Queen Elizabeth I was a shareholder.

   • Royal Charter: Granted by Queen Elizabeth I, giving the EIC a 15-year monopoly (ఏకాధిపత్యం) on trade with all countries east of the Cape of Good Hope.

   • Monopoly Extension: King James I later made this monopoly unlimited (శాశ్వతం / జీవితాంతం).

   • Regulation & End: EIC's trade monopoly (except for tea and trade with China) was ended in 1813. The company's rule ended completely in 1858 following the Sepoy Mutiny, with power transferring directly to the British Crown (Crown Rule).

3. Seeking Mughal Permission:

   • William Hawkins (1608): Sent by the EIC to Emperor Jahangir's court to seek permission for a factory. Jahangir initially denied permission, possibly due to Portuguese influence or his own assessment. Hawkins stayed for 3 years (until 1611) but failed to get the required permission for Surat.

   • Captain Best (1612): Defeated the Portuguese fleet in the Battle of Swally (or Swalley/Suvali) near Surat. This victory impressed Jahangir.

   • Surat Factory Permission (1612/13): Following the Battle of Swally, Jahangir granted permission to establish a permanent factory at Surat.

   • Thomas Roe (1615): Sent as an ambassador by King James I to Jahangir's court. He successfully obtained a farman allowing the English to establish factories anywhere in the Mughal Empire.

4. Major Settlements & Forts (Presidencies):

   • Madras (Chennai):

     • Acquired in 1639 by Francis Day.

     • Land obtained from Damarla Venkatadri Nayudu, the local governor under the Aravidu dynasty King Venkatapati Rayalu III.

     • Initially named Chennapatnam (after Damarla's father, Chennappa).

     • Fort St. George was built here.

     • Became the first English Municipal Corporation in India via a Royal Charter from James II (issued 1687, implemented 1688).

   • Bombay (Mumbai):

     • Acquired in 1668.

     • Originally a Portuguese possession, given to English King Charles II as dowry upon his marriage to Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza.

     • Charles II leased Bombay to the EIC for an annual rent of £10.

     • Developed by Gerald Aungier.

     • Fort St. David built (as mentioned by speaker, though usually associated elsewhere).

   • Calcutta (Kolkata):

     • Established around 1690.

     • Developed by Job Charnock.

     • Formed by merging three villages: Sutanuti, Kalikata, and Govindapur (bought for Rs. 1200).

     • Fort William was built here. Land/permission possibly facilitated by physician Gabriel Boughton.

5. Trade Privileges (Farmans):

   • Aurangzeb: Granted a farman removing customs duties for the British.

   • Farrukhsiyar (1717): Issued the famous "Golden Farman", granting the EIC dastaks (permits for duty-free trade) in Bengal, Gujarat, and the Deccan (including Hyderabad, which was under Mughal control then). This later became a major point of conflict.

Danes (డేన్స్)

• From Denmark (Speaker sometimes conflates with Netherlands/Dutch).

• Established settlements at Tranquebar (Tamil Nadu, near Tanjore) and Serampore (West Bengal).

• Their presence was short-lived and less impactful.

• Finding trade unprofitable and being perceived as less enterprising ("lazy" as per speaker), they sold their settlements to the British and left India.

French (ఫ్రెంచ్)

• Arrived last among the major powers (1664).

• French East India Company: Established by Finance Minister Colbert under King Louis XIV. Significantly, it was a government-owned company (PSU), unlike the private EIC.

• Early French Visitors:

  • Tavernier: A diamond merchant who visited India multiple times.

  • Bernier: Visited Shah Jahan's court and wrote critical accounts, calling him the "King of Beggars" due to observed poverty despite the architectural grandeur (disputing the "Golden Age" narrative).

• Major Settlements: Surat, Masulipatnam, and Pondicherry (పాండిచ్చేరి - became their main centre/nerve center).

• Pondicherry: Founded by Francois Martin. Land obtained from Sher Khan Lodi, the governor of Valikondapuram (under Bijapur Sultanate).

• Key Figure: Dupleix: Governor known for his ambition to establish a French empire in India, leading to conflicts with the British. Supported by his wife.

• Anglo-French Rivalry: Led to the Carnatic Wars (ఆంగ్లో-కర్నాటిక్ యుద్ధాలు), primarily fought between Dupleix and Robert Clive (to be discussed in the next class).

Key Firsts & Controversies Summary

• First Englishman in India: Ralph Fitch.

• First Englishman via Land Route for Trade: John Mildenhall.

• First British Factory: Masulipatnam (1611, temporary/local permission) OR Surat (1612/13, permanent, Mughal permission). Surat is often considered the first official one.

• First Municipality: Bheemili (Dutch, earlier) OR Madras (English, 1688, often cited due to later British prominence).