Full Answer
Where did the Portuguese settle in India?
The Southern Province, also known simply as Goa, was the headquarters of Portuguese India, and seat of the Portuguese viceroy who governed the Portuguese possessions in Asia. There were Portuguese settlements in and around Mylapore. The Luz Church in Mylapore, Madras (Chennai) was the first church that the Portuguese built in Madras in 1516.
How did the Portuguese rule end in India?
The Portuguese were outnumbered by the Indian armed forces. On December 19, 1961, the Governor of Portuguese India was forced to sign the ‘Instrument of Surrender,’ which ended the Portuguese rule in India.
How did the Portuguese control trade traffic in and around India?
Third, and most important, the Portuguese controlled trade traffic in and around India by requiring all non-Portuguese seacraft to carry a cartaz (pass), issued by the Portuguese for a fee.
When did India invade Portugal?
Finally, in December 1961, India militarily invaded the remaining Portuguese possessions of Goa and Damaon, where regardless of the odds the Portuguese forces put up a fight. Portuguese forces had been given orders to either defeat the invaders or die.
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How did Portuguese arrive in India?
Summary. Vasco da Gama's arrival near Calicut on 20 May 1498 was the culmination of a continuous, though spasmodic, Portuguese thrust into the Atlantic, south to the Cape of Good Hope, and on to India. This process began in 1415 when the Moroccan city of Ceuta was conquered.
When did the Portuguese settle in India?
1498The first Europeans to come to India and the last ones to leave were Portuguese. The first Portuguese to land in India was Vasco De Gama in 1498. However, the period of Portuguese rule in India is said to be between 1505 to 1961.
Where did the Portuguese settle in India?
Vasco da Gama lands in India The first Portuguese encounter with the subcontinent was on 20 May 1498 when Vasco da Gama reached Calicut on the Malabar Coast. Anchored off the coast of Calicut, the Portuguese invited native fishermen on board and immediately bought some Indian items.
Why did the Portuguese go to India?
The Portuguese came to India with the aim of establishing a monopoly over the spice trade. At the time the spice trade was dominated by the Ottoman Turks and the Arabs. Spice was an important commodity as it acted as a natural preservative for foods in the harsh European winters.
How did Portuguese leave India?
Goa on India's western coast was freed from Portuguese rule on 19 December 1961, more than four centuries after it was colonised. The fight for freedom began in the 1940s as India inched closer to independence from British rule.
Why did Portuguese fail in India?
The Portuguese failed in India due to inadequate manpower, decline in their naval power and aggression from their British counterparts. In addition, several conflicts with its European neighbours had made it difficult for the Portuguese to maintain their colonial empire not just in India but elsewhere.
Which city was the capital of the Portuguese in India?
CochinCochin was the first Portuguese capital in India, and later it was replaced by Goa. 3.
Who came to India after Portuguese?
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was the first European to reach India via the Atlantic Ocean at Calicut in India. Portuguese were followed by the Dutch when they tried to enter the Indian market in the middle of the 16th century. The British and the French came much later.
Who is the first Portuguese person came to India?
Vasco da GamaPortuguese explorer Vasco de Gama becomes the first European to reach India via the Atlantic Ocean when he arrives at Calicut on the Malabar Coast. Da Gama sailed from Lisbon, Portugal, in July 1497, rounded the Cape of Good Hope, and anchored at Malindi on the east coast of Africa.
Are Goans Portuguese or Indian?
Goans are the inhabitants of the former Portuguese territory of Goa, which is located on the west coast of India some 400 km (250 mi) south of Bombay (Mumbai). Although Goa is now an Indian state, Goan culture and religion reflect nearly five hundred years of Portuguese influence.
How long did Portuguese rule Goa?
The Portuguese invaded Goa in 1510, defeating the Bijapur Sultanate. The Portuguese rule lasted for about 450 years, and heavily influenced Goan culture, cuisine, and architecture.
Who came after Portuguese in India?
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama was the first European to reach India via the Atlantic Ocean at Calicut in India. Portuguese were followed by the Dutch when they tried to enter the Indian market in the middle of the 16th century. The British and the French came much later.
Question: Who is Vasco De Gama?
Answer: Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese navigator whose trips to India (1497–99, 1502–03, and 1524) paved the way for a maritime route between Western...
Question: Where are the commercial seaports established by the Portuguese?
Answer: They controlled a short strip of land on the west coast from Mumbai to Daman and Diu, as well as the approaches to Gujarat, with four key p...
Question: Briefly explain about the Treaty of Tordesillas?
Answer: The Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), the Rulers of Portugal and Spain divided the non-Christian world in 1497 by an imaginary line in the Atla...
