Medieval and Modern Indian History

The early English settlements in India were primarily located in Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta. The Punjab was not one of these coastal trading hubs.

The French East India Company was established in 1664, not 1764, under the patronage of Jean-Baptiste Colbert during the reign of King Louis XIV.

Tranquebar was the first Danish trading post in India established in 1620. King Christian IV had sent his envoy Ove Gjedde who established contact with Raghunatha Nayak of Tanjore. The Nayak turned out to be interested in trading opportunities and negotiated a treaty granting them the village of Tranquebar.

The outbreak in 1756 of the Seven Years' War in Europe resulted in renewed conflict between French and British forces in India i.e the Third carnatic war. In 1760 AD in the Battle of Wandiwash, Sir Iyre Coote, the British general defeated the French general Count Lally. The war concluded with the signing of the 1763 Treaty of Paris, which returned Chandernagore and Pondichéry to France.

 Village economy was badly affected. The village panchayats were deprived of their rights. The introduction of the concept of private property in land turned land into a market com­modity. Changes came in social relationships. New social classes like the landlord, the trader, the money-lender, and the landed gentry shot into prominence. The class of rural proletariat, the poor peasant proprietor, the sub-tenant and the agricultural labourer multiplied in number. The climate of co-operation gradually gave place to the system of competition and individualism; the pre-requisites for the capitalist development of agriculture were created.

Perumals had representatives called Koyiladhikarikal. In the matters of administration the Perumals were assisted by Naluthali, the council of Bramhins. Perumals had a militia called Ayiram (Thousand). Perumals levied taxes from the Nadus, Nagaras (towns), Brahmin Gramas, temples, etc.

In the year 1799, Tipu Sultan was killed during the fourth Anglo-Mysore war in defending his capital, Srirangapatna.  The Nawab of Carnatic provided help to the Europeans and hence, the East India Company army with the support of Nizam of Hyderabad were successful in defeating Tipu Sultan.

By the second half of the 18th century the Sultans of Mysore, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan marched towards Kerala and led military campaigns which created frenzy among the Naduvazhis of northern Kerala. Nediyiruppu, Kola and other smaller Swaroopams quickly came under the Mysore Sultans. Thus, fearing the attack from Mysore Sultans many Naduvazhis and Desavazhis fled to Venadu.

Marthandavarma was instrumental in leading the province of Venadu into modernity. It was under him that Travancore became a modern state. Marthandavarma developed Travancore into a strong princely state in the 18th century by bringing out many administrative reforms and strengthening its militia.

The Perumals ruled Kerala during 800-1122 CE with their capital at Mahodayapuram. Perumals had a militia called Ayiram which means Thousand in Malayalam.

In order to increase their power, the Nadus used to clash with one another and used to join forces against common enemies like the Portuguese and the Dutch. The Swaroopams had their own military. Arisippadijanam of Venadu, Padamalanayanmar of Kolathu Nadu and Lokaru of Nediyiruppu were such armies. By the second half of the 18th century the Sultans of Mysore, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan marched towards Kerala and led military campaigns which created frenzy among the Naduvazhis of northern Kerala. Thus, fearing the attack from Mysore Sultans many Naduvazhis and Desavazhis fled to Venadu.

The centralized rule of the Perumals came to an end by 12th century CE. The Nadus became independent. The positions of power that eventually developed in the Nadus were known as Naduvazhi Swaroopams. The Swaroopams were the ruling families with the right of self-rule and they followed matrilineal system of inheritance called Marumakkathayam.

The Perumals had a centralised nature of administration. In the matters of administration the Perumals were assisted by Naluthali. Naluthali was a council of Brahmins.

In the administrative structure of the Vijayanagara Empire, the empire was divided into provinces (mandalam/rajya), which were further subdivided into districts known as Nadus.

The Behamani kingdom in the Deccan was founded by Hasan Gangu in 1347.