The Portuguese Entry: Trade Disguised as Evangelism In the grand story of India’s encounter with European powers, the Portuguese were the first actors on the stage. While they came in search of spices and profits, they often cloaked their intentions in the language of religious mission — claiming to spread Christianity in the East. But…
Europe’s Eastern Trade: The Old Routes Before sea voyages became common, Europe and Asia were already trading — but through land and partially sea-based routes. During the Middle Ages, there were three main trade routes between Europe and the East (especially India and Southeast Asia): Despite being long and expensive (with multiple taxes and tolls…
Imagine the Indian Ocean as a vast commercial highway — a stage for spices, silks, and maritime ambitions. For centuries, India was a key link in the international trade network that connected Asia, Africa, and Europe. But things began to change in 1498, when Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese sailor, arrived at Calicut, a coastal…
If we imagine the story of India in the late 15th century, the scene is already vibrant — bustling ports on the western coast, Arab merchants dominating the sea trade, spices from Malabar finding their way to Middle Eastern markets, and from there, slowly and expensively, to Europe. But Europe was restless. The medieval trade…
The 18th century in India is often painted as a time of political fragmentation. But socially and culturally, it was also a period of deep stagnation, marked by a strong dependence on tradition and limited progress. The impact of feudalism, caste, gender hierarchies, and religious orthodoxy shaped society at every level—even as occasional glimmers of…
The 18th century was a century of contradictions in Indian history — a time when richness and poverty coexisted, when cultural continuity survived amidst political fragmentation, and when India still retained economic significance globally, despite signs of internal stagnation. 🔍 A Land of Contrasts While India had immense economic and cultural potential, the society was…
When the mighty Mughal Empire began crumbling under the weight of internal weaknesses and external challenges in the early 18th century, a new political landscape began to emerge. Some regions declared autonomy as Mughal governors, while others broke away through rebellion. But there was a third category — those who neither broke away from Delhi…
As the Mughal Empire crumbled under the weight of internal decay and external pressures, a new political landscape began to take shape across India. This period witnessed the rise of “Insurgent States” — regional powers like the Marathas, Afghans (Rohillas), Jats, and the Sikhs of Punjab — which did not emerge through royal succession or…
(Understanding the transition from Subahs to Sovereignties) 🔍 What are Successor States? Let us begin with a basic premise: the Mughal Empire in its prime had created an elaborate, centrally controlled provincial structure. However, as the empire weakened in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, that structure started breaking away, and provincial governors began…
🧭 Background: What was happening in India in the early 1700s? The 18th century in Indian history was a period of transition — a time when the centralized authority of the Mughal Empire weakened, and in that vacuum, new powers began to emerge. Imagine a once-mighty tree that has decayed at its core. Its branches,…
