European Exploration of India in the 15th Century

European Exploration of India

• Traders and travelers from distant places visited India since ancient times
• During the 15th century, European sailors, including Vasco da Gama, explored sea routes to reach the Indian subcontinent
• Vasco da Gama landed in Calicut (present-day Kozhikode) in Kerala on 20 May, 1498, opening the gates of India for Europeans

The East India Company

• Founded by English traders in 1600
• Acquired a Charter from Queen Elizabeth I, granting permission to trade with India
• Established factories at different locations such as Ahmedabad, Burhanpur, Agra, and Surat
• Set up a fortified factory at Sutanati, Calcutta, known as Fort William in 1696

British Exploitation in India

• The British traders deprived local rulers of their revenues, causing enormous loss of revenue
• Siraj ud Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal, fought the Battle of Plassey against the British in 1757 to check their evil intentions
• The British won the Battle of Plassey with the help of Mir Jafar, who joined hands with them
• The British victory in the Battle of Buxar in 1764 strengthened their position in India, granting them the right to collect land revenue of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa

The Great Uprising of 1857

• The East India Company faced a massive uprising that ended its rule in India
• The Great Uprising of 1857 marked the turning point of Indian history
• Factors leading to the uprising include:
  • Exorbitant taxes collected by the British, which impoverished the people in India
  • Taxes levied by the British destroyed Indian handicrafts
  • The British annexed some Indian states under the policies of Subsidiary Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse to expand their control over India