The French in India: Foundation of French Centres
Modern History › Advent of the Europeans in India · Topic 2.7
The French were the last Europeans to come to India to trade. Colbert founded the Compagnie des Indes Orientales in 1664, and Pondicherry, founded in 1674 under Francois Martin, became the nerve centre of French power in India.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Advent of the Europeans
At a Glance
- What it is The founding of the French East India Company and its Indian centres
- Founded 1664, by Colbert, minister of Louis XIV
- Nerve centre Pondicherry, founded in 1674; Francois Martin its builder
- Reorganised 1720, as the Perpetual Company of the Indies
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Advent of the Europeans
Where Does It Fit?
This is the seventh topic of the category on the advent of the Europeans. The previous topics covered the Portuguese, Dutch and English. The French were the last to arrive and became the English company’s main rival. The next two topics cover the Carnatic Wars they fought. Previous topic: Progress of the English Company in the Seventeenth Century.
How Was the French East India Company Founded?
The French were the last Europeans to come to India with the purpose of trade. Although they had wished to trade in the East since the early sixteenth century, they appeared on the Indian coasts late. In the reign of Louis XIV, his famous minister Colbert laid the foundation of the Compagnie des Indes Orientales, the French East India Company, in 1664, and the king also took deep interest in it.
The company was granted a 50-year monopoly on French trade in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The king also gave it a concession in perpetuity for the island of Madagascar, and any other territories it could conquer. The company spent a lot of money and effort to revive the colonies of Madagascar, but without success.
Where Did the French Set Up Their First Centres?
| Year | Centre | Who and how |
|---|---|---|
| 1667 | Surat | Francois Caron led an expedition to India and set up a factory |
| 1669 | Masulipatnam | Mercara, a Persian who accompanied Caron, founded the factory after getting a patent from the Sultan of Golconda |
| 1673 | Chandernagore | Permission from Shaista Khan, the Mughal subahdar of Bengal, to set up a township near Calcutta |
| 1674 | Pondicherry | Site given in 1673 by Sher Khan Lodi, governor of Valikondapuram under the Bijapur Sultan, to Francois Martin |
The French also set up factories in other coastal regions, notably Mahe, Karaikal, Balasore and Qasim Bazar.
Why Was Pondicherry the Nerve Centre of French Power?
Sher Khan Lodi, governor of Valikondapuram under the Bijapur Sultan, gave Francois Martin, the director of the Masulipatnam factory, a site for a settlement in 1673. Pondicherry was founded in 1674. In the same year Martin replaced Caron as the French governor.
After taking charge of Pondicherry, Martin developed it into a place of importance. It became the stronghold of the French in India. From here the French later directed their wars and diplomacy in the south.
What Early Setbacks Did the French Face?
The French position was badly hurt when war broke out between the Dutch and the French. The Dutch, strengthened by their alliance with the English since the Revolution of 1688, captured Pondicherry in 1693. The Treaty of Ryswick of September 1697 restored Pondicherry to the French, but the Dutch garrison held on to it for two more years. Under Martin’s guidance the town flourished again and became the most important French settlement in India.
Fortunes turned bad again when the War of the Spanish Succession broke out in Europe. The French had to abandon their factories at Surat, Masulipatnam and Bantam in the early eighteenth century. They suffered another setback when Francois Martin died on 31 December 1706.
How Was the Company Reorganised in 1720?
In 1720 the French company was reorganised as the Perpetual Company of the Indies, and its strength revived. Two active and wise governors, Lenoir and Dumas, led it between 1720 and 1742. French India was also backed by France’s possession of Mauritius and Reunion in the southern Indian Ocean, which gave the company naval bases.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1664 | Colbert founds the Compagnie des Indes Orientales |
| 1667 | Caron sets up the factory at Surat |
| 1673 | Chandernagore granted; Pondicherry site given |
| 1674 | Pondicherry founded; Martin becomes governor |
| 1693 | The Dutch capture Pondicherry |
| 1697 | Treaty of Ryswick restores Pondicherry |
| 1706 | Death of Francois Martin |
| 1720 | Reorganisation as the Perpetual Company of the Indies |
As an analytical point, the French company was supported by the king but depended on events in Europe. Each European war cut into its Indian business, a weakness that the English company, as a private enterprise, felt less.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Rival of the English The French company led to the Carnatic Wars, which decided who would rule India
- Factual questions The 1664 founding, Pondicherry in 1674 and the 1720 reorganisation are asked often
- Link to later topics clive-and-the-anglo-french-struggle-a-comparison/" class="maargx-auto-link" data-preview="At a Glance What it is A profile of Dupleix and a comparison of why the English succeeded and the French failed…">Dupleix, the governor of Pondicherry, turned the French from traders into political rivals
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the First and Second Carnatic Wars, the first contests between the English and the French in south India.
