History of Bombay under Portuguese rule (1534–1661)

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Main article: Portuguese India

Ruins of St. John the Baptist Church in Andheri, built by the Portuguese Jesuits in 1579.

Bombay, also called Bom Bahia or

Fort San Sebastian of Bassein in strategic town of Bassein (Vasai), and its dependencies were offered to the Portuguese East Indies
. The places were only later officially surrendered on 25 October 1535, by the Sultan of Guzerat.

The

Madh Fort
.

The

Mahratta Invasion of Bassein
in 1739.

The islands of Bombay were regarded as a political and financial liability and were leased by Charles, to the

English East India Company, on 27 March 1668, for a nominal £10 rent,[2] as a station in western India, to compete with Dutch East Indies
.

The East India company was initially at odds with the Portuguese viceroy and vying for hegemony over the seven islands of what would become the capital city of the British

Velha Goa
, only later were the islands fully acquired by the English East India Company after the Battle of Bassein in 1739.

Arrival of the Portuguese

Main articles: History of Mumbai under indigenous empires and History of Mumbai under Islamic rule
Francisco de Almeida was the first Portuguese soldier to sail through Bombay Harbour in 1508.

Between the third century BCE and 1534, the islands had come under the control of successive dynasties:

seven islands: Bombay Island (Bombaim), Parel, Mazagaon, Mahim, Colaba, Worli, and Old Woman's Island (also known as Little Colaba).[6] The Salsette group of islands were located east of Bombay, separated by the Mahim Bay.[7] Important strategic towns located near Bombay were; Bassein (Baçaim) to the north, Thana to the east, and Chaul
to the south.

The

Sultan of Bijapur in 1510.[10] Portuguese explorer Francisco de Almeida's ship sailed into the deep natural harbour of Bombay in December 1508 on his expedition from Cannanore to Diu.[11] The Portuguese paid their first visit to the islands on 21 January 1509, when they landed at Mahim after capturing a barge of the Gujarat Sultanate in the Mahim creek.[9] Between 1513 and 1514, they requested Sultan Bahadur Shah to allow them build a fortress at Mahim. In 1517, during the viceroyalty of Lopo Soares de Albergaria (1515–18), João de Monroyo entered the Bandora creek (Bandra creek) and defeated the Gujarat commandant of Mahim. Between 1522 and 1524, when Duarte de Menezes was viceroy of Goa, the Portuguese were constantly prowling about Bombay for the ships of the Gujarat Sultante.[12]

In 1526, the Portuguese established their factory at Bassein.[13] During 1528–29, Lopo Vaz de Sampaio seized the fort of Mahim from the Gujarat Sultanate, when Sultan Bahadur Shah was at war with Nizam-ul-mulk, the emperor of Chaul.[14][15] Bombay came into prominence in connection with the attempt of the Portuguese to capture Diu in 1530–31. Nuno da Cunha, the viceroy of Goa, commanded the largest fleet seen in India, which passed through Bombay Harbour.[16][17] In March–April 1531, the Portuguese torched the towns of Thana and Mahim. In consequence of this success, and later of Nuno da Cunha's capture of Bassein in January 1533, the islands of Bombay and Mahim, together with Bandra, became tributary to the Portuguese.[18]

Accession of the islands to the Portuguese

Governor of Goa
(1528–38)
Main article: Treaty of Bassein (1534)

The

First Battle of Panipat in 1526.[19] After Babur's death on 26 December 1530, his son Humayun (1530–40) ascended to the throne at Agra on 29 December 1530.[20]

Sultan Bahadur Shah had grown apprehensive of the power of Humayun. He dispatched his chief officer Xacoes (Shah Khawjeh) to Nuno da Cunha with an offer to hand over the seven islands of Bombay together with Bassein, its dependencies, and revenues by sea and land. On 23 December 1534, the Treaty of Bassein was signed on board the galleon San Mateos (St. Matthew).[21] Bassein and the seven islands of Bombay were surrendered later by a treaty of peace and commerce between Bahadur Shah and Nuno da Cunha on 25 October 1535, permanently ending the Islamic rule on the islands.[18]

Development of islands

St. Michael's Church in Mahim
, the oldest Portuguese Franciscan church in Bombay, was built in 1534.

