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Home , Annamalai Nagar, Coromandel Coast

International Journal of Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Vol.11, No. 3, (2020), pp. 2625–2629

The Emergence Of British Imperialism On The Coromandel Coast Through Defensive Architecture 1Mr .P.Arumugasamy, Ph.D Research Scholar, Department of History, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar-605 602 ,

2Dr. Hameed Basha.B, Assistant professor, Department of History, Arignar Anna Government Arts College (Deputed from Annamalai University), Villupuram-605 608, Introduction

European countries were fascinated over the spices which prevalent in and its nearby islands. These has been renowned as ‘spice islands’ in south , acted as the lucrative market in 16th and 17th century A.D. Yesteryear, the spice were traded via silk routes (land route) from Asia to . In 1453 A.D, a trading center or hub was captured by the ottoman Turks which shutdown the Europeans trading activities. At the time, Europeans have using the spices for enormously would leads huge demand in Europe. Henceforth, European countries have tried to find a new route to reach India by their ships. On the historic path five Europeans countries, (especially geographically situated in ) like Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, British and French, have planned and proceed to identify the shortest route for India. In this battle English descended later while Portuguese, Dutch, and Danish constructed their prominent position there. However, British come almost last to fulfill the spice needs by its country. Once they came to India for trade but they get the great chance to emergence their kingdom in India. Finally, British dominated the entire world by its policies, administrative capabilities, and wise Governors.

In the beginning of 20th century Great Britain was consisted roughly 10 million square miles territory and approximately 400 million people to its overseas empire. 1This tremendous achievement may grasp the British by its imperialistic policy, which implemented on colonial approach. On the territorial expansion British founding its empire by erecting trading post, factories, then forts, finally expanding fortified cities. All the move were had been aiming to establish their trading activated in India, with competed other European countries. While made their settlement all over India, especially coastal regions which helpful for trading activities.

1.First Author 2.Corresponding Author

On the phenomenon, British established their defensive architectures for production from native rulers or Europeans. Those who have erected the strategic important architecture might be help for survival and development. This study has focused how the defensive architecture helps to emerge the British imperialist policy on Coromandel Coast. Also this study has find out the relationship between the defensive architecture and imperialism on India, especially Coromandel Coast.

Imperialism

Imperialism and colonialism are often used as interchangeable terms as there is a lot of common ground between them. In modern dialect, the imperialism means to dominate the physical, cultural and intellectual subjects to the other countries. The term ‘imperialism’ etymologically resembles parental term of empire. The empire means to dominate the entire either one country or more. Perhaps, imperialism might be the enlarge concept of colonialism.2 The ‘word’ imperialism was prominently used 2625

ISSN: 2005-4289 IJDRBC Copyright ⓒ2020 SERSC International Journal of Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Vol.11, No. 3, (2020), pp. 2625–2629 in the starting of the nineteenth century to describe the process by which a state either acquired formal jurisdiction over another people or gained substantial influence over their political, economic, and social affairs. However, the policy of Imperialism may begin in the before the 18th century. From the late 1800s through the early 1900s, pursued of policy of imperialism that became known as New Imperialism.

While European countries were efforts to find a direct trade route to Asia during the age of old imperialism. From the development and growth of the British Empire occurred over many centuries. It is difficult of be precise about the dates without first defining what is to be included under the category of imperial expansion.3 European nations have established colonies in America, India, South and the . The way of Empire ‘worked’ also defined imperialism.4 The territories of the British of the British Empire were protected by the world’s largest navy. Its sea-lanes, the arteries of trade, were filled with a vast merchant fleet. As British influence expanded overseas this process continue on a larger scale and the acquisitions of an empire became an important feature of British identify. Britain’s rapid acquisitions of extensive territories in Africa and Asia in the late nineteenth century appeared to be a sudden and radical departure from its preference for informal influence. Perhaps, India might be the important and influential of Britain’s imperial possessions in the world. As such, it does not fall neatly into the categories of the ‘old’ or ‘new’ imperialist. The British East India Company gained control of India during the eighteenth century by its policies and ideologies. As Britain’s first major imperial possession to have a non- European majority, India become the administrative model for British holdings in Africa and other parts of Asia. It would have been impossible to conquer and administer millions of people living in such a vast expanse of territory without the tacit assistance of at least a small segment of the Indian population. Moreover, Britain spread India’s peoples, products, and cultures around the globe, and in much way the resulting overseas empire was almost as Indian as it was British Thus India serves as an excellent model of the impact of imperialism on both non-European peoples and the Births themselves.

