With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:
- The Dutch established their factories/werehouses on the east coast on lands granted to them by Gajapati rulers.
- Alfonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate.
- The English East India Company established a factory at Madras on a plot of land leased from a representative of the Vijayanagara empire.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 and 3 only
This question tests knowledge of European trading companies' establishment in India during the medieval and early modern period. Statements 2 and 3 are historically accurate, while Statement 1 contains a chronological impossibility.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Dutch East India Company (VOC) was formed in 1602, while the Gajapati dynasty of Odisha had already declined by 1541. The Dutch acquired land grants from other rulers like the Golconda Sultanate and local Nayakas, not from Gajapati rulers.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Alfonso de Albuquerque captured Goa in 1510 from Yusuf Adil Shah of the Bijapur Sultanate, establishing Portuguese dominance in the region for over 450 years.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: In 1639, Francis Day obtained a lease for land in Madras (Madraspatnam) from Damarla Venkatapathy Nayaka of Chandragiri, who was a representative of the declining Vijayanagara Empire. Fort St. George was subsequently built here.
📝 Short Notes: European Trading Companies in India
| Company/Power | Year of Establishment | Key Settlements | Grants/Territory From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portuguese | First to arrive (1498) | Goa (1510), Daman, Diu | Goa captured from Bijapur Sultanate |
| Dutch (VOC) | 1602 | Pulicat, Nagapattinam, Cochin | Golconda Sultanate, local Nayakas |
| English (EIC) | 1600 | Madras (1639), Bombay (1668), Calcutta (1690) | Chandragiri Nayaka, Portuguese, Bengal Nawab |
| French | 1664 | Pondicherry (1674), Chandannagar | Bijapur, Bengal rulers |
| Danish | 1616 | Tranquebar (1620), Serampore | Nayaka of Thanjavur |
- Gajapati Dynasty: Ruled Odisha and parts of Andhra Pradesh; declined by mid-16th century (last ruler Kakharua Deva, 1541).
- Vijayanagara Empire: After the Battle of Talikota (1565), fragmented into Nayaka kingdoms including Chandragiri, Madurai, and Thanjavur.
- Alfonso de Albuquerque: Portuguese Governor in India (1509-1515); strategic mastermind who captured Goa, Malacca, and Hormuz.
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