The port at
Kozhikode held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while
Kannur,
Kollam, and
Kochi were commercially important secondary ports, where the traders from various parts of the world would gather. Fort Kochi was a fishing village in the
Kingdom of Kochi in the pre-colonial Kerala. The Portuguese arrived at
Kappad Kozhikode in 1498 during the
Age of Discovery, thus opening a direct sea route from
Europe to
India. The territory that would be later known as Fort Kochi was granted to the
Portuguese in 1503 by the
Rajah of Kochi, after the forces of
Afonso de Albuquerque helped him fighting the forces of
Saamoothiri of
Kozhikode. The Rajah also gave them permission to build
Fort Emmanuel near the waterfront to protect their commercial interests. The first part of the name Fort Kochi comes from this fort, which the Dutch later destroyed. The Portuguese built their settlement behind the fort, including a wooden church, which was rebuilt in 1516 as a permanent structure, today known as the
St Francis Church. Fort Kochi remained in Portuguese possession for 160 years. In 1683 the Dutch captured the territory from the Portuguese, destroyed many Portuguese institutions, particularly
Catholic including convents. The Dutch held Fort Kochi in their possession for 112 years until 1795, when the British took control by defeating the Dutch. Foreign control of Fort Kochi ended in 1947 with the
Indian independence. where
Vasco da Gama was buried Fort Kochi temple in Fort Kochi A mix of old houses built by the Portuguese, Dutch and British in these colonial periods line the streets of Fort Kochi. St Francis Church was built in 1503 by the Portuguese as a Catholic church.
Vasco da Gama was once buried in this church which now falls under the
Church of South India and is one of the national monuments. Catholic Diocese of Cochin was erected under Portuguese Padroado in 1558 with its headquarters in Fort Kochi.
Santa Cruz Basilica, also built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, was later destroyed by the British and rebuilt near the end of 19th century. From this period there are other residential buildings and hotels such as the
Old Harbour House, some of which have been renovated in more recent times. The landmark that causes more public and visitor interest is a series of precolonial
Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, believed to have been introduced by Chinese traders in the early 14th century.
First sources Since the beginning of the Common Era, Arabian and Chinese traders sourced spices, especially pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, sandal wood, etc. from the Kochi region. Cultivation and trade of these valuable goods shaped the history of the region. Even today, Kochi is an important centre of spice export. The
Arabian traders were the first to know about these spices, and they carried the highly wanted merchandise to Europe. Centuries later, they were followed by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and afterwards the British.
Around 600 AD Written documents about the
Malabar Coast show that this region had Hindus, Christians, and a Jewish minority.
Around 1341 The natural harbour of Kochi was created by a flood that also destroyed the harbour of the town
Kodungallur. Thereafter, the town developed into one of the most important harbours on the West Coast of India. It concentrated on the spice trade with China and the Middle East.
Around 1500 During this period, Kozhikode was ruled by king Zamorin and Kochi was ruled by the Maharaja of Kochi. This was the time when the first
Portuguese ships berthed at the Malabar Coast:
Vasco da Gama in Kozhikode and
Pedro Álvares Cabral in Kochi. The Maharaja of Kochi felt threatened by the Zamorin of Kozhikode, and he hoped that the Portuguese would help him in his defense from the neighbouring king of Kozhikode. The Maharaja welcomed the Portuguese, and they founded their first trading center in Kochi. However, the Maharaja of Kochi was largely deprived of his power, and Kochi became the first European colony in India. The Portuguese put pressure upon the small Jewish community, and even the Syrian Christians as they were practising
Nestorianism. The Portuguese tried to merge the
Syrian Christian Church with the
Latin Church. This created conflict as most of the Syrian Christians were associated with various churches of the East and rejected the authority of the
Pope and the
Latin Church. This led to the famous
Coonan Kurish Oath that took place at Coonan Kurish Church, MattancherryFrancis Xavier also baptised several thousand, which increased the Catholic population in Kochi.
Around 1663 At the invitation of a deposed prince of Cochin Royal Family and the hereditary Prime Minister of Cochin, namely the Paliath Achan, the Dutch came to Kochi and conquered Kochi in 1663. The town became the capital of
Dutch Malabar and belonged to the worldwide trading network of the
Dutch East India Company. The Dutch also destroyed many Catholic institutions in Kochi.
18th century Around 1760, there came uneasy times for Kochi because of trouble between the regional powers. Kochi was devastated by
Hyder Ali, then later by his son Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan subordinated the town temporarily to the kingdom of Mysore. Kochi came under the influence of the British circa 1790.
19th century In 1814, Kochi became a part of the
Madras Presidency, becoming a part of the British colonial empire. The British shaped the country until the 20th century, and Kochi has always been an important harbour and trade center. The municipality of Fort Kochi was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the
British Indian Empire, along with the municipalities of
Kozhikode,
Kannur,
Thalassery, and
Palakkad, making them the first modern municipalities in the modern state of Kerala, as a part of the
Malabar District. In January 1889, the
Great fire of Cochin destroyed about 300 houses and commercial properties. ==Main tourist attractions==