71-607: Old Harbour House is a building in the center of Fort Kochi , part of the city of Kochi (formerly known as Cochin ) in the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala (India) . It was built during the Portuguese colonial period , almost completely rebuilt by the Dutch in the 17th century, and later modified by the British. In 2006, it was carefully restored by German architect Karl Damschen with many references to its colonial origins. Today
142-518: A Kochi legislative assembly was also constituted to help the public participate in the administration. The assembly consisted of 45 members, 10 were officially nominated. Thottakkattu Madhaviamma was the first woman to be a member of any legislature in India. Cochin was the first princely state to willingly join the new Dominion of India in 1947. India became a republic on 26 January 1950. Travancore merged with Cochin to create Travancore-Cochin , which
213-603: A Latin Christian mission . Cochin hosted the grave of Vasco da Gama , the Portuguese viceroy, who was buried at St. Francis Church until his remains were returned to Portugal in 1539. Soon after the time of Afonso de Albuquerque , Portuguese influence in Kerala declined. Portuguese alliance was followed by that of the Dutch , who had by then conquered Quilon after various encounters with
284-533: A cause for the shift of the capital. From there on Perumpadapu Swaroopam used the name Cochin Royal Family . Finally, the arrival of the Portuguese on the Indian subcontinent in the sixteenth century likely influenced Cochin politics. The kingdom of Cochin was among the first Indian nations to sign a formal treaty with a European power, negotiating trade terms with Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500. The palace at Kalvathhi
355-675: A few adjoining areas, were amalgamated to form the Kochi Municipal Corporation . Fort Kochi is rich in heritage and culture, and is a prominent tourist destination for both domestic and international travellers- being ranked as ninth among the top 25 in National Geographic’s Top Tourist Destinations To Explore In 2020. In the BC period, the region that is today known as Kerala was covered by mangrove woods. Turf and sand banks were created with
426-408: A fort – Fort Emmanuel (at Fort Kochi , named after the king of Portugal) – surrounding the Portuguese factory, in order to protect it from any further attacks from Calicut and on 27 September 1503 the foundations of a timber fort, the first fort erected by the Portuguese in India, were laid. The entire work of construction was commissioned by the local raja, who supplied workers and material. In 1505,
497-446: A king to retire upon reaching a certain old age or military inability, withdrawing to take up a religious life. Power was passed over to his successor, or to a regent until the successor came of age. Succession often led to quarrels among the five branches. The Zamorin of Calicut exploited these family quarrels, sometimes in the role of arbitrator, allowing him to increase his influence in the southern kingdom. The future city of Cochin
568-629: Is a neighbourhood of Kochi city in Kerala, India . Fort Kochi takes its name from the Fort Manuel of Kochi , the first European fort on Indian soil, controlled by the Portuguese East Indies . This is part of a handful of water-bound islands and islets toward the south-west of the mainland Kochi, and collectively known as Old Kochi or West Kochi . Adjacent to this is the locality of Mattancherry . In 1967, these three municipalities along with
639-519: Is a series of precolonial Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront, believed to have been introduced by Chinese traders in the early 14th century. Since the beginning of the Common Era, Arabian and Chinese traders sourced spices, especially pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, sandal wood, etc. from the Kochi region. Cultivation and trade of these valuable goods shaped the history of the region. Even today, Kochi
710-463: Is an important centre of spice export. The Arabian traders were the first to know about these spices, and they carried the highly wanted merchandise to Europe. Centuries later, they were followed by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and afterwards the British. Written documents about the Malabar Coast show that this region had Hindus, Christians, and a Jewish minority. The natural harbour of Kochi
