History of Calicut
The ports of the Malabar Coast have participated in the Indian Ocean trade in spices, silk, and other goods for over two millennia. There are documented visits in as early as the 14th century, by Chinese travellers such as Zheng He[1]. Kozhikode had emerged as the centre of an independent kingdom by the 14th century, whose ruler was known as the Samoothirippadu (often anglicised as Zamorin).Thus Calicut came to be called the 'City of Zamorins'
During the 16th century the Portuguese set up trading posts to the north in Kannur and to the south in Kochi, but the Zamorin resisted the establishment of a permanent Portuguese presence in the city, although in 1509 the kingdom was forced to accept a Portuguese trading post in Chaliyar[citation needed]. The Samoothirippadu later allied with Portuguese's rivals, the Dutch, and by the mid-17th century the Dutch had captured the Malabar Coast spice trade from the Portuguese. In 1766 Hyder Ali of Mysore captured Kozhikode and much of northern Malabar Coast, and came into conflict with the British based in Madras, which resulted in four Anglo-Mysore Wars. Kozhikode and the surrounding districts were among the territories ceded to the British by Tipu Sultan of Mysore at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Mysore War in 1792. The newly-acquired possessions on the Malabar Coast were organized into Malabar District of Madras Presidency, and Calicut became the district capital.
After Indian Independence in 1947, Madras Presidency became Madras State. In 1956 the Indian states were reorganized along linguistic lines, and Malabar District was combined with the state of Travancore-Cochin into the new state of Kerala on November 1, 1956. Malabar District was divided into the districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, and Palakkad on January 1 1957.
During the 16th century the Portuguese set up trading posts to the north in Kannur and to the south in Kochi, but the Zamorin resisted the establishment of a permanent Portuguese presence in the city, although in 1509 the kingdom was forced to accept a Portuguese trading post in Chaliyar[citation needed]. The Samoothirippadu later allied with Portuguese's rivals, the Dutch, and by the mid-17th century the Dutch had captured the Malabar Coast spice trade from the Portuguese. In 1766 Hyder Ali of Mysore captured Kozhikode and much of northern Malabar Coast, and came into conflict with the British based in Madras, which resulted in four Anglo-Mysore Wars. Kozhikode and the surrounding districts were among the territories ceded to the British by Tipu Sultan of Mysore at the conclusion of the Third Anglo-Mysore War in 1792. The newly-acquired possessions on the Malabar Coast were organized into Malabar District of Madras Presidency, and Calicut became the district capital.
After Indian Independence in 1947, Madras Presidency became Madras State. In 1956 the Indian states were reorganized along linguistic lines, and Malabar District was combined with the state of Travancore-Cochin into the new state of Kerala on November 1, 1956. Malabar District was divided into the districts of Kannur, Kozhikode, and Palakkad on January 1 1957.
