Fort At Coylan – Antique Hand Colored Map / Plan 1668
A 1668 copper engraved antique hand-colored map plan Of Quilon Fort. Jacques Nicolas Bellin a French cartographer who produced the map. It measures 17 x 14 cm. In 1517 the Portuguese built the St Thomas fort in Quilon, Kerala. Coylan/Coylang/Cualao/Cuallom/Quilon, as they called it variously from down the ages.
See my earlier post- Fort At Coylan – Antique Map / Plan 1764.
Today it is officially known as Kollam. In ancient times, it was one of the most important trading seaports in the whole of India. The Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Chinese, and so on were regular visitors here. To Take back its famed produce- Pepper, cardamom, cloth, spices, ivory, teak, rosewood, and so on.
But by the 16th century, the Europeans were the major players in the history of Kollam. The Portuguese were the first to arrive at Calicut in 1498. Later expanding their exploration of the Malabar coast and started a settlement at Kollam in 1502.
By 1517 they added a fortification calling it Sao Tome or St Thomas. This post shows the plan of the St Thomas Fortification. The Portuguese were to be ousted by the Dutch in 1661 thus taking control of the Fortification and the city of Quilon.
Read more- St Thomas Fort, Tangasseri.
Did you know- Kollam is one of the oldest Portuguese, Dutch, and British settlements in India.
From the collection- Page From Rare 1713 Latin Book on Calicut., Madras Central Railway Station – Old Print 1873., 1974 Photo Kerala Cargo Boat On The Backwaters., Vintage Book 1912 – Kerala The Land Of Palms By I H Hacker