781-610: The Age of Discovery , thus opening a direct sea route from Europe to India. Cochin was the scene of the first European settlement in India. In the year 1500, the Portuguese Admiral Pedro Álvares Cabral landed at Cochin after being repelled from Calicut . The Raja of Cochin welcomed the Portuguese and a treaty of friendship was signed. The raja allowed them to build a factory at Cochin (and upon Cabral's departure Cochin allowed thirty Portuguese and four Franciscan friars to stay in
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#1732863114029852-650: The British Indian Empire , along with the municipalities of Kozhikode , Kannur , Thalassery , and Palakkad , making them the first modern municipalities in the modern state of Kerala, as a part of the Malabar District . In January 1889, the Great fire of Cochin destroyed about 300 houses and commercial properties. Kingdom of Kochi The Kingdom of Cochin or the Cochin State , named after its capital in
923-715: The Ernakulam district which are now the part of Kerala . There is no extant written evidence about the emergence of the kingdom of Cochin or of the Cochin royal family, also known as Perumpadapu Swaroopam. All that is recorded are folk tales and stories, and a somewhat blurred historical picture about the origins of the ruling dynasty. The surviving manuscripts, such as Keralolpathi , Keralamahatmyam , and Perumpadapu Grandavari , are collections of myths and legends that are less than reliable as conventional historical sources. The Perumpadapu Grandavari contains an additional account of
994-578: The Latin Church . This led to the famous Coonan Kurish Oath that took place at Coonan Kurish Church, MattancherryFrancis Xavier also baptised several thousand, which increased the Catholic population in Kochi. At the invitation of a deposed prince of Cochin Royal Family and the hereditary Prime Minister of Cochin, namely the Paliath Achan, the Dutch came to Kochi and conquered Kochi in 1663. The town became
1065-865: The Luso-Dutch War , the Dutch East India Company (1663–1795) was an ally of Cochin. That was followed by the British East India Company (1795–1858, confirmed on 6 May 1809) after the Anglo-Dutch War , with British paramountcy over the Cochin state. The kingdom of Travancore merged with the kingdom of Cochin to form the state of Travancore-Cochin in 1950. The five Tamil -majority taluks of Vilavancode , Kalkulam , Thovalai , Agastheeswaram , and Sengottai were transferred from Travancore-Cochin to Madras State in 1956. The Malayalam -speaking regions of Travancore-Cochin merged with
1136-680: The Malabar District (excluding Laccadive and Minicoy Islands) and the Kasaragod taluk of South Canara district in Madras State to form the modern Malayalam -state of Kerala on 1 November 1956, according to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 of the Government of India . The kingdom of Cochin, originally known as Perumpadappu Swarupam, was under the rule of the Later Cheras in
1207-694: The Middle Ages . After the fall of the Mahodayapuram Cheras in the 12th century, along with numerous other provinces Perumpadappu Swarupam became a free political entity. However, it was only after the arrival of Portuguese on the Malabar Coast that the Perumpadappu Swarupam acquires any political importance. Perumpadappu rulers had family relationships with the Nambudiri rulers of Edappally . After
1278-650: The Tanur forces under the king fought for the Zamorin of Calicut in the Battle of Cochin (1504) . However, the allegiance of the Muslim Mappila merchants in Tanur region stayed with the Zamorin of Calicut . The raja of Cochin continued to rule with the help of the Portuguese. Meanwhile, the Portuguese secretly tried to enter into an alliance with the Zamorin. A few later attempts by
1349-571: The Zamorin of Calicut was unable to invade Cochin and a military conflict was averted. The cessation of the Ming treasure voyages consequently had negative results for Cochin, as the Zamorin of Calicut later launched an invasion against Cochin. In the late 15th century, the Zamorin occupied Cochin and installed his representative as the king. The conflict between the upstart king of Cochin and his relatives of Perumpadappu branches (eager to recover their role) and Edapalli (eager to recover its land), drew in
