Indian Christianity

HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN INDIA : M. M. NINAN
CHAPTER NINE
ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH MISSIONARIES
THE MALAYALAM BIBLE
AD 1816
Throughout the 16th century the Portuguese have no European rivals on the long sea route round Africa.
The situation changes in the early 17th century, when both the Dutch and the British created East India
companies. The Dutch, in particular, damaged Portugal's trade in India.
The next wave of colonizers came in the East India Company. On 31 December 1600, East India
Company was born as corporate entity for trade with the East Indies. The Company's ships first arrived
in India, at the port of Surat, in 1608.
Sir Thomas Roe - Britain's first Ambasador to India
Sir Thomas Roe reached the court of the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir, as the emissary of King James I in
1615, and gained for the British the right to establish a factory at Surat. Gradually the British expanded
and displaced the Portuguese and the Duch, driving the Portuguese to a few nisches and the Dutch
totally out of India. The British establised numerous trading posts along the coasts of India, and formed
three presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.
In 1757, British military under Robert Clive defeated the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-daulah at Plassey,
which gave them the soverignity of the land. This was the turning point in favor of the British Raj.
It was too much for the company itself to rule over the country and this led to mutiny of the armed forces.
The East India Company ruled India until the Sepoy Rebellion, a revolt led by Indian troops, broke out in
1857. The British defeated the rebels in 1858. As a result the crown took over with a Viceroy at New
Delhi. The East India Company went out of existence in 1873.
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