Rise of Dutch and English Influence in India

After the Portuguese, the Dutch arrived in India. In 1602, the States General of the Netherlands amalgamated many 

trading companies into the East India Company of the Netherlands. This company was also empowered to carry on war, to conclude treaties, to take possession of territory and to erect fortresses.

Dutch Trading Centres in India

The Dutch arrived in India in 1602 and established their first factory at Masulipatnam (Andhra) in 1605. 

• Later they established multiple trading centres across the country including Coromandel, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, and Bihar posing a threat to the Portuguese.
• They captured Nagapattinam near Chennai, making it their main stronghold in South India. 
  • They engaged in redistributive trade, transporting goods like indigo, textiles, silk, saltpetre, opium, and rice from different Indian regions to the Far East.

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Anglo-Dutch Rivalry

Amboyna Massacre: The Dutch economic interests faced a significant challenge at this time as the English were also becoming more and more prominent in Eastern trade. The Dutch and English engaged in fierce competition in the Eastern trade, leading to violent conflicts, notably the Amboyna massacre in 1623.

• After prolonged warfare, a compromise was reached in 1667. The British withdrew from Indonesia, while the Dutch focused on their profitable trade there.
• The Dutch dominated the black pepper and spice trade and traded Indian goods like silk, cotton, indigo, rice, and opium.

Decline of the Dutch Rule in India

The Dutch got drawn into the trade of the Malay Archipelago.

• Anglo-Dutch War (1672–74): During the third Anglo-Dutch War (1672–74), a connection between Surat and the newly established English city of Bombay was disrupted. As a result, the Dutch forces were able to seize three English ships that were returning home from the Bay of Bengal.
• Battle of Hooghly (November 1759): The retaliation by the English resulted in the defeat of the Dutch, in the Battle of Hooghly (November 1759), severely undermining the Dutch aspirations in India.
• Primary Mandate: The Dutch were more concerned with trade than creating an empire in India. In any event, their primary commercial focus was on the Indonesian Spice Islands, from which they made enormous financial gains.

Conclusion

The Dutch established a significant trading presence in India, posing a challenge to both Portuguese and English interests. However, their focus remained on trade rather than empire-building, with primary attention on the lucrative Indonesian Spice Islands. The Anglo-Dutch rivalry and the defeat at the Battle of Hooghly marked the decline of Dutch influence in India, ultimately limiting their ambitions on the subcontinent.

Rise of English in India

Merchant Adventurers Group and Queen’s Charter

• After Francis Drake’s global voyage and the English victory over the Spanish Armada, British interest in Eastern trade surged. In 1599, merchants formed the ‘Merchant Adventurers’ group.
• Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter on December 31, 1600, creating the ‘Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies.’
  • Initially, a fifteen-year monopoly was given, later extended indefinitely.
• With the Dutch focusing on the East Indies, the English shifted their attention to India for valuable commodities, especially textiles.

Overcoming Portuguese Opposition and Expanding Trade in 17th-Century India

• Captain Hawkins arrived in Jahangir’s court in 1609 but faced Portuguese opposition to establishing a factory at Surat. 
  • However the mission to establish a factory at Surat didn’t succeed due to opposition from the Portuguese, and Hawkins left Agra in November 1611.
• English trade began in Masulipatnam in 1611, culminating in a factory in 1616. Jahangir granted permission to the English in early 1613 to establish a factory at Surat under Thomas Aldworth. 
  • Captain Thomas Best’s victory over the Portuguese in 1612 earned permission for a factory in Surat. Ambassador Sir Thomas Roe secured privileges, including factories at Agra, Ahmedabad, and Broach, though a commercial treaty wasn’t finalised.
• The English East India Company established a factory at Madras on a plot of land leased from a representative of the Vijayanagara Empire.
• Initial Challenges: The English Company faced challenges from the Portuguese and Dutch initially but later gained favour. Bombay became the headquarters in 1687, signifying peace with the Portuguese. 
• ‘Golden Farman’ from the Sultan of Golconda in 1632 and permission to fortify Fort St. George in Madras from the ruler of Chandragiri, expanded English influence. Trading extended to Hariharpur and Balasore(in Odisha) in 1633. 

