The Coromandel Coast, c.1700's-1850's: ports (with forts)
MAPS of the Coromandel Coast during this period; *maps from the 1740's*; and an *overview map from 1757*
The Coast begins to the south of the mouths of the Godavari river
By the 1620's the Danes and the Dutch both were in the important cloth-trading port of MASULIPATAM, between the mouths of the Godavari and the Krishna
From the early 1600's the Dutch headquarters of PULICAT, with its fort called Geldria, figured prominently in trade and politics
*FORT ST.
GEORGE*
From 1640 the English had been in Fort St. George, as Madras was then known
The Portuguese were in the port town of ST. THOMÉ (Mylapore) from the early 1500's
A little further south came the old Dutch fort of SADRAS, which grew into a great weaving center for fine muslin
PONDICHERRY was the headquarters town for *the French*
Then came the remarkable Danish fort at TRANQUEBAR, built in 1620 according to a *treaty* with the King of Thanjavur, and held by the Danes until 1845
And NEGAPATAM, an early Portuguese fort and the scene of a French-English naval battle in 1782
TRICHINOPOLY's fort was perched on a huge rock promontory, in the domains of the Navab of Arcot
Near the south end of the coast was TUTICORIN
*CEYLON*
And then came Ceylon, which was an important part of the Coromandel trading network
JAFNAPATAM was at the extreme northern tip
On the east coast of Ceylon was TRINCOMALLEE with its excellent natural harbor
South of it was the smaller port of BATICALO
Then on the west coast was the fort/port of NEGOMBO
To the south of it was the large and important trading town of COLOMBO
And at the southern tip of the island was the Dutch fort of POINT DE GALLE

 
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