- The Dutch East India Company was formed in 1602 through a charter. The Dutch were primarily interested in spice trade. Therefore, they paid more attention to the Far East. India was just a trading depot for them. They established their first factory at Petapuli in North Coromandal in 1606, followed by another at Masulipatam in the same year. Gradually, they realized that Indian textiles could be the best commodity for exchange with the spice islands (Indonesian Archipelago). This necessitated expansion of their network in India. They established their factories at Pulicat (1610), Cambay (1620), Surat and Agra (1621), Hariharpur (1633), Patna (1638). Dacca (1650), Udaiganj (1651), Chinsura (1653), Qasimbazar, Baranagore, Balasore and Negapatam (1659-60).
- Kapilendra, minister to Bhanudeva IV (Eastern Ganga Dynasty), usurped the throne in 1435, establishing the Gajapati rule in Odisha.
- Expansion under Kapilendra:
- 1464-1465: Expanded his domain to South Arcot and parts of the Deccan plateau.
- 1459: Defeated Humayun Shah Bahmani, securing the Deccan from Bahmani invasions.
- 1450: Defeated Sultan Nasiruddin of Bengal, earning the title Gaudesvara.
- 1453: Incorporated Rajahmundry into his empire.
- Challenges and Conquests: Towards the end of Kapilendra’s reign, Saluva Narasimha of Vijayanagar expelled the Oriyas from the Kaveri basin.
- Pratapa Rudra Deva’s Reign (1497-1540): Faced continuous clashes with Vijayanagar and Bengal. In 1515, lost significant territories to Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagar, including Udayagiri and Kondavidu.
- In 1519, sued for peace, with the Krishna River becoming the dividing line between their empires. His daughter was married to Krishnadeva Raya.
- Decline and Fall of the Gajapati Dynasty: After Pratapa Rudra’s death in 1540, the Gajapati Empire weakened significantly. The dynasty came to an end by 1542, following successive military defeats and internal strife
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