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Colonial Era and the Indian Sepoy Module - III

Military History of the
consisted of small princely states, zamindars etc. This period of our history saw four
Colonial Era
major countries of Europe that came to India for trade and
commerce because our country was rich in tradition, wealth and culture. The countries
involved were Portugal, France, Holland and Gt. Britain. Let us see each of their
exploits starting from the 16th Century to 1947.

9.1.1 The Portuguese in India

Do you know who came first and explored our India? It was the Portuguese. The Note
opening up of seaborne trade of the Europeans in the Indian Ocean to India made a
historic revolution in Indian History. By the end of the fifteenth century, Portuguese
explored not only the western coast of Africa but also a portion of the mainland beyond
the Cape of Good Hope. The original idea of sending the Portuguese that was of the
Pope to find the direct sea routes to the resource rich countries especially for the
spices and promote Christianity. It was Vasco da Gama who landed in Calicut in India
on May 17, 1498. To utilize the rich resource of India and also for the development of
their commerce, factories were established and the main aim was to ensure trade.
Portuguese occupied the Indian territory by not only establishing factories on the coast
of India, but also by establishing military garrisons at a number of strategic points, i.e.
at the entrance of the Red Sea and elsewhere outside India to make sure that these
strategic places were under their control to do business. They set up military garrisons
in India in order to avoid any conflicts with the local Zamorins of Calicut as well as
with the Muslim rulers. They also appointed a Viceroy to administer Portuguese nationals.
At the beginning of 1505 Francisco d'Almeida set out in command of a large fleet and
1500 soldiers, with orders to build fortresses at Kilwa, Anjadiva, Kannanur and
Cochin.In 1510, Alfonzo de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur
and made it the capital of the Portuguese eastern empire. A second important centre
for the Portuguese in India was Diu in Gujarat. Portuguese spread in India is shown on
the map (Map 9.1).

Map 9.1 Portuguese India

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MILITARY HISTORY 57