Question 31 from UPSC CSE 2022 - Modern History

Question

With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:
1. The Dutch established their factories/warehouses on the east coast on lands granted to them by Gajapati rulers.
2. Alfonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate.
3. 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?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. 2 and 3 only

Strategy: - Analyze each statement against established historical anchors.
- Verify the association between Dutch factory establishments and Gajapati rulers.
- Confirm the historical facts surrounding Albuquerque's capture of Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate.
- Investigate the context of the English factory at Madras, particularly the land lease from local Nayakas under the Vijayanagara Empire.
- Identify historically accurate statements based on this rigorous scrutiny.

Key Info: ## Dutch East India Company (VOC)
Formed in 1602, the Dutch established their first Indian factory at Masulipatnam in 1605, later extending to Pulicat, Nagapattinam, and other sites. Their South Indian expansions, including Nagapattinam, were not based on grants from Gajapati rulers but involved local chiefs or were captured from Portuguese. The Gajapati dynasty ruled Odisha and northern Andhra until the mid-16th century; by the 17th century, their influence had waned, and Dutch interactions were with other powers.

## Alfonso de Albuquerque and Goa
Albuquerque, as Viceroy of Portuguese India (1509-1515), is noted for his naval tactics and conquest of strategic points. He captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate in 1510, establishing it as the Portuguese capital in India. This marked the start of Portuguese territorial control in India.

## English Factory at Madras
The English East India Company secured rights in 1639 to found a trading post at Madras (now Chennai), on land leased from the local Nayak (representative of Vijayanagara suzerainty), Damarla Venkatadri Nayak. Construction of Fort St. George began in 1640, making Madras a significant British foothold on the Coromandel Coast. The Vijayanagara Empire by this time was fragmented but local Nayaks exercised de facto authority.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: 1 and 2 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: 1 and 3 only

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: 1, 2, and 3