INDIA KERALA-FORT KOCHI HISTORY

Fort Kochi is a part of the city of Kochi in the state of Kerala, India. It consists of a handful of water bound regions toward the south west of the mainland Kochi and collectively known as Old Kochi or West Kochi. Adjacent to this is Mattancherry. In 1967, these 3 municipalities, along with a few adjoining areas, were amalgamated to form the Corporation of Cochin. One theory for the origin of the name is that it derives from “ Kochazhi” which , in Malayalam , denotes “ small estuary” . Kochi was a fishing village in the Kingdom of Kochi in the precolonial Kerala. The territory that would be later known as Fort Kochi was granted to the Portuguese in 1503 by the Rajah of Kochi, after the forces of Saamoothiri of Kozhikode. The rajah also gave them permission to build Fort Emmanuel near the water front to protect their commercial interests. The first part of the name Fort Kochi comes from this fort, which the Dutch later destroyed. The Portuguese built their settlement behind the fort, including a wooden church, which was rebuilt in 1516 as a permanent structure, today known as the St Francis Church.

Fort Kochi remained in Portuguese possession for 160 years. In 1683, the Dutch captured the territory from the Portuguese, destroyed many Portuguese institutions, particularly Catholic, including convents. The Dutch held Fort Kochi in their possession for 112 years until 1795, when the British took control by defeating the Dutch. Foreign control of Fort Kochi ended in 1947 with the Indian Independence .A mix of old houses in 1947 with the Indian independence.

A mix of old houses built by Portuguese, Dutch and British in these colonial periods line the streets of Fort Kochi St Francis Church was built in 1503 by the Portuguese as a Catholic church. Vasco da Gama was once buried in this church which now falls under the church of South India and is one of the national monuments. Santa Cruz Basilica, also built by the Portuguese in the 16^th century, was later destroyed by the British and rebuilt near the end of 19^th century. The landmark that causes more public and visitor interest is a series of pre-colonial Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, believed to have been introduced by Chinese traders in the early 14^th century. Since the beginning of Common Era, Arabian and Chinese traders sourced spices, especially pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, sandal wood etc from the Kochi region. Cultivation and trade of these valuable goods shaped the history of the region.

Even today, Kochi is an important centre of spice export. The Arabian traders were the first to know about these spices and they carried the highly wanted merchandise to Europe. Centuries later, they were followed by the Portuguese, then the Dutch and afterwards the British. The natural harbor of Kochi was created by a flood that also destroyed the harbor of the town Kodungallur. Thereafter, the town developed into one of the most important harbors on the West Coast of India. It concentrated on the spice trade with China and the Middle East. 

During the period of Ad-1500, Calicut was ruled by King Zamorin and Kochi was ruled by the Maharaja of Cochin. This was the time when the first Portuguese ships berthed at the Malabar Coast: Vasco Da Gama in Calicut and Pedro Alvares  Cabral in Kochi. The Maharaja of Kochi felt threatened by the Zamorin of Calicut and he hoped that the Portuguese would help him in his defense from the neighboring king of Calicut. The Maharaja welcomed the Portuguese and they founded their first trading center in Kochi. However, the Maharaja of Cochin was largely deprived of his power and Kochi became the first European colony in India. 

The Portuguese put pressure upon the small Jewish community and even the Syrian Christians as they were practicing nestorianism. The Portuguese tried to merge the Syrian Christian Church with the Latin Church. This created conflict as most the Syrian Christians were associated with various churches of the East and rejected the authority of the Pope and the Latin Church . Most of the Christians of pre Portuguese period were from local castes. Nambudhiris and Nairs did not become Christians because they did not want to lose their caste privileges guaranteed in Hinduism. Like the low caste Muslim converts also lost their caste and like Moplahs , local Christians converts also their caste and like Moplahs those Christians formed a separate caste with Syriac as their liturgy. So the Portuguese called the local Christians as Syrian Christians as Syrian Christians as Syrian Christians. Francis Xavier converted several thousands, mostly fishermen. But intermarriage between Syrian liturgy Christians and Latin Liturgy Christians was common and wide –spread because they were all local converts. Thus the Christian population increased in Kochi.

Period of 1653’s Dutch came to Cochin, at the invitation of a deposed prince of Cochin Royal Family and the hereditary Prime Minister of Cochin, namely the Paliath Achan , with the active and open support of the local Syrian Christians and the Dutch conquered Kochi in 1653. The town was now the capital of Dutch East India Company. The Dutch also destroyed many Catholic Institutions in Cochin.

Period of 1760’s There came uneasy times for Kochi because trouble between regional powers. Kochi was devastated by Hyder Ali, then later by his son Tipu Sultan. Tipu sultan subordinated the town temporarily to the Kingdom of Mysore. Period of 1790’s Kochi came under the influence of the British around this period. In 1814, Kochi became a part of the Madras Residency becoming a part of the British colonial empire. The British shaped the country until the 20^th century and Kochi has always been an important harbor and trade centre.

In 1947-Kochi was made the capital of the Union State Cochin after India gained independence.

In 1956- The Union State of Kerala was with respect to the Malayalam speaking regions with Trivandrum as the capital.

In 1956 – The first Free elections were held and the Communist Party formed the first government of Kerala, the first freely elected communist government in the world.