1420-558: The "kingdom of Cochin", and the capital of the kingdom shifted from Kodungallur to Vypin in present-day Kochi. During the new kingdom, rules were changed to confine succession within the Elaya branch of Cochin, rather across all branches of Perumpadappu (much to the chagrin of the branches). The port at Kozhikode , also known as Calicut, held superior economic and political position on the medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur , Kollam , and Kochi, were commercially important secondary ports, where
1491-767: The 12th century. Maritime contacts Sangam period Tamilakam Cheras Spice trade Ays Ezhil Malai Confluence of religions Mamankam festival Calicut Venad - Kingdom of Quilon Valluvanad Kolattunadu Cochin Arakkal kingdom Minor principalities Age of Discovery Portuguese period Dutch period Rise of Travancore Mysorean invasion British Period Battle of Tirurangadi Malabar District North Malabar South Malabar Battle of Quilon Communism in Kerala Lakshadweep Economy Architecture The original headquarters of
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#17328631140291562-542: The Dutch. Foreign control of Fort Kochi ended in 1947 with the Indian independence . A mix of old houses built by the Portuguese, Dutch and British in these colonial periods line the streets of Fort Kochi. St Francis Church was built in 1503 by the Portuguese as a Catholic church. Vasco da Gama was once buried in this church which now falls under the Church of South India and is one of the national monuments. Catholic Diocese of Cochin
1633-537: The Kottayam army. After taking Calicut in a bloody battle, Ali, with a large amount of money, marched south-east towards Coimbatore through Palghat . Mysore appointed Raja as military governor and Madonna (a former revenue officer) as civil governor of the newly acquired province of Malabar. In 1814, according to the Anglo-Dutch Treaty , the islands of Kochi, including Fort Kochi and its territory, were ceded to
1704-596: The Malabar Coast: Vasco da Gama in Kozhikode and Pedro Álvares Cabral in Kochi. The Maharaja of Kochi felt threatened by the Zamorin of Kozhikode, and he hoped that the Portuguese would help him in his defense from the neighbouring king of Kozhikode. The Maharaja welcomed the Portuguese, and they founded their first trading center in Kochi. However, the Maharaja of Kochi was largely deprived of his power, and Kochi became
1775-482: The Perumpadappu dynasty maintained a kingdom over a vast area in central Kerala (still formally referred to as "Perumpadappu Swaroopam"). Their state stretched from Pukkaitha in the north, Aanamala in the east, to Purakkad in the south. The Perumpadappu dynasty eventually produced five branches (Mutts, Elaya, Pallurutti, Madattumkil and Chaliyur), each with its own family seat, retainers and military of Nairs . But
1846-582: The Portuguese and their allies. Discontented members of the Cochin Royal family called on the assistance of the Dutch for help in overthrowing the Cochin Raja. The Dutch successfully landed at Njarakal and went on to capture the fort at Pallippuram, which they handed over to the Zamorin. Mysorian ruler Hyder Ali conquered Cochin. After his conquest of Bednur reached Ali Rajah of Cannanore in 1763, he promptly asked Ali to invade Kerala and help him deal with
1917-507: The Portuguese factory. The raja of Cochin and his Portuguese allies were forced to withdraw to Vypin Island. However, the arrival of a small reinforcement Portuguese fleet and, some days later of Duarte Pacheco Pereira and the oncoming monsoons alarmed the Zamorin. Calicut recalled the army and abandoned the siege. After securing the throne for the Raja of Cochin, the Portuguese got permission to build
1988-581: The United Kingdom in exchange for the island of Banca . Even prior to the signing of the treaty, there is evidence of English residents in Kochi. During the British Raj , the Princely State of Cochin was surrounded by British Malabar District to three sides (i.e., To north, west, and east), and by Travancore to the south. Towards the early 20th century, trade at the port had increased substantially and
