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Question 16 of 73 · Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule
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The French acquired Pondicherry (Puducherry), which François Martin developed into their main settlement in India, in the year:

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Answer: Option B — 1673

Detailed Solution

The French East India Company acquired the village of Pondicherry (Puducherry) in 1673 from the Sultan of Bijapur's governor, and François Martin developed it into the main French settlement in India.

About François Martin:

  • He was an official of the French East India Company.
  • He took charge of Pondicherry in 1674 and built it up as a trading centre.
  • He fortified the settlement, and it grew into a busy town.
  • He served as its governor until his death in 1706.
  • Pondicherry was briefly captured by the Dutch in 1693, but was returned to the French in 1699 under the Treaty of Ryswick.

The French East India Company:

  • It was founded in 1664, during the reign of King Louis XIV, under the guidance of his minister Colbert.
  • Unlike the English and Dutch companies, it was a state-controlled company.
  • Its first factory in India was set up at Surat in 1668 (by Francois Caron).
  • It set up another factory at Masulipatnam in 1669.

Other French settlements:

  • Chandernagore (Chandannagar) in Bengal, obtained in 1690-92.
  • Mahe (on the Malabar coast), Karaikal (on the Coromandel coast) and Yanam (in Andhra Pradesh).

The Anglo-French conflict:

  • In the 18th century, under an ambitious governor, the French tried to build political power in south India, leading to the Carnatic Wars with the English.
  • The French were defeated at Wandiwash (1760), and their power in India declined.
  • Pondicherry was captured several times by the British, but was returned under various treaties.

Pondicherry after 1947:

  • The French possessions were transferred to India: Chandernagore in 1950 (merged with West Bengal in 1954), and Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam de facto in 1954 (de jure in 1962).
  • They form the Union Territory of Puducherry.
  • The name was officially changed from Pondicherry to Puducherry in 2006.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗1664 was the year the French East India Company was founded.
  • ✗1690 was around when Chandernagore was obtained.
  • ✗1739 is the year the French acquired Karaikal.

Quick tip

Remember: French East India Company founded 1664 (Colbert); first factory Surat 1668; Pondicherry acquired 1673 (developed by François Martin); Chandernagore 1690s; transfer to India 1954.

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Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch, English, Danes and French in India, the growth of the East India Company, and the battles, wars and treaties through which British power expanded, including the Battles of Plassey and Buxar, the Anglo-Mysore, Anglo-Maratha and Anglo-Sikh wars, and policies such as subsidiary alliance and the doctrine of lapse. Typical questions ask which battle was fought in which year and between whom, which treaty ended which war, and which Governor-General introduced a policy. For example, the Battle of Plassey (1757) was fought between Robert Clive and Siraj-ud-Daulah, and the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) gave the Company the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Practise the arrival of Europeans and expansion of British rule questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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