Advent of Europeans - Portuguese

The arrival of European powers in India began with the Portuguese, who established a maritime empire in the Indian Ocean.

Early Expeditions

On 20 May 1498, Vasco da Gama landed at Calicut (Kozhikode) on the Malabar coast, opening a direct sea route from Europe to India. This discovery allowed Europeans to bypass the Ottoman-Venetian monopoly on the spice trade.

Portuguese Settlements

The Portuguese established a chain of fortified trading posts along the coast:

• Goa (captured from Bijapur in 1510) became the headquarters of the Portuguese Estado da Índia under Afonso de Albuquerque.
• Other settlements: Diu, Daman, Salsette, Bassein, Cochin, and Hooghly (Bengal).
• Albuquerque implemented a “blue water policy” (controlling sea lanes rather than territory) and promoted intermarriage to create a mixed population.

Administration and Trade

The Portuguese established a monopoly on the spice trade, collecting revenue through cartaz (license) system, forcing Indian ships to pay for protection. They introduced printing in India (first press in Goa, 1556), Jesuit missions, and agricultural products like tobacco, potato, tomato, and cashew.

Decline of Portuguese Power

By the 17th century, Portuguese naval power waned due to:

• Merger with Spain (1580–1640), which dragged them into European wars.
• Competition from more powerful Dutch and English East India Companies.
• Loss of settlements: Hooghly lost to Mughals, Cochin and others captured by the Dutch.
• Goa, Diu, and Daman remained Portuguese until 1961.

Despite their limited political legacy, the Portuguese initiated the European colonial presence in India and transformed trade dynamics.