The Colonization Of The Subcontinent

 

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A cantino world map is the earliest surviving Portuguese map, showing the Portuguese geographic discoveries in east and west.

The Portuguese prince, Henry the navigator brought Portugal on the way of exploration. The Portuguese explored many states during lifetime of the prince.

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The Portuguese explorer Vasco Da Gama, began his exploration from the southernmost point of Africa. Da Gama sailed across the West Africa and finally reached India.

This exploration made a sea route from Europe to India. The Portuguese quickly began to set up their trading bases on Indian coast.

The Portuguese build forts around the trading bases to make profit. They made much profit on each voyage from goods they bought in India.

When the Portuguese had 70 well defended sea ports, they decided to make more money. The Portuguese started to sell a pass to any ship sailing nearby from the coast. The ships then docked at ports and pay taxes on the goods they carried.

In 1602, the Dutch merchants formed the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch built eleven forts in Kerala. They also forced the Portuguese out of south western India.

During the reign of Elizabeth I, the British lost much of their trades in Europe. Because they had wars with Spain and France.

Thus they needed trading links in Asia, because the Mughals, Ottomans and Chinese controlled the major world trade.

The English East India Company was formed in 1600. They followed the same route like Portuguese.

The British tried to make profits from buying valuable spices and cloths from Asian merchants. The King of England sent Sir Thomas Roe to visit the Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

The Mughal Emperor gave permission to build a trading post in Surat, in Gurat. The Mughal Empire started to decline. Many states in India often fought each other for power.

In eighteenth century, the French began to challenge East India Company for trade in India.

These all activities were a big threat to the company. So the company build up its own armed forces to protect themselves from France and some Indian rulers.

The British fortified their base and started gathering up more army to protect the company from Marathas, French and Siraj-ud-Daula.

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Siraj-ud-Daula was a Nawab of Bengal who demanded that the British should remove their fortifications. Siraj-ud-Daula moved to Plassey which was noticed as a threat to the interest of the company.

The Nawab of Bengal was not aware that Robert Clive, the leader of East India Company had bribed Mir Jafar, the commander in chief of Siraj’s force.

When both armies faced each other on the battle field it started to rain heavily.

The British quickly covered their weapons to protect from rain water, but Siraj’s force did not act quicly so they were diabled from their weapons.

Mir Jafar advised Siraj to re-attack the British army. As Siraj’s army stepped forward, he took his army in a huge bombardment.

Therefore the British won the battle, making it a turning point in the future of the subcontinent.