Question

The French formed a trading company in _________?
A. 1594 AD
B. 1764 AD
C. 1664 AD
D. 1692 AD

Answer 1

Hint: French East India Company was established to develop French trading relations with India, Eastern Africa and other regions of Indian Ocean.

Complete answer: French trading company was formed by Jean Baptiste Colbert in the year 1664 AD. In 1667 under the guidance of Francis Cron the company was successful in establishing its first factory at Surat and in 1668 a second factory was established in Masulipatnam.
In the year 1674, Francois Martin established a trading company in Pondicherry. It became the chief settlement of the French in India. The Dutch captured Pondicherry but returned it to France eventually. The French were successful in establishing a trading centre in Chandannagar in Bengal. A factory was also established in 1688 in Chinsurah.
In February 1701, again Pondicherry was established as the capital of French company and Martin was appointed as the president and director-general, but after his death, there were a number of directors-generals appointed but they were not as strong as Martin. In 1720, the factories established at Surat and Masulipatnam had to be dissolved because of the poor conditions of France.
In the year 1741, Dupleix began to dream of establishing a French empire in India but was unable to convince his superiors and with the outbreak of the Anglo-French War the dream came to an end.
Therefore, option C is correct.

Note: With the arrival of Robert Clive in the year 1744, all the hopes of Dupleix to create a French empire in India was shattered and it ended in 1769 A.D.