The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c27.20

v1.c27.20

A little earlier, on April 8th, 1583, the Dutchman John Huighen Van Linschoten had sailed from Lisbon to the East Indies; and after visiting the Portuguese colonies and some other places inland, returned home and published the account of his travels ten years later. Linschoten's account excited the enthusiasm of his fellow countrymen, who had shortly before thrown off the Spanish yoke. One chapter of his narrative in particular, "of the Spices, Drugs, Plants, and Stuffes for Physicians and Apothecaries, ordinarily used in India, and of their growing" 3, had the effect of launching several trading companies in the Netherlands, which sent about fifteen expeditions to the East between 1595 and 1601 4. On March 20th, 1602, the various Companies of the Flemish States, became united under the name of 'De Algemeene Geoctroyeerde Oest-Indische Compagnie' 5. During the next year the new United Company sent out a great expedition of thirteen ships to the East Indies under Steven van der Hagen, and in the instructions furnished to him made special mention of the piece-goods trade of Pulicat and Masulipatam on the East coast 1. But neither of these places was to house the first Dutch factory on the eastern coast. We have seen elsewhere that in 1608-9, through the benevolence of the Nayak of Jinji, the Dutch were building a factory in Devanapatnam 2. We shall speak later of the transactions between the Emperor Venkata, the Nayak of Jinji and the Portuguese which resulted from the building of this fort.