Advent

Background

Upon decline of Roman Empire (7th Century), Arabs emerged as major powers in Egypt and Persia. 1453: Constantinople (present day Istanbul) falls to Ottoman Turks Indian commodities popularly traded in Europe: Spices, Calicoes (form of cotton textile), Silk, Precious stones Merchandise was handled through Arab intermediaries Land and Sea trade routes (Red Sea) was monopolized by the Arabs

Emergence of Renaissance in 15th Century Europe, call for exploration, advances in navigation and ship building Increased economic development in Europe led to increase in demand of luxury good, spices Venice and Genoa which had been major trade centers were too small to fight the Ottomans or take major exploration North Europeans aided Castile (Spain) and Portugal with money and men, and Genoa with technology and ships to aid in exploration Portugal assumed the role of Christian resistance to Islam Finding an ocean route to India became an obsession of Prince Henry of Portugal (nicknamed 'Navigator') 1454: Pope Nicholas V (Papal States existed between Milan and Aragon) gave Prince Henry a bull, granting him the right to navigate the "sea to the distant shores of the Orient" specifically "As far as India" ; to note often condemnation or excommunication by the Pope was grave and could result in religious war against the state, hence the conferring of the bull is important 1460: Prince Henry died before his dream was realized. 1469: Royal marriage of Castile and Aragon creates Spain 1487: Portuguese navigator Bartholomew Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope 1497: Treaty of Tordesillas Portugal and Spain divided the non-Christian world between them by an imaginary line in the Atlantic, Portugal could claim everything the East and Spain everything to the West May 1498: Expedition under Vasco Da Gama arrives in India Calicut, Malabar Coast

The Portugese

Three Ships under Vasco Da Gama, led by Gujarati pilot, Abdul Majid arrived in Calicut in May 1498 The Hindu ruler of Calicut was friendly to the Portuguese, Calicut was and entrepot (a port, city, or other center to which goods are brought for import and export, and for collection and distribution), hence, the major share of income was derived from trade, more traders, more revenue The Arab traders who had well established business on the Malabar Coast were apprehensive Trading in Indian Ocean had numerous participants - Indians, Arabs, Africans, Chinese, Javanese, others; they acted with rules of conduct and none sought overwhelming dominance, the Portuguese wanted to monopolies the hugely profitable trade and exclude competitors especially the Arabs When Vasco Da Gama returned, he brought rich cargo back with him; other Europeans had to pay as much as 10 times for the same price as pepper when dealing with Muslim middlemen Map of Voyage and kingdom distribution the era:

Pedro Alvarez Cabral traveled to India in September 1500 and established a factory in Calicut. The factory was attached with locals resulting in death of several Portuguese, in retaliation Cabral seized number of Arab Merchant Ships, killing crews, confiscating cargo and burning ships. Calicut was bombarded. Later he succeeded in making advantageous treaties with local rulers of Cochin and Cannonore (modern day Kannur). Vasco Da Gama second voyage 1502 Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore became important Portuguese trade centers. Route of 2nd Portuguese Armada:

In 1505 Francisco De Almeida appointed Governor in India for a three-year term, equipped with sufficient force to protect Portuguese interests Tasked to establish forts to protect trade along the route to India in the Indian Ocean and build fortresses at Anjediva, Cochin, Cannanore and Kilwa In 1507, in the Battle of Chaul Almeida's son Lourenco De Almedia was killed in naval defeat against the combined Egyptian and Gujarat navies who were further backed by the Ottomans. In 1509, in the Battle of Diu, the Portuguese avenged their defeat. Almeida's vision was the make the Portuguese the master of the Indian Ocean. His policy was known as the Blue Water Policy. Route of 7th Portuguese Armada:

Alfonso de Albuquerque succeeded Almeida as Portuguese governor in India from 1509-1515 Established Portuguese strongholds in East Africa, off the Red Sea, Ormuz, Malabar and in Malacca Introduced a permit system for other ships and exercised control over major ship building centers in the region Acquired Goa from Sultan of Bijapur in 1510 Abolition of Sati in Portuguese territories in India Encouraged Portuguese men to take on local wives, created settlements instead of only factories and trade depots

Nino Da Cunha assumed office in November 1529 and shifted headquarters of Portuguese settlements to Goa from Cochin Bahadur Shah of Gujarat during his conflict with Humayun secured help from Portuguese by ceding island of Bassein and promising a base in Diu to them Attempted to increase Portuguese influence in Bengal by establishing a colony in Hooghly Humayun withdrew from Gujarat in 1536, thereafter relations with Gujarat became sour for Portuguese, eventually the ruler of Gujarat (Bahadur Shah) was invited to a ship anchored of the coast of Gujarat and killed. The siege of Diu took place after the events in 1538, where the Portuguese successfully defended

Portuguese Armadas to India (Carreira da India) Vasco da Gama, 1497 Pedro Alvarez Cabral, 1500 Joao da Nova, 1501 Vasco da Gama, 1502 Afonso de Albuquerque, 1503 Lopo Soares de Albergaria , 1504 Francisco de Almeida, 1505 Nino Da Cunha, 1506 Mello, 1507 Aguiar, 1508 Coutinho, 1509 Mendes, 1510 Noronha, 1511