Penetration of British on India

India have consisted with largest coast line which helps to involve the trading activates easier for Europeans. Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese sailor found the easy and shortest route to India triggered the Europeans to complete their wish. India’s wealth and spices attracted the Europeans to made trading actively. A group of merchants from London formed a corporate company called “Governor and Company of merchants of London trading to the East Indies”, simply renowned as East India company (EIC) decided to trade with India, while applying permission to Queen Elizabeth II, and received the royal charter on December 31, 1600 A.D.5 Firstly, they reached India by a ship called ‘Hector’, at Surat, a western coast of India in 1608. Secondly they established their trading activities all over the coast of India gradually. Finally, a company’s ship named ‘Globe’ registered their visit in first time at Coromandel Coast, via Cape Comorin.6 While they crossed Cape Comorin, other Europeans have established their settlements in Coromandel viz., San Thome, Pulicot, Dansborg, and by Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, and French respectively.

Coromandel Coast

Indian coasts are classified into three major heads like eastern, western and Southern. The western coast called as Arabian Sea, eastern coast renowned as , and southern ocean called as . The western coast’s subdivided into two parts, northern and southern, northern circa and Coromandel respectively. The Coromandel Coast is a term which applied to the eastern Coast of the peninsula of India. The word means ‘the realm of Chora’.Portugues, who enter the Indian coastline firstly, used the name Coromandel by their documents and maps. The East India Company adopted it in their official documents. Their consultation books and diaries were thus inscribed, ‘The Diary and consultation Books of the Agent Governor and council; their proceedings and transactions for the affairs of the 2626

ISSN: 2005-4289 IJDRBC Copyright ⓒ2020 SERSC International Journal of Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Vol.11, No. 3, (2020), pp. 2625–2629 honorable East India company in the agency of the coast of Chormandel and the Bay of Bengal”.7 A circumvent the hegemony of the Mughals and issues of Marathas, British moved to settled southern part of India. Indeed, their choice would be Coromandel Coast, which ruled native Hindu king called Venkatanayaka. An avoiding the interference of the kingdom, and made possibility of the trading British has enthusiastically settled in Coromandel. Coromandel was much famous for its goods like spices, clothes like calicoes and painting muslins.8

In a gradual development of the British have started their trading post, factories and made defensive architecture in and around the Coromandel Coast. However, some of the settlements failed to fulfill their wish. Earlier Aramagon, British have established their settlements northern part of Coromandel. Then they established another settlement in Masulipatam, might be acted as principal in the Coromandel Coast on 1639 A.D.9

Defensive Architecture

The terms relating to forts and fortifications classifies into several names like fort, fortified city, fortified factory, fortified port, fortress, ramparts and walls, parapet, Marlon, embrasure, Machicolations, gate/gateway, bastions, the citadel, main fort, secondary fort and outpost.10 The defensive architecture primarily called as fort, means which construction specially designed for defense of a particular place against the forces of enemies. Forts had a played life saving building to product the residence of the kingdom, royals, nobles and chiefs. Some places fort must be placed center of the city and protected the entire city itself. Earlier it was built by protection form predatory animals. In Coromandel Coast there was lot of defensive architectures in the colonial period. (Some are existed still today). Each European country have some fortifications viz., Duth (Geldria Fort at ) and Sadras. Fort (Kadapakkam), French (St Louis Fort at Pondicherry), and Danish (Dansborg at ). On the consequences British have fortification at Fort St George (Madras) and Fort St David ().

