Several European countries ruled parts of India during different periods, primarily during the Age of Exploration and Colonialism. Here’s a breakdown:
🇬🇧 1. United Kingdom (British Empire)
- Period: 1757 – 1947
- Controlled Areas:
- Entire Indian subcontinent by the 19th century
- Major Presidencies:
- Bengal Presidency – Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, and Assam
- Bombay Presidency – Maharashtra, Gujarat, Sindh, and parts of Karnataka
- Madras Presidency – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka
- Princely States: Over 500 princely states, ruled indirectly through local rulers.
🇵🇹 2. Portugal (Portuguese Empire)
- Period: 1498 – 1961 (in Goa, Daman & Diu)
- Controlled Areas:
- Goa (1510 – 1961) – Main Portuguese stronghold in India.
- Daman and Diu (1559 – 1961) – Western coastal territories.
- Dadra and Nagar Haveli (1779 – 1954) – Nearby enclaves.
- Coastal trading ports:
- Cochin (Kerala) – 1503 to 1663, before the Dutch took over.
- Chaul and Vasai (Maharashtra) – Held briefly.
🇳🇱 3. Netherlands (Dutch East India Company – VOC)
- Period: 1605 – 1825
- Controlled Areas:
- Pulicat (Tamil Nadu) – Major trading hub.
- Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu) – Important Dutch colony.
- Sadras / Sadurangapattinam (near Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu)
- Cochin (Kerala) – Taken from the Portuguese in 1663.
- Chinsurah (West Bengal) – Commercial center near Calcutta.
🇫🇷 4. France (French East India Company)
- Period: 1668 – 1954
- Controlled Areas:
- Pondicherry (Puducherry) – Main French colony.
- Chandannagar (West Bengal) – A trading post near Calcutta.
- Karikal (Tamil Nadu) – Coastal town.
- Mahe (Kerala) – Strategic location on the Malabar Coast.
- Yanam (Andhra Pradesh) – Small enclave on the east coast.
- French territories were formally integrated into India in 1954.
🇩🇰 5. Denmark (Danish East India Company)
- Period: 1620 – 1845
- Controlled Areas:
- Tranquebar (Tamil Nadu) – Main Danish settlement.
- Serampore (Srirampur in West Bengal) – Trading post near Calcutta.
- Denmark sold its Indian territories to the British in 1845.
📚 Summary:
- British Rule: Pan-India, direct and indirect control.
- Portuguese Rule: Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra, Nagar Haveli, and parts of Kerala.
- Dutch Rule: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bengal.
- French Rule: Pondicherry, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh.
- Danish Rule: Tamil Nadu, West Bengal.
British colonialism is estimated to have drained $45 trillion (in 2018 US dollars) from India during its rule, according to renowned economist Utsa Patnaik. While the overall wealth extracted by Portugal is not quantified precisely, its monopoly over the Indian Ocean trade routes brought substantial profits back to Lisbon.
The impact of colonial exploitation left India economically drained, with its share of the world economy dropping from ~23% in 1700 to less than 4% by 1950.
List of major European countries that have had colonial or imperial rule over other territories:
- United Kingdom - The British Empire was one of the largest in history, ruling over countries such as India, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Malaysia, Egypt and many others.
- France - France had a significant colonial empire, including territories in Africa (e.g., Algeria, Morocco, Senegal, Madagascar, Mali), Asia (e.g., Vietnam, Cambodia), and the Caribbean (e.g., Haiti).
- Spain - Spain ruled over large parts of the Americas (e.g., Mexico, Peru, Argentina, Chile), Cuba as well as the Philippines and other territories.
- Portugal - Portugal had colonies in Africa (e.g., Angola, Mozambique), Asia (e.g., Goa, Macau, East Timor), and South America (e.g., Brazil).
- Netherlands - The Dutch Empire included territories such as Indonesia, Suriname, South Africa (Dutch Cape Colony) and various Caribbean islands.
- Germany - Germany had colonies in Africa (e.g., Tanzania, Namibia, Cameroon, Togo) and the Pacific (e.g., parts of New Guinea).
- Italy - Italy ruled over colonies in Africa, including Libya, Eritrea, Somalia and briefly Ethiopia. Also occupied territories during World War II, including Albania and Greece.
- Belgium - Belgium's main colony was the Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) where its rule was particularly brutal and notorious. It also ruled Rwanda, and Burundi.
- Denmark - Denmark had colonies in the Caribbean (e.g., the Virgin Islands), Iceland and Greenland. It also controlled Tranquebar in Tamil Nadu, India.
- Sweden - Sweden ruled parts of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and small colonies in the Caribbean (St. Barthélemy).
- Russia - Russia expanded its empire into Asia (e.g., Siberia) and briefly had colonies in North America (e.g., Alaska).
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