maritime activities economy and social customs of the muslims of ...

The Dutch took the Coromandel textiles to the Asian markets and in this they foUowed
the traditional markets and trade routes that had been already dovelopod to Malacca, Ache,
Bantam, Batavla, Macassar, Celebes, Moluccos, Pegu, Tennasserim, Arakan, Thailand, Cochin-
China and Ceylon. The textile market of Ceylon, Moluccos, Celebes, and Java were kept
exclusively for company trade using militay and naval dominance. They controlled many of
the species producing areas and grew some spices themselves and hence the Dutch East
India Company was initially far more successful. In all other places they had to compete
with the Indlan and other Man merchants. Dutch commercial policies had a vey marked
effect on the export trade of Coromandel.
The Coromandel Muslim traders had established commercial contacts almost in all
the Southeast Asian countries for a vey long time. The Dutch competed in all these markets
with the Muslims and considered them as their trade rivals since the enterprises of the Dutch
were guided by a much more commercial spirit and religious aims found only secondary role
in it. The Dutch used force against the Muslims in sea and land, like the Portuguese and
humbled them whenever possible, since the Muslim merchants were not trained in such
warfare or their vessels were suitable for it. When the Dutch took over the management of
the ports in Southeast Asia and as well as in Coromandel they collected higher tariffs from
the Muslims to keep them out"''.
The Paravas received faourable treatment from the Dutch and the Nayaks of Madurai.
But the Sethupathi patronised the Muslim traders of Kilakkarai and Kayakpattanam. The
Dutch aa protecton of Paravar and controbers of the pearl Hahey w t strove hard to limit
the polltld and wmrtt.l lnflwnce of the Muslim* and tried to cwh It.lM
In the laJt quarter of the seventeenth centuy, the Muslims of Coromandel under the
leadership of Periatharnbi Marakkayar of KUakkarai, with the patronage of the Sethupathis,
were dominating the Indo-Ceylon, Malabar and interportal trades. But the treaties concluded
between the various native powers and the Dutch were detrimental to the interest of the
MUShs. The treattar with the Sethupathis dealt a severe blow to them. The restrictive and
monopdisdc policier of the Dutch in Indo-Ceylon trade affected the Muslim traders of
Comnandel who m& a Mng by participating in the trade of the region for a vely long time.