Answer: (a) See the Explanation
The Portuguese used Hooghly as a piracy base in the Bay of Bengal. During Shah Jahan's reign, Qasim Khan, the Governor of Bengal, subdued and impri...
Answer: (b) See the Explanation
The Arabs were the foreigners that the Portuguese faced as trading rivals when they landed in India. The Portuguese attempted to overturn the Arab...
Who was the first Portuguese colonist to settle in India?
The first Portuguese to land in India was Vasco De Gama in 1498. However, the period of Portuguese rule in India is said to be between 1505 to 1961. Portuguese colonialism outlived its English counterpart, but unlike them had limited influence beyond the confines of their colonies.
What was the Portuguese state of India?
The Portuguese State of India (Estado Português da Índia), also simply known as Portuguese India was a colonial state of the Portuguese Empire within the Indian Subcontinent. The first Europeans to come to India and the last ones to leave were Portuguese. The first Portuguese to land in India was Vasco De Gama in 1498.
Why did Albuquerque enter a treaty with the Zamorin?
Albuquerque relented and entered into a treaty with the Zamorin in 1513 to protect Portuguese interests in Malabar. With the aid of the Vijaynagar Empire Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the Bijapur sultanate in 1510, establishing the permanent settlement of Goa.
What was the capital of Portugal in 1535?
Goa is declared as the capital of Portuguese India. 1535. Diu is completely subjugated. 1539. Portuguese Diu is under siege by a combined fleet of Ottomans, Mamluks of Egypt, the Gujarat Sultanate and the Zaomorin of Calicut. It ends. It ends in absolute victory for the Portuguese. 1559.
Why did the Portuguese lose their colonial outpost of Goa?
Portuguese lose their final colonial outpost of Goa when the Indian army launches a military operation to liberate it.
Where did Vasco da Gama make landfall?
Vasco-da-Gama makes landfall at Calicut where he is received by the Zamorins. 1503. First Portuguese fort is established at Cochin (now known as Kochi) 1505. Second Portuguese fort at Cannanore is built. 1509. A combined fleet of Egyptian, Arab and Zamorin fleet is destroyed by the Portuguese at the Battle of Diu.
Where did Vasco da Gama establish his headquarters?
The first viceroy Francisco de Almeida established his headquarters in what would become modern day Cochin.
Where did the Portuguese settle?
There were Portuguese settlements in and around Mylapore. The Luz Church in Mylapore, Madras (Chennai) was the first church that the Portuguese built in the area in 1516, they also built the first structure at the Our Lady of Velankanni shrine. In 1522, the São Tomé or San Thome shrine was built by them.
When did Portugal lose control of India?
Portugal lost effective control of the enclaves of Dadra and Nagar Haveli in 1954, and finally the rest of the overseas territory in December 1961, when it was annexed by India under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
How did Shivappa Nayaka destroy the Portuguese political power in the Kanara region?
Shivappa Nayaka destroyed the Portuguese political power in the Kanara region by capturing all the Portuguese forts of the coastal region. In 1546, Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier requested the institution of the Goa Inquisition for the " New Christians " in a letter dated 16 May 1546 to King John III of Portugal.
What is the southern province of India?
The Southern Province, also known simply as Goa, was the headquarters of Portuguese India , and seat of the Portuguese viceroy who governed all the Portuguese possessions in Asia, known as the Portuguese East Indies until the onset of the Hispano-Dutch War and the Luso-Dutch War .
What is the Portuguese state of India?
The State of India ( Portuguese: Estado da Índia ), also referred as the Portuguese State of India ( Estado Português da Índia, EPI) or simply Portuguese India ( Índia Portuguesa ), was a colonial state of the Portuguese Empire founded six years after the discovery of a sea route to the Indian Subcontinent by the Kingdom of Portugal.
What is the state of India?
The State of India ( Portuguese: Estado da Índia ), also referred as the Portuguese State of India ( Estado Português da Índia, EPI) or simply Portuguese India ( Índia Portuguesa ), was a colonial state of the Portuguese Empire founded six years after the discovery of a sea route to ...
Why did the Portuguese build a trade post in Pulicat?
In 1502, the Portuguese built a trade post in Pulicat because its location at the mouth of a lagoon made it a great natural harbor.
Why did Portugal remain in India?
The Portuguese possession in India, miniscule in comparison to the vast British Indian empire, remained with them because of their special relationship with Britain as its "oldest ally." Although Portugal professed to being neutral in the two world wars, it tilted toward Britain and was, therefore, able to keep its Estado da India (State of India).