2059-480: The Zamorin of Calicut. The Muslim chieftain of Cannanore, an old rival of the neighbouring powerful Kolathiri , was an active ally of Mysore under the occupation. Ali Raja seized and set fire to the palace of Kolathiri Raja. The latter escaped with his followers to the then-British settlement at Tellicherry. After the victory, Ali entered the kingdom of Kottayam in present-day North Malabar and occupied it, with assistance from native Muslims, after some resistance by
2130-470: The Zamorin to conquer the Cochin port were thwarted by the raja of Cochin with the help of the Portuguese. Slowly, the Portuguese armoury at Cochin was increased, presumably to help the king protect Cochin. And for a long a time, right after Goa, Cochin situated in the center of East Indies, was the best place Portugal had in India. From there the Portuguese exported large volumes of spices, particularly pepper. In 1530, Saint Francis Xavier arrived and founded
2201-539: The Zamorin's campaigns. This was roughly the situation when the Portuguese arrived in 1500. The kingdom of Cochin was half-in-vassalage, half-at-war with the Zamorin of Calicut. The king of Cochin, Unni Goda Varda (referred to as "Trimumpara Raja" in Portuguese chronicles) was grating at the settlement. He perceived an alliance with Portuguese arms as way to overthrow the Zamorin's power, recover Cochin's independence and impose his ascendancy over his relatives. The Portuguese arrived at Kappad , Kozhikode in 1498 during
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2272-503: The building contains the boutique hotel Old Harbour Hotel. This article related to Kerala is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Fort Kochi Fort Kochi ( / ˈ k oʊ tʃ i / KOH -chee , Malayalam : [foːrʈ kotˈt͡ʃi] ; Cochin Portuguese Creole : Cochim de Baixo , European Portuguese: [kuˈʃĩ ðɨ ˈβaʃu] ), formerly known as Fort Cochin or British Cochin ,
2343-435: The capital of Dutch Malabar and belonged to the worldwide trading network of the Dutch East India Company . The Dutch also destroyed many Catholic institutions in Cochin. Around 1760, there came uneasy times for Kochi because of trouble between the regional powers. Kochi was devastated by Hyder Ali , then later by his son Tipu Sultan. Tipu Sultan subordinated the town temporarily to the kingdom of Mysore. Kochi came under
2414-553: The city of Kochi (Cochin) , was a kingdom in the central part of present-day Kerala state . It originated in the early part of the 12th century and continued to rule until its accession to the Dominion of India in 1949. Historically, the capital of Cochin was in Kodungallur (Cranganore) , but in 1341, the capital was moved to Cochin to remedy a disastrous flood. By the early 15th century, Cochin lost its ability to fully defend itself. By
2485-545: The city to Fort Kochi. Owing to the high volume of tourists visiting the place dedicated low floor Volvo buses were introduced to this route by the government. Such buses are in use on the popular routes such as Cochin International Airport (CIAL), Vytila Mobility Hub and Kakanad Info Park. The port at Kozhikode held superior economic and political position in medieval Kerala coast, while Kannur , Kollam , and Kochi were commercially important secondary ports, where
2556-509: The dynastic origins: The last Thavazhi of Perumpadapu Swaroopam came into existence on the Kaliyuga day shodashangamsurajyam . Cheraman Perumal divided the land in half, 17 "amsa" north of Neelaeswaram and 17 amsa south, totaling 34 amsa, and gave his powers to his nephews and sons. Thirty-four kingdoms between Kanyakumari and Gokarna (now in Karnataka ) were given to the "thampuran" who
2627-523: The end of the 14th century the Zamorin conquered Thrikkanamathilakam and it became a threat for Mahodayapuram ( Thiruvanchikulam ), which may be the reason that Perumpadapu Swaroopam changed their capital to Cochin from Mahodayapuram. Moreover, in the year 1341 a flood created an island, Puthuvippu ( Vypin ), and Cochin became a noted natural harbour for the Indian Ocean trade. The old Kodungallore ( Cranganore ) port lost its importance, which may also be
