Arrival of Dutch in India
- Dutch also entered in the spice market of South East Asia. They formed Vereenigde Ost Indische Company (VOC) or the Dutch East India Company in 1602 and participated actively in the spice market of South East Asia.
- Jan Huygen Lischoten: Jan Huygen Linschoten was considered as the real founder of Dutch company in India.
- Dutch were attracted by the lucrative spice trade of the islands of Sumatra and Java. They started exchanging spices of Spice Islands with cotton goods from Gujarat and the Coromandel Coast. They were more interested in the spice trade of Spice Islands.
- It should be noted that Dutch were the first among Europeans who have found Indian textiles as more lucarative then spices and pepper. Thats why they have exported textiles more than spices from India. It is the Dutch who made Indian textiles famous all over the world.
- Dutch were skilful administrators. Hence skilful administrators added with the national support help Dutch to monopolise the entire spice trade to Europe.
- Dutch East India Company is the first multinational company who has issued stock.
Dutch Settlements in India
- Dutch established several factories on Indian Soil. Masulipatnam, Pettapoli, Devanampatinam, Pulicat etc.
- After weakening of Portuguese power in India they taken over their positions and established factories at Bombay, Ahmedabad, Broach, Agra, Burhanpur etc.
- They are succeeded in maintaining monopoly of spice trade in the East throughout the 17th Century.
- It should be noted that Dutch arrived to India not for purchasing goods from India and selling to Europe. In case of Dutch situation is totally different.
- Dutch arrived India for exchanging spices of archipelago with cotton goods of India.
- Dutch has given Indian textile to worldwide recognition as they have made Indian textile a premier export commodity. They have found Indian textile to be more precious than Indian Spices.
- Despite of Cotton and woven textiles which constituted chief exports, Dutch also export several things like indigo, saltpetre, Opium etc.
- Moreover Dutch also imports sandalwood and pepper from archipelago, copper from Japan and textiles from China.
- Dutch centre changes with time. Earlier Pulicat was the main centre on Coromondel Coast however it was replaced by Negapatam when Dutch acquired it from Portuguese.
- In Bengal Dutch established their first factory at Pipli which is replaced by Balasore. Balasore again was replaced by Chinsura on the Hugli. At Chinsura they built fort Gustavus. Later on Dutch also established factory at Kasimbazar and Patna.
Anglo-Dutch Rivalry
- Dutch have to face a fierce rivalry with British. Dutch were losing against British in India. They have lost many of their settlements and factories. English has established themselves firmly in the Indian soil. Moreover English receives full support from their British government.
- Finally after Dutch defeat in the battle of Bedara in 1759 Dutche’s future in India collapses and their final expulsion was done by the British in 1795.
The Danes
- Danes also arrived in India after getting lured by profitable trade with India in 1616.
- Danes establish their factory at Tranquebar in Tamilnadu (1620) and at Serampore in Bengal (1676).
- They established their headquarters at Serampore in Bengal.
- Their political and economic influence in India was very weak. They failed to stand against British in India and lastly in 1845 they sell all their Indian factory and settlements to the British East India Company. hence were not so succesful like English in India.
The French
- Colbert the famous minister of French king Louis XIV established French East India Company (1664) after finance from state.
- They established their first factory at Surat in 1668 and in 1669 at Masulipatnam.
- Francois Martin and Bellangerde Lespinay laid the foundation of Pondicherry after obtaining a site for factory from Sher Khan Lodi the then Governor of Valikondapuram.
- Francois Martin developed it to a modern state which is still a unique place to visit in India.
- Later on Pondicherry was declared as the Headquarters of all French settlements in India.
- French developed another important place Chandernagore in Bengal after getting a site from Nawab Shaista Khan.
- They occupied Mahe and Yanam in 1725 and Karikal in 1739.
- The popularity of Pondicherry was such that all other French establishment lost their importance.
- They have also laid the foundation of Chandranagar in AD 1690 after obtaining site by Shayista Khan.
- Thus French laid foundation of various cities which are still a Jewel in the Urban Necklace of India.
- In starting French motive was only commercial but after arrival of Dupleix (French Governor in India) French motive changes to political influence. This shift of motive brought French and British against each other and hence Anglo-French conflict begins. Lastly French were defeated.
- French final defeat by British in India was at Battle of Wandiwash in AD 1760. Hence Battle of Wandiwash shatters the future of French in India.
First European Company in India = Portuguese
First factory of Portuguese Company = Cochin
First factory of Dutch Company= Masulipatnam
First factory of English Company = Masulipatnam
First factory of Danes Company = Tranqueber
First factory of French Company = Surat
Difference between earlier Foreign Merchants and Europeans
- India has having trade relation with foreign merchants from ancient period as we know that India was a wealthy nation so merchants were always lured by the profitable trade with our nation. However European traders were totally different from earlier traders.
- Few differences between earlier trader and European trader are as follows:
- Earlier merchants were having no support from their native rulers or government however European traders were having both military and economical support from their native governments.
- Earlier merchants in lack of support from their native rulers were having only commercial motives but European traders have also established their political influence for getting higher trade profit.
- Earlier traders were individual merchants however European traders are representative of their respective government and are having superior naval power.
- European traders monopolises Indian trade on the account of their superior military power. They have also fortified their factory for safety. However this things are not associated with the early foreign merchants.