How did the Portuguese control India?
Such piratical acts were, indeed, aimed at dissuading non-Portuguese shipping in what had been for centuries, true to its name, the Arabian Sea. Second, the Portuguese built forts, equipping them with powerful cannon, at all major ports on the west coast from Cochin to Diu for the protection of the traffic and goods there. The Portuguese centered their trade on three great factories at Malacca, Calicut, and Ormuz, which made it possible for the Portuguese to purchase and store spices and other products at low prices during the season until ships arrived to take the goods to Portugal. Third, and most important, the Portuguese controlled trade traffic in and around India by requiring all non-Portuguese seacraft to carry a cartaz (pass), issued by the Portuguese for a fee. That "simple system," as Portuguese economic historian Vitorino Magalhaes Godinho outlined it, was enforced by a fleet of two squadrons, supported in an emergency by naval units under the governor-general in Goa, and seven fortresses in other principal ports. Of the two squadrons, one was used to block the Red Sea and the other to patrol the west coast of India, stopping non-Portuguese craft.
What was the Portuguese century?
The period following the arrival of Vasco da Gama in 1498 and of the Dutch in 1595, followed by the English and the French, is aptly called "the Portuguese century" in Asia. Portuguese fortunes in the East first suffered when the crowns of Portugal and Spain were combined from 1580 to 1640. Their enterprise was, in any case, too overextended for a nation with a meager population of less than a million. In contrast to the Portuguese enterprise, the British East India Company and the Dutch East India Company focused on trade and profit and stayed away from the propagation of religion.
How did Goa survive?
Goa, Daman, and Diu survived economically because of the educational and economic opportunities in British India, notably Bombay, where one-fifth of the Goans lived and sent remittances to their families back home. Coincidentally, a year before India attained independence from the British, manganese and iron ore were discovered in Goa, which made the territory not only economically viable but earned valuable foreign exchange for Portugal. The leaders of the freedom movement in India, who had expected the Portuguese and the French to relinquish their possessions when the British would quit the subcontinent, were shocked when the Portuguese dictator Antonio Salazar passed legislation altering the status of all Portuguese possessions into "overseas provinces," entitled to protection from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), of which Portugal was a valuable member thanks to the valuable NATO military base of Portuguese Azores in the Atlantic.
What was the Portuguese's success in India?
Their success in India and Indonesia was at the cost of the Portuguese, whose once extensive empire shrank by the end of the seventeenth century to a few far-flung, poorly administered, hardly profitable territorial niches. By that time, they had lost their monopoly of the Asia-Europe maritime trade and the supremacy of the sea to their English, French, and Dutch competitors. After the loss of the relatively valuable Bassein in North Konkan to the Marathas in 1739, the Portuguese in India were limited to Goa, Daman, and Diu.
When was the Vasco da Gama era?
Panikkar, K. M. Asia and Western Dominance: A Survey of the Vasco da Gama Epoch of Asian History, 1498–1945. London: Allen & Unwin, 1953.
Who was the Portuguese king who made Vasco da Gama the Admiral of the Indian Ocean?
The importance of da Gama's discovery was recognized by the Portuguese king, Manuel I , who made Vasco da Gama "admiral of the Indian Ocean " and assumed for himself, in 1499, the pompous title—reflecting more a hope than reality—"lord of the Conquest, Navigation and Commerce of Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia and of India."
What was the name of the Portuguese king who arrived in India in 1498?
The arrival of Vasco da Gama, a nobleman from the household of the King of Portugal, at the port of Calicut in south-west India on 27 May 1498 inaugurated a new chapter in Indian history. For some time, the Portuguese, among other Europeans, had been trying to find a sea route to India, but that they had been unable to interrupt freed from the stranglehold exercised by Egyptian rulers over the trade between Europe and Asia. The Red Sea trade route was a state monopoly from which Islamic rulers earned tremendous revenues.
What were the participants in the Indian Ocean trade?
For centuries, the numerous participants in the Indian Ocean trading system — Indians, Arabs, Africans from the east coast, Chinese, Japanese, Sumatrans, among others — had plowed the sea routes and adhered to various tacit rules of conduct. Though all were within the trade for profit, as could be expected, no party sought to possess overwhelming dominance; certainly, nobody had sought to enforce their power through arms. Trade flourished, and every one the parties played their role in putting down piracy: this was a trade zone. Into this arena stepped forth the Portuguese, who directly declared their intention to abide by no rules except their own, and who sought immediate and decisive advantage over the Indians and over the Indian Ocean trading system.
How did the Portuguese expand their presence in the Indian Subcontinent?
