Kannur: History, Background and Trade Linkages

Abstract

Though the Portuguese came to the Indian subcontinent for trade in pepper and other spices, they began to export silk products to Portugal. Indian textiles have the dubious distinction of being exchanged for slaves in the third decade of the 17th century, when a large number of wars necessitated slaves — on ships and as soldiers and artillery men. More and More (2008) have studied the interpolations of trade, commerce and political power in the Malabar region between the 16th and 17th centuries. Especially significant to the Portuguese and Dutch trade, Cannanore, as it was then called, was ruled by the Ali Rajas Muslims, who controlled the trade with foreigners.¹