Establishment of Factories by English East India Company

West Coast: The English India Company established their factories at Agra, Ahmadabad, Baroda and Broach by 1619, under the control of the president and council of the Surat factory which was established in the year 1612.

• South-eastern Coast: EIC established their factories at Masulipatam in 1611 and Armagaon near Pulicat in 1626.
• Eastern India: In eastern India, EIC established their factories at Hariharpur and Balasore(now Odisha) in 1633, and at Hugli in 1651, followed by setting up factories at Patna, Dacca, and Kasimbazar in Bengal and Bihar respectively.

Stationing in Bengal

• Trading Rights of a Rich State: Bengal was a prosperous province in India known for its advanced trade and commerce. English merchants saw an opportunity to gain commercial and political control over Bengal due to its wealth.
  • They were granted trading rights by Shah Shuja, the subahdar of Bengal, in 1651, in exchange for an annual payment of Rs 3,000.

• Hostile Local Mughal Officers: Despite these privileges, the English faced occasional obstacles from local customs officers who demanded toll payments. To secure their interests, the English sought to establish a fortified settlement at Hooghly.
  • Escalation of Conflict: When their appeal for redressal went unanswered, hostilities broke out between the English and the Mughals. 
  • Retaliation and Relocation: In 1686, Hooghly was attacked by the imperial Mughals. In retaliation, the English captured Mughal forts but were eventually forced to leave Hooghly and relocate to an unhealthy area at the mouth of the River Ganga.
  • Return and Establishment: After negotiations with the Mughals, Job Charnock, a company agent, signed a treaty in 1690, allowing them to return to a place called Sutanuti. On February 10, 1691, an English factory was established there, following the issuance of an imperial farman permitting trade in Bengal for an annual payment of Rs 3,000.
• Zamindari Right and Fortification: A rebellion by a zamindar Shobha Singh in Bardhaman district gave the English reason to fortify their settlement in Sutanuti in 1696. In 1698, they obtained permission to purchase the zamindari of Sutanuti, Gobindapur, and Kalikata (Kalighat) for Rs 1,200.
  • The fortified settlement was named Fort William in 1700, and it became the seat of the eastern presidency (Calcutta) with Sir Charles Eyre as its first president.

The Golden Farman of Farrukhsiyar

In 1715, an English mission led by John Surman secured three significant farmans from Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar. These farmans granted the East India Company valuable privileges in Bengal, Gujarat, and Hyderabad, and were considered the Company’s Magna Carta.

The key provisions included:

• In Bengal, the Company’s imports and exports were free from additional customs duties, except for the annual payment of 3,000 rupees as previously settled.
• Company gained the authority to issue passes (dastaks) for goods transportation.
• Company was allowed to lease more lands around Calcutta.
• In Hyderabad, the Company maintained its existing privilege of duty-free trade, only having to pay the prevailing rent for Madras. In Surat, in exchange for an annual payment of 10,000 rupees, the East India Company was exempted from all duty levies.
• It was decreed that coins minted by the Company at Bombay would be accepted throughout the Mughal Empire.

EIC Dominance and Opposition

Opposition and Rivalry: After the English Revolution of 1688, the Whigs opposed the East India Company’s monopoly, leading to the formation of a rival company. Despite efforts, the new company failed.

• Formation of the United Company: In 1708, under pressure from the Crown and Parliament, the two companies merged into the ‘United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies.’ 
• Conquests and Diplomacy: This amalgamation marked the beginning of the East India Company’s dominance, lasting from 1708 to 1873, and ultimately establishing British political power in India.

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• • The English East India Company managed to earn many trading concessions in Bengal from the Mughal authority by means of flattery and diplomacy. 
  • However, the English had to vanquish the French before they could be rid of competitors and establish their complete sway over India.

Conclusion 

The history of the English in India begins with the rise of British interest in Eastern trade following their victory over the Spanish Armada. With Queen Elizabeth I’s charter in 1600, the East India Company was born, focusing on India’s lucrative trade. Overcoming early opposition from the Portuguese and Dutch, the Company established factories across India, gradually expanding its influence through strategic alliances, conquests, and diplomacy, eventually leading to British dominance in the region.

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