British defensive architecture in Coromandel Coast

British desire to found their settlements with geographical advantages, especially near river, port, commercial areas (goods were easily buy and sell), and Coastal region. However, Coromandel don’t have any natural harbors. But some of the lagoon may help to build their forts and protected their territory and lead their commercial activities on this region. The Armagon and Masulipatam were the earliest settlement of British settlements. In the year 1639 the principal factory on the coast was at Masulipatm11. However, these areas have failed to fulfill the needs of them. So they surfed to made new settlement over the coast. On the consequences, and Andrew Cogan, from Armagan enthusiastically sailed the coast to find the better place for their trading needs. Francis Day finds a better place near San Thome, Portuguese settlements and situated near the river Cooum and also near the Sea. After the successful identification of better place for new settlement, called Madras with permission of local chief named Damela Vincatedree Nague12. Later, the British settlement named Armagan was dismantled completely.13 Perhaps, Portuguese mentioned this place as Madras.14 This wise decision would be development of British imperialism in India.

Fort St George

Fort St George was founded by Francis day and Andrew Cogan who have received the royal charter from the native king Damela vintatedro Nague on 22nd July 163915. The construction of the forts had been started in 1640, and then it became the capital of the British entire . This could be first fortress of the British in India which helps the British empower in the Coromandel Coast. This fort acted as the commercial hub of entire south India has given enormous wealth to the British. In and around 2627

ISSN: 2005-4289 IJDRBC Copyright ⓒ2020 SERSC International Journal of Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Vol.11, No. 3, (2020), pp. 2625–2629 the fort having huge settlement of weaving community may produce the high quality clothes like calicoes. Also, some of spices received from the bantam via ships, and exported the goods to Europe. For the sake of development, it reaches prominent position and acted head quarters for Vizagapattam, Nizampatam, Masulipatam, Madapallam, Armagan and Fort St.David. Moreover, it safeguarded from the native kings and other European countries that have settled nearby Madras and Cuddalore. Perhaps, the French (Pondicherry) and British fought themselves when rise of Austrian war succession in Europe. These wars have been renowned as . At the time British forcefully fighting against French and won the two wars out of three wars. In this win given a great phase to the British on this region made imperialist British.

St. David

After Fort St George, Fort St David might be second capital of the British in Coromandel Coast. In 1690, the George Town officials have approached Rama Raja, the Maratha chief of Gingee, for the purchase of the small Portuguese fort which exists at Devanampatam at Cuddalore. Cuddalore exported textiles all over the world. The fort erected strongly double walled around 500 feet long and 400 feet broad. While the French and Dutch have desire to buy the old fort before the British. However, ram raja sell the fort to British around 1, 50, 000 chakrams.16 The fort has been described as a quadrangle with indifferent walls and a ditch. There were bastions at each angle and one redoubt thrown forward on the north east corner. The entire fort was constructed within the wall and fortified well.17 Geographically, Fort St. David situated in , once called as South Arcot District. Most important period in the history of Fort St.David, when it took place of Fort St George as the chief settlement on the Coromandel Coast in 1725, however, sanction was received from the court of Directors to erect a bastion face island lying between Cuddalore and the Fort, but the state of the fortifications at that time seems to have been ruinous in 1740.18 On the fall of Madras, Fort St David, in south Arcot, was declared chief of the company’s factories on the East Coast.19 Moreover, the French siege the fort between 7th June 1783 and 25th July 1783. The English strongly defeated the siege and tackle them for favour, to reveal their bravery on this incident.

