THE PORTUGUESE IN MALABAR: TRADE NETWORKS AND POLITICAL INTERVENTION IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY

Abstract

This article examines the commercial expansion and political interventions of the Portuguese on the Malabar Coast during the sixteenth century, with particular reference to the voyages of Vasco da Gama and the subsequent establishment of Portuguese maritime dominance in the Indian Ocean. As the first European power to engage directly in the spice trade through an all-sea route, the Portuguese fundamentally altered existing trading networks and political relationships in the region. Beyond commerce, they actively intervened in local politics, forging alliances with select principalities while exacerbating rivalries among indigenous powers. The introduction of coercion and maritime violence marked a decisive departure from earlier patterns of Indian Ocean trade. This study analyses the nature of Portuguese trade, the mechanisms of control they employed, and the political consequences of their presence on the Malabar Coast.