In the general distribution of estates which occurred after 1534,

Cosme Corres, and Manuel Corres. Trombay and Chembur were granted to Roque Tello de Menezes, and the Island of Pory (Elephanta Island) to João Pirez in 1548 for 105 pardaos (Rs. 39-6-0).[30] The revenue of the custom house at Walkeshwar was granted to a Portuguese officer for 60 foedeas (Rs. 1-4-0).[23] Mazagaon was granted to António Pessoa.[22] In 1554, during the viceroyalty of Pedro Mascarenhas, the seven islands of Bombay were leased to Garcia de Orta, a Portuguese physician and botanist, for a yearly rent equivalent to about £85 sterling. Orta had fled Portugal to escape the trials of the Portuguese Inquisition, established in 1536, that kept an eye on Jewish families converted to Catholicism and severely persecuted them in case of real or imagined relapse on their former faith.[31]

Davies' sketch of Bombay harbour, 1626
Salsette
.

Garcia de Orta was responsible for building the manor-house (

Kolis, a fishing community, formed the most numerous class of people, and dwelt in most parts of Bombay from Colaba in the south to Sion and Mahim in the north. Other Hindu communities residing were, the Kunbis and Agris (Curumbins) (who cultivated the fields and sowed them with rice and all sorts of pulse), the Malis (who tended the orchards), and the Piaes (men-at-arms) (who were Bhandaris). The Parus (Prabhus) dwelt in Mahim, Bombay, and Parel. They collected the rents of the King and of the inhabitants and their estates, and were also merchants. The Muslim Moors in Bombay were solely engaged in maritime trade. A few Muslims of less mixed descent were living in Mahim, but the bulk of the followers of Islam belonged to the Konkani Muslim community. Christians residing in Bombay during his time included eleven Roman Catholic Portuguese families of married men. The other three communities mentioned by Orta as residents in Bassein and its surrounding tracts were Baneanes (Banias), Coaris or Esparcis (Parsis), and Deres (Dheds or Mahars) or Farazes. Most Banias and Parsis did not actually settle in Bombay until after its cession to England by the Portuguese.[32] Bombay apparently remained in Orta's possession until his peaceful death in Goa in 1570. Several years later, his bones were exhumed and burnt at the stake for his Jewish faith. The islands appears to have been granted on the same tenure to several Portuguese officials in succession.[33]

Castella de Aguada (Fort of the Waterpoint) was built by the Portuguese at Bandra in 1640.

The Portuguese encouraged intermarriage with the local population, and strongly supported the

Parsi to settle in Bombay in 1640. The Parsis immensely contributed towards the future development of Bombay during the British period.[44] In 1640, the Portuguese built Castella da Aguada (Fort of the Waterpoint) at Bandra, as a watchtower overlooking the Mahim Bay, the Arabian Sea and the southern island of Mahim.[45] It was armed with seven cannons and other smaller guns as defence.[46]

End of Portuguese rule

Catherine de Braganza, whose marriage treaty with Charles II of England
placed Bombay in the possession of the British Empire

In 1652, the Surat Council of the British Empire urged the

British East India Company to purchase Bombay from the Portuguese.[47] In 1654, the British East India Company drew the attention of Oliver Cromwell
, the Lord protector of the short lived Commonwealth, to this suggestion by the Surat Council, laying great stress upon its excellent harbour and its natural isolation from land-attacks.
Dutch Empire forced the English to acquire a station in western India. The Directors of the Council of Surat reported in 1659 that every effort should be made to obtain Bombay from King John IV of Portugal.[49] On 11 May 1661, the marriage treaty of Charles II of England and Catherine of Braganza, daughter of King John IV of Portugal, placed Bombay in the possession of the British Empire, as part of Catherine's dowry to Charles, along with the North African city of Tangier.[50]

