Draft:French Bengal

• Comment: This draft is a draft on a subtopic of an existing article, French India. Discussion as to whether a separate article for the subtopic is warranted should be on the talk page of the parent article, Talk:French India.
  Please discuss the suitability of creating a separate subtopic article on the talk page of the parent article. Please resubmit this draft if there is rough consensus at the parent talk page to create the child article, or with an explanation that the child draft satisfies either general notability on its own or a special notability guide. Robert McClenon (talk) 07:12, 3 September 2024 (UTC)

• Comment: There are literally no sources. Source your info. OhHaiMark (talk) 19:18, 28 August 2024 (UTC)

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For Chandannagore after independence, see Chandernagor.

For the Battle of Chandannagar, see Battle of Chandannagar.

French Bengal Bengale Français (French) Bengale Françoişe (Indian French) ফরাসি বাংলা (Bengali)
1664-1951 1951-1954 (process of admission to India)
Flag
Status	Colony of France (1664–1946) Overseas Territory of France (1946–1954)
Capital	Chandannagore
Common languages	French (de jure) Indian French Bengali
Government	Colonial administration
Governor
• 1668–1673	François Caron (first)
• 1954	Georges Escaragueil
Legislature	Representative Assembly of French India
Population
• 1936	166,000
Currency	French Indian Rupee
Preceded by Succeeded by French East India Company [[Bangladesh]] [[West Bengal Bihar Odisha]]
Today part of	India Bangladesh

French Bengal was a colony of France from 1664-1946 and an overseas territory from 1946-1954 under the governance of French India. The territory ceded to India through a referendum in 1951 from which it went through a process of admission from 1951 to 1954.

History

French colonialism in Bengal began in 1664 after permission to build a fort in Chandannagar. The French fought several battles in Bengal including the Battle of Plassey and Seven Years' War.

Also on 1664, a port in Patna, Baleshwar, and Dacca was created to expand the French trade abroad in different sectors including tea, saltpetre, muslin and different fabrics.

Indo-French Legacy

From the full length of 1664-1954, the French have made positive remarks to the region of Bengal. This including an ethnic group of Indo-French people across South India and Bengal, but also architecture.

Along with several other colonial powers, France spread Christianity throughout India.

Also introducing names, popular names such as Mondol, Paul, De are normalised Bengali and South Indian names introduced by the French.

French Colonialism in Chandannagore (Trade)

Established in 1664, Chandannagore served as a fort city of the French throughout the whole lifetime of French Bengal. The French capitalised on Chandannagore for its maritime commercial status.

"The French settlement in India began in 1673 with the purchase of land at Chandernagore from the Mughal Governor of Bengal. The next year they acquired Pondicherry from the Sultan of Bijapur. Both became the centres of maritime commercial activities of the French in India".

"The First Director of the French East India Company, Deslandes paid 40,000 coins to the Mughal subahdar in 1688 to gain control of the area and build a factory there. But the first Frenchman to possess any subsequent land holding in this area was Du Plessis who bought land of 13 Arpents at Boro Kishanganj, now located at North Chandannagar for Taka 401 in the year 1673–74."

" Chandannagar was established as a French colony in 1673, when the French obtained permission from Ibrahim Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, to establish a trading post on the right bank of the Hughli River. In that year (1673-74) Duplessis, the French Commander,built a house after gathering a plot at Taldanga on the northern part of the present Chandannagar with the permission of Ibrahim Khan, the then Nawab of Bengal.Bengal was then a province of the Mughal Empire. It became a permanent French settlement in 1688, and in 1730 Joseph François Dupleix was appointed governor of the city, during whose administration more than two thousand brick houses were erected in the town and a considerable maritime trade was carried on. For a time, Chandannagar was the main center for European commerce in Bengal. Unlike the rest of India which had been a British colony for two hundred years, Chandannagar was ruled by French."

French map of Chandannagore from 1757.

The Sacred Heart Church, a French built church in Chandannagore

The Sacred Heart Cemetery, built in 1696

The Chandannagore rail station in 1878, still under French control.

French Colonialism in Jougdia

Not much is known about the French owned town of Jugdia, but it was known as a profitable place in the deep south of Bengal for not only the French but the Dutch too with the Dutch East India Company.

French Colonialism in Dacca, (Regency Era) (Muslin productivity)

The French first arrived in Bengal during the late 17th century. They maintained trading posts in Dacca and other cities. In 1757, France sent a contingent of troops to Bengal to fight against the British in the Battle of Plassey.

Muslin Production

Whilst in French control, Dacca became a very important port for making Muslin.

"At its peak, muslin was on display at the French court where, at the close of the 18th century, Empress Josephine's muslin dresses set the course for the Empire Line style in France and later in Regency-era Britain. That style centered around muslin".

AramcoWorld (Khademul Islam)

Banglar Muslin in 100 count intervals

Regency Era in Bengal

During French colonialism and the introduction of British colonialism, the Regency Era was adopted into Bengal after its profit from fabric production.

French Colonialism in Patna (Directorate) (Saltpetre productivity)

Patna, during its time as a French directorate in the French East India Company was a profitable city along the Ganges. Patna was profitable for the French as it was a large exporter of Saltpetre.

"Yet, Deslandes could purchase from Armenian and Muslim merchants at a higher price, or he could stock 3000 mds of Saltpetre, and wait for another 7000 mds to arrive from Patna".

Anuriddha Ray, JSTOR

French East India Company factory in Patna, Bengal. Painting by Sir Charles D'Oyly, 1824

French Colonialism in Balasore (Rice trading) (Salt manufacturing)

Established in 1664, Balasore served as a French Colony until 1947 besides the British annexation on 1886. Balasore was a port city along the Bay of Bengal and was important to the French due to its environment for growing rice and making salt.

"The Dutch and Danish settlements were ceded to the British in 1846, but the French holding remained until 1947. In the 18th century Baleshwar became important in rice trading and salt manufacturing".

Britannica

French map of Baleshwar by Van Keulen, Johannes I (1680). Cartographe