📑 Topics on this page (Jump to Topic):
📌 1. Order of Arrival
| Company | Year | First factory / centre |
|---|---|---|
| Portuguese | 1498 (Vasco da Gama, Calicut) | Cochin (1503); capital Goa |
| English (EIC) | 1600 (charter of Elizabeth I) | Masulipatnam (1611), Surat (1613) |
| Dutch (VOC) | 1602 | Masulipatnam (1605); Pulicat, later Nagapattinam |
| Danish | 1616 | Tranquebar (1620), Serampore |
| French | 1664 (Colbert) | Surat (1668), Masulipatnam (1669); HQ Pondicherry |
💡 Memory Tip: Arrival order in India: Portuguese, Dutch, English, Danish, French (company formation: English 1600, Dutch 1602).
📌 2. Portuguese & Dutch
- Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498 and was received by the Zamorin; guided by Gujarati pilot Abdul Majid (tradition).
- First viceroy Francisco de Almeida — "Blue Water Policy". Afonso de Albuquerque took Goa from Bijapur in 1510 — the real founder.
- Portuguese cartaz (sea-pass) system; brought tobacco and the printing press (1556, Goa) to India; Goa liberated in 1961.
- Dutch: focused on spices; lost to the English at the Battle of Bedara (Chinsura) in 1759.
📌 3. English & French; Carnatic Wars
- Captain Hawkins at Jahangir's court (1609); Sir Thomas Roe (1615) secured trading rights.
- Fort St George at Madras (1639–40, Francis Day); Bombay came to Charles II as dowry (1661); Calcutta founded by Job Charnock (1690) — Sutanuti, Kalikata, Govindpur; Fort William.
- Farrukhsiyar's farman (1717) — duty-free trade in Bengal ("Magna Carta of the Company").
| War | Years | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| First Carnatic | 1746–48 | Battle of Adyar/St Thome; ended by Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle; Madras returned |
| Second Carnatic | 1749–54 | Dupleix vs Clive; siege of Arcot (1751); Treaty of Pondicherry |
| Third Carnatic | 1756–63 | Battle of Wandiwash (1760) — Eyre Coote defeated Lally; Treaty of Paris (1763); French power ended |
⚠️ Exam Traps:
- The Portuguese were the first Europeans to come and the last to leave (1961).
- Wandiwash was the decisive battle of the Third Carnatic War.
📌 4. Practice MCQs
📝 Practice MCQs (prepared by SF Prep — not PYQs)
Q1. Where did Vasco da Gama land in India (1498)? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498.
Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498.
Q2. Who captured Goa from Bijapur in 1510? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Albuquerque captured Goa in 1510.
Albuquerque captured Goa in 1510.
Q3. The 'Blue Water Policy' is associated with: Practice
Correct answer: (C)
The first Portuguese viceroy Almeida focused on control of the sea.
The first Portuguese viceroy Almeida focused on control of the sea.
Q4. When did the English East India Company receive its charter? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Queen Elizabeth I granted the charter on 31 December 1600.
Queen Elizabeth I granted the charter on 31 December 1600.
Q5. The French East India Company (1664) was formed through the efforts of: Practice
Correct answer: (B)
Colbert, minister of Louis XIV, set it up in 1664.
Colbert, minister of Louis XIV, set it up in 1664.
Q6. The Battle of Wandiwash (1760) was fought between: Practice
Correct answer: (C)
Eyre Coote (English) defeated Lally (French).
Eyre Coote (English) defeated Lally (French).
Q7. Who founded Calcutta? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Job Charnock settled at Sutanuti in 1690, which became Calcutta.
Job Charnock settled at Sutanuti in 1690, which became Calcutta.
Q8. Who built Fort St George at Madras? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
Francis Day built Fort St George in 1639–40.
Francis Day built Fort St George in 1639–40.
Q9. Which 1717 farman is called the 'Magna Carta of the Company'? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Farrukhsiyar granted duty-free trade in Bengal.
Farrukhsiyar granted duty-free trade in Bengal.
Q10. How did the English get Bombay? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Charles II got Bombay as dowry on marrying Portuguese princess Catherine.
Charles II got Bombay as dowry on marrying Portuguese princess Catherine.
Q11. Which was the main Danish settlement? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
The Danes settled at Tranquebar (1620) and Serampore.
The Danes settled at Tranquebar (1620) and Serampore.
Q12. Where was the French headquarters in India? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Pondicherry was the main French centre.
Pondicherry was the main French centre.
Q13. At Bedara (1759) the English defeated the: Practice
Correct answer: (B)
At Bedara the English defeated the Dutch, ending Dutch power in Bengal.
At Bedara the English defeated the Dutch, ending Dutch power in Bengal.
Q14. Who first brought the printing press to India? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
The Portuguese set up a press in Goa in 1556.
The Portuguese set up a press in Goa in 1556.
Q15. Who won fame at the siege of Arcot (1751)? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
In the Second Carnatic War Clive seized Arcot and became famous.
In the Second Carnatic War Clive seized Arcot and became famous.
Q16. The First Carnatic War ended with the Treaty of: Practice
Correct answer: (B)
It ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) in Europe.
It ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) in Europe.
Q17. Where was the first English factory set up (1611)? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
First factory at Masulipatnam in 1611; permanent factory at Surat in 1613.
First factory at Masulipatnam in 1611; permanent factory at Surat in 1613.
Q18. What was the Portuguese 'cartaz'? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
The Portuguese forced ships to buy a cartaz (pass) to sail.
The Portuguese forced ships to buy a cartaz (pass) to sail.
Q19. When was Goa freed from Portuguese rule? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
Goa joined India in 1961 after Operation Vijay.
Goa joined India in 1961 after Operation Vijay.
Q20. What is the correct order of arrival of Europeans in India? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Arrival: Portuguese (1498), Dutch (1605), English (1611), Danes (1620), French (1668).
Arrival: Portuguese (1498), Dutch (1605), English (1611), Danes (1620), French (1668).