Over the years, the Portuguese managed to expand their presence in the Indian Subcontinent by setting up colonies in the Indian Ocean. By mid-19th century, the Portuguese control was confined to the colonial holdings on the Malabar Coast.
What was the Portuguese purpose of the colonization of India?
Six years later, Portuguese State of India (Estado Português da Índia, EPI) or simply Portuguese India (Índia Portuguesa) was founded to serve as the governing body of fortresses and colonies that were established overseas by the Portuguese. In 1505, Francisco de Almeida was appointed as the first Viceroy, with his headquarters in Cochin. Over the years, the Portuguese managed to expand their presence in the Indian Subcontinent by setting up colonies in the Indian Ocean. By mid-19th century, the Portuguese control was confined to the colonial holdings on the Malabar Coast. During India’s independence from the British, Portuguese India was divided into three districts. By December 1961, Portugal had lost control over most of its overseas territory, including Portuguese India.
How did Almeida succeed?
Almeida further succeeded by strengthening Portuguese fortifications at Cochin. Portuguese in India A Brief History. Lourenco de Almeida – In 1505, Lourenco became the first Portuguese to travel to Ceylon in order to establish a Portuguese settlement in Ceylon, on his father Francisco de Almeida’s command.
Why did Cabral get Zamorin's permission?
Thanks to his negotiation skills, Cabral was able to obtain Zamorin’s permission to set up factory and a warehouse in Calicut. At the time when Cabral was seeking ways to strengthen his bond with the King of Calicut, the Portuguese factory was attacked by local Hindus and Muslim Arabs.
Where did Almeida build Fort Anjediva?
Almeida was instructed to build four forts at Cochin, Kannur, Anjediva Island, and Kollam (Quilon). Hence, Almeida left for India with a fleet of 22 vessels that carried 1500 men. Upon reaching Anjediva Island on 13 September, Almeida started constructing ‘Fort Anjediva.’.
What happened to the Portuguese during the siege of Calicut?
The siege left many Portuguese without food, and forced them to surrender. However, the timely arrival of Tristao da Cunha’s squadron in 1507 strengthened Almeida’s mission. In March 1508, the Arab merchants of Calicut invoked the Egyptians, who sent a fleet under Amir Husain Al-Kurdi’s command.
What was the Portuguese state of India?
Six years later, Portuguese State of India (Estado Português da Índia, EPI) or simply Portuguese India (Índia Portuguesa) was founded to serve as the governing body of fortresses and colonies that were established overseas by the Portuguese. In 1505, Francisco de Almeida was appointed as the first Viceroy, with his headquarters in Cochin.
Where did the Portuguese settle?
Portuguese settlement in Chittagong. Chittagong (Xatigan in Portuguese ), the second largest city and main port of Bangladesh, was home to a thriving trading post of the Portuguese Empire in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Portuguese first arrived in Chittagong around 1528 and left in 1666 after the Mughal conquest.
What did the Portuguese do in 1528?
In 1528, the Sultan of Bengal permitted the Portuguese to establish factories and customs houses in the Port of Chittagong. A fort and naval base was established in Firingi Bandar. The settlement grew into the most prominent Eurasian port on the Bay of Bengal during the Age of Discovery. The cartaz system was introduced and required all ships in the area to purchase naval trading licenses from the Portuguese. In 1590, the Portuguese conquered the nearby islands of Sandwip under the leadership of António de Sousa Godinho. In 1602, the Sandwip island of Chittagong was conquered by the Portuguese from Kedar Rai of Sripur.
Why did the Portuguese leave the Satgaon?
In 1632, the Mughal army expelled the Portuguese from the Satgaon (Hooghly), owing to Portuguese association with the slave trade, kidnapping and refusal to support Shah Jahan. In 1666, the Mughal viceroy Shaista Khan retook control of Chittagong after defeating the Arakanese in a naval war.
Why was Chittagong important to the Portuguese?
The harbour of Chittagong became the most important port to the Portuguese because of its location, navigational facilities and safe anchorage. The port is very close to the mouth of the Meghna which was the principal route to the Royal capital of Gouda.
How did Christianity spread to Bengal?
Christianity spread across Bengal by the Portuguese traders along with the Christian missionaries. Although Christianity had already reached Ancient India with Thomas the Apostle in 52 CE, the Portuguese set up the first Christian churches in Chittagong. The Portuguese merchants, most of whom were Christian, called Chittagong as Porto Grande de Bengala. In 1498, Christian explorer Vasco de Gama travelled Bengal.
What is the name of the port city in Bengal?
