Question

Who was the first Portuguese viceroy in India?
A. Dupleix
B. Francis Martin
C. Francisco de almeida
D. Alfonso de Albuquerque

Answer 1

Hint:
> He introduced the blue water policy, which aims at becoming powerful at waters i.e. sea rather building forts on land.
> Portuguese were the first Europeans to come to India when a direct sea route to India was discovered by Vasco da Gama in 1498

Complete answer:
Dupleix:
> Joseph François Dupleix was a French governor of India from 1742 to 1754.
> His arrival saw the beginning of Carnatic wars (anglo-french conflict) resulting in the final defeat of French in India.
Hence, option A is incorrect.

Francis Martin :
> Francis Martin was the first French Governor-General of Pondicherry.
> He was an official of French East India Company, who founded Pondicherry in 1764, which eventually became the chief French settlement in India.
Hence option B is incorrect.

Francisco de Almeida:
> Dom Francisco de Almeida was the first governor/ viceroy of Portuguese possession in India during the period of 1505-1510.
> His victory at the naval Battle of Diu in 1509 was credited with establishing Portuguese hegemony in the Indian Ocean.
> Calicut, Cochin and cannanore were Portuguese trading centres.
Hence Option C is correct.

Alfonso de Albuquerque:
> He was the second governor-general of Portuguese in India during 1509-15.
> He conquered Goa from the ruler of Bijapur in 1510. He is considered the real founder of Portuguese power in India.
> The policy of imperialism was introduced by him and held superiority over naval power.

Therefore, the correct answer is C

Note:
> Cochin was the first capital of Portuguese in India, later Goa replaced it.
> Portuguese power faced decline by the end of the ${17}^{th}$ century. After that, Portuguese were left only with Goa, Daman and Diu which they retained till 1961.
> Portuguese contribution to India- They started tobacco cultivation. They established the first printing press in India at Goa in AD 1556.
> They started a cartaze system, a type of permit to pass through Portuguese territories.