Merchants, markets and commodities: Some aspects of Portuguese commerce with Malabar

Abstract

Against the backdrop of the history of commerce carried out with Malabar by the Portuguese following questions are answered. How far did this re-orientation of Indo-European commerce, implemented by the Portuguese, affect the various mercantile groups and the market structure of Malabar. Were these impacts restricted to the exchange centers on the coast alone or did they permeate into inland markets? How did the Portuguese try to control the markets? What role did the Portuguese policies play in bringing about transformation processes among the merchant groups of Malabar? What were the responses of the diverse trading communities and market centers to the challenges raised by the re-structuring of trade both at regional and international levels?