Volume : VIII, Issue : IV, April - 2019

The French East India Company‘s Trading Relations with the Ahom State

Kakoli Gogoi

Abstract :

Abstract: The 18th century has been one of the most debated centuries in Indian history which can be seen as a ‘threshold’ between two major time–frame: the pre–colonial and colonial period of Indian history. Several political, economic and social developments in regional level made this century historically a dynamic and viant century.Colonial powers who were vying against each other for gaining a foothold in areas which was formerly under the control of the Mughal Empire (in theory; if not in reality), were extending their interest towards the uncharted territories in search of newer markets and materials. This paper intends to examine the French East India Company’s endevour to establish trading relation with Assam in the light of the writings of a French official and trader, Jean Baptiste Chevalier who had visited Assam in the 18th century. My focus will be to understand the nature of trade and commerce and the economic relationship between the mercantile groups in Assam on the eve of the 19th century British colonialism. Summary: Difficult physiological situation combined with the policy of exclusion followed by the Ahom state made it difficult for the foreign visitors to enter this land. Around this time when the neighboring Bengal was experiencing a flare of economic activities in terms of both inland and overseas trade, and when the influence of these activities was felt in the Koch kingdoms, the policy of strict exclusion and regulation observed by the Ahom State pushed further date for colonial intervention.

Article: Download PDF    DOI : https://www.doi.org/10.36106/paripex  

Cite This Article:

THE FRENCH EAST INDIA COMPANY'S TRADING RELATIONS WITH THE AHOM STATE, Kakoli Gogoi PARIPEX‾INDIAN JOURNAL OF RESEARCH : Volume-8 | Issue-4 | April-2019

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