On 19 March 1662,

Wadala and Elephanta island still remained under Portuguese possession, as much as Thane or Vasai.[52] From 1665 to 1666, Cooke managed to acquire Mahim, Sion, Dharavi, and Wadala for the English.[53][54]

Historiography

The historical period of Portuguese colonial rule in the seven original islands of Bombay (1534–1665) and in the remaining territory of the Northern Province of the Estado da Índia (1534–1739) has been scantly researched. During the second half of the 19th century, Dr. J Gerson da Cunha, a Bombayite of

Bombay Before the British
, developed by the Architecture Department of the University of Coimbra between 2004 and 2007.

See also

Notes

a ^ The current Bombay Castle was a structure built by the British on the site of the manor house.[56]

Citations

  1. ISBN 978-1-134-52859-2
    .
  2. ^ a b Nergish Sunavala (27 March 2018). "When Bombay went to East India Company for £10 rent | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  3. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, Ancient Period, pp. 127–150
  4. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, Medieval Period, pp. 150–157
  5. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, Muhammedan Period, pp. 157–163
  6. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, Seven Islands of Bombay, pp. 4–5
  7. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, Salsette group of islands, p. 5
  8. ^ McFarren 2004, p. 4
  9. ^ a b Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, p. 163
  10. ^ Kerr 1812
  11. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 71
  12. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, p. 164
  13. ^ Maharashtra State Gazetteer 1977, p. 153
  14. ^ Edwardes 1993, p. 65
  15. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 74
  16. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, p. 165
  17. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 77
  18. ^ a b Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, p. 166
  19. ^ Mughal Empire, Department of Social Sciences (University of California), archived from the original on 27 April 1999, retrieved 22 May 2009
  20. ^ Prasad 1974, p. 145
  21. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 88
  22. ^ a b c Da Cunha 1993, p. 206
  23. ^ a b Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, p. 167
  24. ^ Edwardes 1993, p. 75
  25. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 189
  26. ^ a b c Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, p. 170
  27. ISBN 978-9382277590
    .
  28. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 67
  29. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, Place Name of Bombay, p. 6
  30. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 96
  31. ^ Rajesh Kochhar, The truth behind the legend: European doctors in pre-colonial India, Indian Institute of Astrophysics (Bangalore), retrieved 17 August 2008
  32. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, pp. 168–69
  33. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, pp. 167–68
  34. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 283
  35. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 183
  36. ^ Baptista 1967, p. 25
  37. ^ Burnell 2007, p. 15
  38. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1986, St. Andrews Church, p. 524
  39. ^ Leonard 2006, p. 359
  40. ^ Nairne 1988, p. 6
  41. ^ Gupta, Sourendu (21 July 1997). "The First Englishmen in Bombay: Mumbai/Bombay pages". Archived from the original on 19 October 2008.
  42. ^ Dwivedi & Mehrotra 2001, p. 26
  43. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, p. 171
  44. DOC, 137 KB
    )     on 13 December 2006, retrieved 9 November 2008.
  45. Express Group, archived from the original
    on 24 July 2006, retrieved 16 September 2008
  46. ^ da Cunha 1993, p. 212
  47. ^ Sheppard 1932, p. 6
  48. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 172
  49. ^ Da Cunha 1993, p. 242
  50. ^ "Catherine of Bragança (1638–1705)", BBC, retrieved 5 November 2008
  51. ^ Thana District Gazetteer 1986, Portuguese (1500–1670)
  52. ^ Greater Bombay District Gazetteer 1960, p. 174
  53. ^ The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island 1978, p. 54
  54. ^ Malabari 1910, p. 99
  55. ^ Chatterjee, Sudeshna (31 August 2003). "Family Matters". The Times of India.
  56. Governor of Maharashtra, archived from the original
    on 23 September 2008, retrieved 7 November 2008

References

External links

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