Question
Describe Masulipatnam as a trading town.

Answer

The town of Masulipatnam lay on the delta of Krishna river. In the 17th century it was the centre of trading activity:
  • Dutch and East India company tried to control it as it was the important port on Andhra coast.
  • The trade of spices, textiles and other items offered incentives and all the companies wanted to control it.
  • Qutb Shahi rulers of Golconda imposed monopolies over various trade items and put restrictions on European trading companies.
  • There was a stiff competition among trading companies- the Golconda nobles, Persian merchants, Telegu Komati and European traders. This made the city populous and prosperous.
  • Mughals annexed Golconda in 1686-87. This made Europeans look elsewhere for alternatives. They moved towards Bombay, Kolkata and Chennai. Thus Masulipatnam lost its rfierchants and prosperity.

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