Advent of Europeans in India

⇨ Unstable Land Route: In the Middle Ages (5th century CE to 15th century CE), traders preferred the land route from the Middle East to Europe. However, with the rise of in the tenth century made land route unstable and dangerous for trade.

⇨ Safe Passage through Water: While the land with some passes fell within the territory of one or the other kingdom, the oceans and seas had not yet been controlled and thus offered a safe passage.

⇨ Advancements in Navigation: The period witnessed several technological advancements. The advancements in navigation with the use of by the Arabs and shipbuilding by the Europeans at a time when land routes had become unstable made waterways a natural choice.

⇨ Advancement in Ship Defence System:  Invention of in China in the ninth century, spread to Eurasia by the end of the thirteenth century. As sea voyages gained popularity in the fifteenth century, canons and gunpowder began to be used on ships to protect them from attacks.

⇨ Monopolies: The   merchants of monopolised the trade between Asia and Europe. The western side, the Mediterranean area, was under the merchants of Venice and Genoa, and the eastern side, the Asian side, was under the Arab merchants. These merchants did not allow new merchants from other West European countries to trade through the old routes under their control.

⇨ Ottoman Empire: The Ottoman Turks captured This brought the old routes under Turkish control. Moreover, the expansion of Turkish power in Eastern Europe and the growth of the Turkish navy alarmed the Europeans.

⇨ Rise of New Nation States: The later part of the 15th century saw the rise of centralised states with strong kings, like that from Spain and Portugal , who were keen to trade with Asia. The Kings encouraged, often supported and sponsored geographical explorations and navigators.

⇨ Division of non-Christian world: The Treaty of Tordesillas(1494) divided the non-Christian world between Portugal and Spain, granting Portugal the eastern territories and Spain the western territories. This set the stage for Portuguese incursions into the waters around India.

⇨ Economic Growth in Europe: The European economy expanded rapidly due to the expansion of land under cultivation, the introduction of improved ploughs, and scientific crop rotation. As a result of this growth, towns rose, and trade increased.

⇨ Demand for Spices and Pepper: The economic revival in Europe increased the demand for spices and pepper needed to make meat palatable.

⇨ Tolls and Taxes: Tolls and taxes were constantly increased on the European and Asian trade sides, reducing profit margins.

⇨ Profit Maximization: Although trade between Asia and Europe was carried on along several routes, it was highly profitable. However, raids along the land route and monopolies by various groups had reduced profits. Thus, there was an attempt to maximise profit through new trade routes.

⇨ Renaissance: The cultural revival or Renaissance in Europe during the fourteenth century infused a spirit of daring and adventure among the people of Western Europe.

⇨ Glory: Above all, the desire to achieve glory acted as an inspiring factor for navigators and explorers.

⇨ Mercantilism: A set of economic doctrines and policies involving state intervention to promote national prosperity and strength, mercantilism gripped the European states in its clutches.

Proselytising Zeal: The explorers were motivated to spread Christianity into the new lands.

While the General Economic  Subsistence pattern was Hunter and Gatherer (These people hunted animals and gathered plants and fruits, that is why we call them hunter and gatherers) throughout the three phases of the Paleolithic age but he Hunting tools differed with from Lower to Upper Paleolithic. Due to the need to follow food sources, Paleolithic societies were nomadic, moving from place to place depending on seasonal availability of food. 

Preoccupied Caves Shelters – They are big sandstone rock Shelters . Even temporary pits were used. People also took shelter in trees for protection from animals that couldn’t climb them. 

People Lived in Communities and  In order to ensure enough food production for their communities, they worked to manipulate those systems in certain ways, such as rotational hunting and gathering. Generally men Hunted for Food while women gathered their own food . Everyone was Equal

Based on the grave goods found beside the deceased, upper paleolithic burials are undoubtedly evidence of spirituality and religiousness

We did not get any evidence of paintings from lower or middle paleolithic age yet. In the Upper Palaeolithic period, we see a proliferation of artistic activities. First discovery of rock paintings in the world was made in India (1867-68) by an Archaeologist, Archibold Carlleyle, twelve years before the discovery of Altamira in Spain (site of oldest rock paintings in the world). In India, remnants of rock paintings have been found on the walls of caves situated in several districts of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Bihar, and Uttarakhand. Subjects of early works confined to three categories: Man, Animal, and Geometric symbols.

Vasco da Gama was a Portuguese explorer and nobleman who was the first European to reach India by sea. Initially, he was welcomed heartily by the Hindu population but later on, when he offered relatively cheap gifts upon his arrival to Zamorin, the king of Calicut, the tension between the two of them started. He Spent Three months on his First arrival. Upon his return to Portugal Da Gama was greeted as a hero and the monarch bestowed the title ‘Dom’ upon him. He returned in 1501. He was Appointed as Portuguese Viceroy to India in 1524

⇨ Discovered the European sea route to India

⇨ He established a trading factory at Cannanore which later became an important trading centres of the Portuguese.

Dom Francisco de Almeida also known as the Great Dom Francisco (c. 1450 – 1 March 1510), was the first Portuguese governor and viceroy of India. He was a Portuguese nobleman, soldier, and explorer. He served from 1505 to 1509. He also Served as a counselor to King John II of Portugal . His primary goal was to destroy Muslim trade by capturing strategic ports like Aden and Ormuz. 

⇨ Introduced the “Blue Water Policy” to control the Indian Ocean

⇨ Almeida built forts at Anjediva Island, Cannanore, Cochin, and Kilwa, helping expand Portuguese power in the region

⇨ Won the naval Battle of Diu against a joint fleet of the Sultan of Gujarat, the Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt and the Zamorin of Calicut easing Portuguese strategy of controlling the Indian Ocean

⇨ Concluded a commercial treaty with Malacca (now Melaka, Malaysia)

Afonso de Albuquerque, 1st Duke of Goa, was a Portuguese general, admiral, and statesman. He served as viceroy of Portuguese India from 1509 to 1515,

⇨ Conquered Goa from the ruler of Bijapur in 1510, making it the Portuguese headquarters in India. 

⇨ Albuquerque also captured Malacca and Ceylon and built a fort at Calicut.

⇨ First to abolish the practice of Sati, which was vogue in that time and also encouraged his countrymen to marry Indian women.

⇨ The Portuguese under Albuquerque introduced a permit system for other ships in the region.

⇨ At the time of his death in c.1515 CE, he left the Portuguese as the strongest naval power in India.

Nuno da Cunha (c. 1487 – 5 March 1539) was a Portuguese admiral who was governor of Portuguese possessions in India from 1529 to 1538.

⇨ Under the command of Governor Nuno da Cunha, the Portuguese had attempted to capture Diu by force in February 1531, unsuccessfully.

⇨ Also Signed the treaty of Bassein ( 1534) with Bahadur Shah giving Bassein and the seven islands of Bombay to Portuguese in exchange for Portuguese assistance against the Mughals

⇨ In 1535, the Portuguese were allowed to construct a fortress at Diu.