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## Rise of British Power in India The last powerful emperor of the Mughal dynasty was Aurangzeb. After his death, his successors proved to be incompetent and infighting started. Revolts from the Sikhs, Jats and the Marathas fragmented the country into smaller territories. European powers such as...

## Rise of British Power in India The last powerful emperor of the Mughal dynasty was Aurangzeb. After his death, his successors proved to be incompetent and infighting started. Revolts from the Sikhs, Jats and the Marathas fragmented the country into smaller territories. European powers such as Greece, Portugal, Italy and France established trade relations with India, with Portugal being the first to reach the country. ### The Rise of British Power in India #### The Mughal Collapse * Aurangzeb and his weak successors * Fragmentation and disunity in the Mughal Empire * Maratha raiders * Failure to succeed the Mughals * Internal discord * External Persian incursions * Regional divisions #### Westerners in India * Early European contacts with India * Western trade interests and Indian political interests * Portuguese then Dutch and British dominance * Distribution of Dutch and Portuguese interests in India In 1498, a Portuguese sailor called Vasco da Gama landed up at Calicut in Kerala. He started doing business there and spread his business along the western coast at Kochi and Kannur. India has always been rich in spices, cotton and textiles. These products were sold in Europe and America at a high price. Looking to the success of the Portuguese, the Dutch, the French and the British traders started taking interest in trade. Soon, these groups began to fight over who should control the trade. The British arrived prepared. In Europe, England and France had rivalry and had fought successive wars. This rivalry spilled over to India. The British first arrived in India in the 17th century as traders, and in the 19th century they managed to eliminate all their rivals. The conquest of Bengal proved extremely important as it staged the platform for further conquests and established British rule in India. ### The Dutch East India Company On December 31, 1600, a group of merchants incorporated themselves into the East India Company and were given monopoly privileges on all trade with the East Indies. The company's ships first arrived in India at the port of Surat.