Key People and Terms
- Compagnie des Indes Orientales The French East India Company founded in 1664
- Colbert The minister of Louis XIV who founded the company
- Francois Martin The founder of Pondicherry and the French governor from 1674
- Treaty of Ryswick The treaty of September 1697 that restored Pondicherry to France
- Perpetual Company of the Indies The name of the company after its reorganisation in 1720
- Mauritius and Reunion The French island possessions that backed French India
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- The French company was founded in 1664 by Colbert; the monopoly was for 50 years.
- Surat factory: 1667 (Caron); Masulipatnam: 1669; Chandernagore: 1673.
- Pondicherry founded in 1674 by Francois Martin.
- The Dutch captured Pondicherry in 1693; the Treaty of Ryswick followed in 1697.
- Reorganised in 1720 as the Perpetual Company of the Indies; governors Lenoir and Dumas.
Do Not Confuse With
- Caron and Martin Caron set up Surat in 1667; Martin founded Pondicherry in 1674 and replaced Caron as governor
- Chandernagore and Pondicherry Chandernagore is near Calcutta in Bengal; Pondicherry is on the Coromandel coast
- 1664 and 1720 The company was founded in 1664 and reorganised in 1720
Memory Hook
Colbert founded it, Caron began it, Martin built Pondicherry.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the French company’s early history and weaknesses. These points add depth.
- State support The king backed the company with a long monopoly, but this also tied it to French politics
- European wars Wars in Europe repeatedly hurt the company in India, as in 1693 and the early eighteenth century
- Strong centre Pondicherry gave the French a fortified base that later served Dupleix
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Trace the origin and early growth of the French East India Company in India.”
How to Answer
- Origin State Colbert’s company of 1664 and its 50-year monopoly.
- Centres Give Surat, Masulipatnam, Chandernagore and Pondicherry with years.
- Setbacks Mention the Dutch capture in 1693 and the abandoned factories.
- Revival Conclude with the reorganisation in 1720 and Lenoir and Dumas.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the French East India Company founded?
The French East India Company, the Compagnie des Indes Orientales, was founded in 1664 by Colbert, the minister of Louis XIV. It received a 50-year monopoly on French trade in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and a perpetual concession for Madagascar.
Why is Pondicherry important in French Indian history?
Pondicherry, founded in 1674 on a site given to Francois Martin by Sher Khan Lodi, became the nerve centre of French power in India. Martin developed it into the stronghold of the French, and it flourished again after it was restored in 1697.
Who founded the first French factories in India?
Francois Caron led an expedition in 1667 and set up a factory at Surat. Mercara, a Persian with Caron, founded a factory at Masulipatnam in 1669 after getting a patent from the Sultan of Golconda, and permission for Chandernagore came from Shaista Khan in 1673.
What was the Treaty of Ryswick?
The Treaty of Ryswick, concluded in September 1697, restored Pondicherry to the French after the Dutch had captured it in 1693. The Dutch garrison, however, held on to the town for two more years before French control returned.
Why did the French abandon factories in the early eighteenth century?
The War of the Spanish Succession broke out in Europe, and as a result the French had to abandon their factories at Surat, Masulipatnam and Bantam in the early eighteenth century. The death of Francois Martin on 31 December 1706 was another setback.
How was the French company reorganised in 1720?
In 1720 the French company was reorganised as the Perpetual Company of the Indies, which revived its strength. Two active governors, Lenoir and Dumas, led it from 1720 to 1742, and the French possessions of Mauritius and Reunion backed French India.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The French East India Company was founded in 1664 by Colbert.
It was granted a 50-year monopoly.
2 Pondicherry was founded in 1674 by Francois Caron.
It was founded under Francois Martin; Caron set up the Surat factory in 1667.
3 The Dutch captured Pondicherry in 1693.
The Treaty of Ryswick restored it in 1697.
4 Chandernagore was granted with the permission of Shaista Khan, the Mughal subahdar of Bengal.
It is near Calcutta.
5 The French company was reorganised as the Perpetual Company of the Indies in 1720.
Lenoir and Dumas governed from 1720 to 1742.
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