Paper I · 3 History of India & AP · 3.3.1 Advent of the Europeans
3.3.1.2 Dutch, Danish and French East India Companies
The Dutch (1602), Danes (1616) and French (1664) all set up Indian trading posts, but only the English Company held on, and the three smaller powers were reduced to a few enclaves.
- APPSC Paper I · Paper I
- Standard level
- 5 min read
- Free
Core facts
- Order of the companies: Portuguese (1498), English (1600), Dutch (1602), Danish (1616), French (1664).
- Dutch (United East India Company, VOC, 1602):
- first Indian factory at Masulipatnam (1605)
- Pulicat (1610) with Fort Geldria
- other posts: Chinsurah, Nagapattinam, Cochin (1663), Surat, Kasimbazar
- their main interest was the spice trade of Indonesia
- Dutch power ended in India with the Battle of Colachel (1741), lost to Marthanda Varma of Travancore, and the Battle of Bedara (1759), lost to the English.
- Danes: Tranquebar (1620, Tamil Nadu) and Serampore (1755, Bengal). Both were sold to the British in 1845.
- French: Compagnie des Indes Orientales formed by Colbert under Louis XIV (1664).
- Surat (1668), Masulipatnam (1669)
- Pondicherry (1674) founded by Francois Martin
- Chandernagore (1690), Yanam (1723), Mahe (1725), Karaikal (1739)
Explained
The Dutch
- They preferred the Indonesian islands, so India was a source of cloth (for the spice trade) and indigo, saltpetre and opium.
- Pulicat was their main Coromandel base. They minted gold pagodas there.
- Chinsurah (Fort Gustavus) in Bengal was their chief centre in the east.
- Colachel (1741). Marthanda Varma of Travancore defeated a Dutch force. This was an Indian victory over a European power.
- Bedara (1759). The Dutch landed troops to challenge the English in Bengal. Colonel Forde beat them near Chinsurah.
- By the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 the Dutch gave up their Indian posts for British Bencoolen in Sumatra. Chinsurah passed to the British in 1825.
The Danes
- The company was small and never strong. Tranquebar (Tharangambadi) was on the Coromandel coast.
- Serampore, near Calcutta, became known for the Baptist mission of William Carey and for printing.
- Both were bought by Britain in 1845.
The French
- The company was a state creation and was always short of money.
- Francois Martin got Pondicherry from the Bijapur governor of the area (1674) and developed it.
- Dupleix was Governor-General of French India (1742–54). His plan to use Indian rulers' quarrels and train Indian soldiers (sepoys) is the topic of the next note.
- Yanam lies in the Godavari delta of present-day Andhra Pradesh; it was French until 1954.
AP angle
- Masulipatnam (Machilipatnam) was the first Dutch factory in India (1605), and also an early English and French base. It was the port of the Golconda kingdom.
- Pulicat (on Pulicat Lake, which straddles the AP–Tamil Nadu border; the town itself is in Tamil Nadu) was the Dutch capital on the Coromandel coast.
- Yanam, in the Godavari delta, is part of the Union Territory of Puducherry but lies inside AP.
Common traps
- ✗ "The French company was formed before the Dutch." ✓ Order: English 1600, Dutch 1602, Danish 1616, French 1664.
- ✗ "The first Dutch factory was at Pulicat." ✓ It was Masulipatnam (1605). Pulicat followed in 1610.
- ✗ "Tranquebar was a French settlement." ✓ It was Danish.
- ✗ "Pondicherry was founded by Dupleix." ✓ Francois Martin founded it in 1674. Dupleix developed French power later.
- ✗ "Colachel was fought against the English." ✓ It was fought between Travancore and the Dutch (1741).
- ✗ "Serampore was sold in 1845 to the French." ✓ It was sold to the British.
Quick revision
- Dutch VOC 1602; first factory Masulipatnam 1605; Pulicat 1610.
- Colachel 1741: Marthanda Varma beats the Dutch.
- Bedara 1759: English beat the Dutch.
- Danes: Tranquebar 1620, Serampore 1755; sold 1845.
- French company 1664 (Colbert); Pondicherry 1674 (Martin).
- Yanam, Mahe, Karaikal, Chandernagore are the other French posts.
- Dupleix: governor 1742–54.
Go deeper: Deeper, Mains writing (beyond what APPSC Paper I usually asks)
Deeper Advanced
- Why the Dutch and Danes faded. The Dutch focused on Indonesia and had no wish for a territorial role in India. The Danes lacked capital and sea power.
- Why the French failed. The company was tied to the Crown, which gave little help. Wars in Europe drained funds. The English navy controlled the sea in the key war years.
- Dupleix's innovation. He saw that a small, drilled force could beat large Indian armies and that rulers could be turned into allies by taking sides in succession disputes. The English copied him and did it better.
- After 1763. The French kept only five enclaves: Pondicherry, Karaikal, Yanam, Mahe and Chandernagore. They became part of India in stages after independence. Chandernagore voted to join India in 1949, was handed over in 1950 and merged with West Bengal in 1955. The other four became de facto Indian territory in 1954 and were legally transferred in 1962.
Mains writing Mains writing
- Frame: the European companies came as traders, but their rivalry turned them into political actors.
- Analysis: compare the companies on capital, state backing and strategy. The English Company combined private capital, Parliament's backing and sea power. The French had royal backing but little money.
- Way to link: the failures of the Dutch and French set up English dominance in the eighteenth century.
Practise this topic. Questions on British rule & reform movements, with answers explained.
All Advent of the Europeans notes · APPSC Paper I syllabus · APPSC Paper I Mock 1 with answers · Start free
Medha AI writes its own notes and checks them against the sources listed. Medha AI is an independent preparation service. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to APPSC, TSPSC, MPSC, UPSC or any other commission or government body.