The Portuguese referred to the port city as Porto Grande de Bengala, which meant "the Grand Harbor of Bengal". The term was often simplified as Porto Grande.
How many Portuguese people lived in Chittagong?
In 1598 there lived about 2,500 Portuguese and Eurasians in Chittagong and Arakan. The increased commercial presence included bureaucrats, merchants, missionaries, soldiers, adventurers, sailors and pirates. The enclave had a highly laissez-faire administration led by traders. Slave trade and piracy flourished.
Why did the Portuguese take over Indian territories?
Portuguese seized Indian territories on the coast and waged constant war to expand their trade and dominions and safeguard their trade monopoly from their European rivals.
What was the Portuguese approach to India?
Portuguese approach was particularly hateful to people of India (where the religious tolerance was the rule). They also indulged in inhuman cruelties and lawlessness.
What did Vasco da Gama discover?
In 1498, Vasco da Gama of Portugal discovered a new and all-sea route from Europe to India. He sailed around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa) and reached Calicut (as shown in the map given below). Vasco da Gama returned with a cargo, which sold for 60 times the cost of his voyage.
Why did the Portuguese intervene in the conflict between the rulers of Calicut and Cochin?
Portuguese intervened in the conflict between the rulers of Calicut and Cochin to establish their trading centers and forts on the Malabar Coast. Likewise, they attacked and destroyed Arab shipping, brutally killing hundreds of Arab merchants and seamen.
What were Columbus and Vasco da Gama's discoveries?
Columbus and Vasco da Gama’s sea routes along with other navigational discoveries opened a new chapter in the history of the world. Adam Smith wrote later that the discovery of America and the Cape route to India were "the two greatest and most important events recorded in the history of mankind.". The new continent was rich in precious metals.
What was the first thing that Africa had attracted foreigners to?
In the beginning, gold and ivory of Africa had attracted the foreigner. Very soon, however, trade with Africa concentrated on the slave trade.
How many Africans were sold into slavery?
While no exact record of the number of Africans sold into slavery exists, historians' estimate, ranged between 15 and 50 million . Slavery was later abolished in the 19 th century after it had ceased to play an important economic role, but it was openly defended and praised as long as it was profitable.

Overview
Context
The first Portuguese encounter with the subcontinent was on 20 May 1498 when Vasco da Gama reached Calicut on the Malabar Coast. Anchored off the coast of Calicut, the Portuguese invited native fishermen on board and immediately bought some Indian items. One Portuguese accompanied the fishermen to the port and met with a Tunisian Muslim. On the advice of this man, Gama sent a couple of his men to Ponnani to meet with ruler of Calicut, the Zamorin. Over the obj…
Foundation (1505-1515)
On 25 March 1505, Francisco de Almeida was appointed Viceroy of India, on the condition that he would set up four forts on the southwestern Indian coast: at Anjediva, Cannanore, Cochin& Quilon. Francisco de Almeida left Portugal with a fleet of 22 vessels with 1,500 men.
On 13 September, Francisco de Almeida reached Anjadip island, where he im…
Flourishing years
In 1520, the Portuguese extended their dominion over the town of Rachol, as in that year, Krishnadevaraya captured the Rachol Fort and delivered it to the Portuguese, in exchange for mutual defence pact against the Deccan Sultanates.
In 1526, John III of Portugal granted the city of Goa and its town hall the same legal status as Lisbon, in a foral in which the general laws and privileges of the …
Diminishing years
In 1640, Shivappa Nayaka captured all the Portuguese forts in the Canara subregion.
The seven islands of Bombay (Mumbai) were presented to the English Crown in 1661, as part of the dowry of Catherine Braganza to Charles II of England, who in turn leased the area to the English East India Company. In 1683, Mahrattas atte…
Post-annexation
Free Dadra and Nagar Haveli existed as a de facto independent entity from its independence in 1954 until its merger with the Republic of India in 1961.
Following the annexation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Goa, Damaon& Diu; became new territories of the Indian Union. Maj Gen K P Candeth was declared as military governor of Goa, Daman and Diu. Goa's first general elections were hel…
Administration
From the moment the State was founded in 1505 till it was disestablished in 1961, an official with the title of governor or viceroy served as its highest authority, usually for a three-year term, initially with authority over all Crown territories east of the Cape of Good Hope. The latter title was attributed as a high honour while the monarchy lasted, however their duties were the same a…
Trade and economy
Trade had been one of the primary motivations behind the Portuguese expansion overseas, and one of the main objectives behind the foundation of the State of India was to take over the Europe-Asia trade, up to that point conducted mainly through the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf, redirecting it around Africa via the Cape Route. Trade was processed either by the Crown th…