The Portuguese first came into India in in 1510. Their arrival established a route between Portugal and India and trade started between the two countries. The first person to establish trade here was Francisco. The most important city for the Portuguese was Goa. It became the capital of the Portuguese controlled territory in 1510. This coastal city controlled all of the sea fearing traffic that travelled between Portugal and India. The Indian subcontinent was such an attractive place for the European countries that all of the European trading nations wanted to trade with India and establish their own ports and depots here.
The Dutch came in to India in 1605 and immediately had a conflict of interest with the Portuguese. They established the Dutch port of Surat and began trading from there. The Dutch also captured Ceylon that was famous for its tea and after a short span of 5 years they took over the Portuguese forts in Malabar. The Danish could not represent a lasting government in India and the other European nations took little notice of them, as they did not represent any significant military or mercantile power in the subcontinent. Although the Dutch managed to hold their few areas of influence in their control they were finally defeated in 1845 by the French. The French influence was also in the areas previously held by the Portuguese and the Dutch.
The most influential presence in the subcontinent was of the British. The English came to the subcontinent and established bases in Bengal from here they were able to take control of the entire Indian subcontinent. They defeated Tipu the sultan of Mysore who was being supported by the French and killed two birds with one stone by getting rid of both of their enemies in one stroke. The British East India Company controlled the government of India until 1858 after which India became under the direct rule of the British Empire. In 1947 the Indian subcontinent was divided into new sovereign states of India, Pakistan and Burma.
The Dutch came in to India in 1605 and immediately had a conflict of interest with the Portuguese. They established the Dutch port of Surat and began trading from there. The Dutch also captured Ceylon that was famous for its tea and after a short span of 5 years they took over the Portuguese forts in Malabar. The Danish could not represent a lasting government in India and the other European nations took little notice of them, as they did not represent any significant military or mercantile power in the subcontinent. Although the Dutch managed to hold their few areas of influence in their control they were finally defeated in 1845 by the French. The French influence was also in the areas previously held by the Portuguese and the Dutch.
The most influential presence in the subcontinent was of the British. The English came to the subcontinent and established bases in Bengal from here they were able to take control of the entire Indian subcontinent. They defeated Tipu the sultan of Mysore who was being supported by the French and killed two birds with one stone by getting rid of both of their enemies in one stroke. The British East India Company controlled the government of India until 1858 after which India became under the direct rule of the British Empire. In 1947 the Indian subcontinent was divided into new sovereign states of India, Pakistan and Burma.