About the Book: The Theft of India: The European Conquests of India, 1498-1765
In the three centuries that followed Vasco da Gamas discovery of the sea route
from Europe to India, European powers made a beeline for Indias fabled riches,
its spices, gold and gems. Though they ostensibly came for trade and commerce,
and the thrill of discovering a new land, the lines between exploration and
exploitation soon blurred.
The Theft of India documents the intense rivalry for spoils that played out
between the British, the French, the Dutch and the Portuguese, and the impact
this had on Indians. It details the political intrigue, the