Q. With reference to the diplomacy and administrative structure of the Portuguese in India, consider the following statements:
1.The Portuguese administrative structure, Estado da Índia, was entirely funded by the profits from the Cartaz system, making it financially independent of the Portuguese crown.
2.The policy of inter-racial marriage encouraged by Alfonso de Albuquerque was primarily intended to create a loyal, mixed-race population capable of defending Portuguese territories.
3.The Portuguese consistently maintained a policy of friendship with the great Indian powers, such as the Mughals, ensuring their coastal presence was never seriously challenged.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Statement 1 is incorrect. While the Cartaz system (naval pass) was a major source of revenue (fees and customs), the Estado da Índia also received significant subsidies and capital from the Portuguese Crown, especially for military and infrastructure projects. It was never entirely financially independent.
- Statement 2 is correct. Alfonso de Albuquerque encouraged Portuguese soldiers to marry local Indian women, mainly widows of Muslim soldiers killed in the capture of Goa. This was a deliberate strategic policy to create a stable, locally rooted, and loyal Portuguese-Christian population base for defense and administration.
- Statement 3 is incorrect. The Portuguese often adopted a policy of armed neutrality or confrontation. They engaged in constant conflict with the Deccan Sultanates (e.g., Bijapur, which they took Goa from) and had serious clashes with the Mughals, most notably leading to their expulsion from Hooghly by Shah Jahan in 1632.