How Defensive architecture helps to emerge imperialism In ancient period kings were constructed temples to show the kings devotion and power. During medieval period kings build the palaces and huge tombs to show their hegemony. On the same path British erect the defensive architecture to show the power and dominance to the territory which they administrated itself. British have founded the trading post, factories near the coastal regions for their trading activities. Over the years, they desire to enlarge the factories to entire coasts with fighting on other Europeans. For their ability and power politics they acquire entire areas from India. Earlier, British controlled three major cities like Madras, Calcutta and Bombay. These towns had known its defensive architecture at the colonial period. Perhaps, Madras known as George town or Fort St George, Calcutta renowned as Fort William, also Bombay(now called Mumbai) known as Bombay castle. On the erection of this defensive architecture British controlled the three major towns, later become capitals. Now also this city becomes metropolitan cities. British architecture in India has to shoe the embodiment of Imperialism ever.20 Kings show their authority on the region through their ‘Power’. The power means to control the entire region by constructing the buildings homogeneous. By the same, British have to control the entire regions on erecting the defensive architecture. But the word ‘power’ has used in a different way as ‘imperialism’. Within the 40 years of time, British reached India; they build the fort in Madras, by the visionary idea of Francis Day. But this idea enlarged the British territory and grasp large areas in India, called the biggest colonial area of the British. Conclusion Nevertheless, there was lot of reasons behind the genesis of British political heightening like wars, commercial development, and political dominance. But the prominent reason might be the erection of defensive architecture, especially forts on the administrative capitals. Both old imperialism and new 2628

ISSN: 2005-4289 IJDRBC Copyright ⓒ2020 SERSC International Journal of Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Vol.11, No. 3, (2020), pp. 2625–2629 imperialism were spread all over the world, especially India, for the support of defensive architecture. However, the Imperialism concept was known by the people only in 19th century A.D. But the foundations of imperialism and colonialism emerged from the erection of building in colonial regions, particularly India. Both Fort St.George and St.David were acted as the principal capitals on British period. If British have not made the settlement with geographical advantages, British may not glorify in the commercial phenomenon. Also they defend the political enemies like other Europeans with strong defensive architectures. If they lost the battle with natives and Europeans, they also vanished like the other Europeans like Portuguese and Dutch. Both forts help the British from ordinary commercial company to imperialist authority in India, especially Coromandel Coast. Thus, the British imperialism was emerged and succeeded only because of the defensive architecture in Coromandel Coast.

References 1. Timothy H. parsons, The British Imperial Century, 1815-1914, Rowman & Littlefield , London,P.3 2. Ram Chandra Pradhan, Colonialism in India, Prabhat paperbacks, New Delhi, 2017,P.17 3. Anthony Webster, The Debate in the rise of the empire, Manchester University press, New York, 2006,p.2 4. Robert Johnson, British Imperialism, Palgrave Macmillan, New York, 2003, p.4 5. John Bruce, Honorable East India Company, Vol. I, Printed by authority of the Honorable court of Directors, London, P.36 6. Frank penny, Fort St George Madras, Swan Sonnenschein & co, London, 1900, p.3 7. F.E.penny, On the Coromandel coast, Smith elder & co., London, 1908,p.1 8. J.Tallboys wheeler, India under the British Rule from the foundation of the East India company, Macmillan and co., London, 1886, p.7. 9. Frank Penny, The Church in Madras, Smith, elder & co., London, 1904, p.17 10. M.S.Narvane, The Maritime and Coastal Forts of India, APH publishing, 1998, p.6 11. Frank Penny, The Church in Madras, Smith, elder & co., London, 1904, p.17 12. Henry Davison Love, Indian records series vestiges of Old Madras, 1640-1800, Vol.I, The Government of India, London, 1913, p.14 13. O.C.,No. 1792, 26th sept, 1642. 14. David Leighton, Vicissitudes of Fort St George, A.J. Cambridge, & co, Madras, P.5 15. O.C.,No.1690, 22nd July, 1639 16. Vekataraman, Trade and commercial contact between England and the Coromandel coast AD 1600 to 1746, University of Madras, 2011,P.25 17. M.S. Naravane, The Maritime and Coastal Forts of India, APh publishing, New Delhi, 1998, P.112 18. J.H.Garistin, Manual of the South Arcot District, Lawrence abylum press, Madras, 1878,p.63 19. H A Newell, Madras the birth place of British India, Madras, 1919, p.28 20. P.scriver and V.Prakash, Colonial Modernities : Buildings, Dwelling and Architecture in British India and Ceylon, Routledge, 2007, p. 40

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ISSN: 2005-4289 IJDRBC Copyright ⓒ2020 SERSC