2698-687: The fall of Kodungallur port due to a gigantic tsunami in 1341 AD . The Perumpadappu Swaroopam or the Fort of Rajah had its palace on the banks of the Calvathy River. Owing to frequent wars between King Zamorin of Kozhikode and the western colonial forces, the Rajah left the place for Tripunithura . The king had his vaishnav leanings and the cow or maadu was his symbol. Fort Kochi can be reached from Ernakulam through roadways and water ways. Private buses and government transport buses travel from different parts of
2769-623: The fifth Ming treasure voyage , Admiral Zheng He was instructed to confer a seal upon Keyili of Cochin and designate a mountain in his kingdom as the Zhenguo Zhi Shan (鎮國之山, Mountain Which Protects the Country). Zheng He delivered a stone tablet, inscribed with a proclamation composed by the Yongle Emperor himself, to Cochin. As long as Cochin remained under the protection of Ming China,
2840-621: The first European colony in India. The Portuguese put pressure upon the small Jewish community, and even the Syrian Christians as they were practising Nestorianism . The Portuguese tried to merge the Syrian Christian Church with the Latin Church . This created conflict as most of the Syrian Christians were associated with various churches of the East and rejected the authority of the Pope and
2911-442: The five branches ( tavali ) came together under a common ruling king ( raja ), which was the oldest male member of all five branches together. The Perumpadappu (and future Cochin) royal dynasty followed matriarchal rules of succession common in Kerala (similar to Travancore ). Succession went via the female line – that is, not to the king's sons, but to his uterine brothers and then to his sisters' sons (i.e. nephews). In theory,
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2982-403: The forces of Afonso de Albuquerque helped him fighting the forces of Saamoothiri of Kozhikode . The Rajah also gave them permission to build Fort Emmanuel near the waterfront to protect their commercial interests. The first part of the name Fort Kochi comes from this fort, which the Dutch later destroyed. The Portuguese built their settlement behind the fort, including a wooden church, which
3053-463: The help of Pacheco Pereira and his men. The ruler of the kingdom of Tanur , who was a vassal to the Zamorin of Calicut , sided with the Portuguese against his overlord at Kozhikode . As a result, the kingdom of Tanur ( Vettathunadu ) became one of the earliest Portuguese colonies in India. The ruler of Tanur also sided with Cochin. Many of the members of the royal family of Cochin in 16th and 17th centuries were selected from Vettom . However,
3124-641: The influence of the British circa 1790. In 1814, Kochi became a part of the Madras Presidency , becoming a part of the British colonial empire. The British shaped the country until the 20th century, and Kochi has always been an important harbour and trade center. The municipality of Fort Kochi was formed on 1 November 1866 according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of
3195-419: The interference of the Zamorin of Calicut , who attacked Cochin in the name of justice for the relatives. The Zamorin's armies were eventually successful and imposed a settlement, which confined the king of Cochin to his domains, and extracted an oath of vassalage to Calicut. The kingdom of Cochin was required to obtain the Zamorin's consent during succession, and obliged to provide annual tribute and troops to
3266-450: The king wanted to develop the port even further. The king brought a harbour engineer Robert Bristow to Cochin in 1920, with the help of Lord Willingdon , then Governor of Madras . Over a span of 21 years he helped the king of Cochin to transform Cochin into the safest harbour in south Asia, where ships berthed alongside the newly reclaimed inner harbour, which was equipped with a long array of steam cranes. Meanwhile, Fort Cochin , which
3337-498: The kingdom was at Perumpadappu near Ponnani in present-day Malappuram district . The ruler of Perumpadappu (near Ponnani ) fled to Kodungallur in the early medieval period, when the Zamorin of Calicut annexed Ponnani region, after Tirunavaya war. Calicut ( Porlathiri kingdom) was conquered by Zamorin of Eranad , who then conquered parts of Perumpadappu kingdom, and tried to assert his suzerainty over it. Although losing their northern homeland and original capital,
3408-523: The kingdom). Assured by the offer of support, the raja declared war on his enemy, the Zamorins of Calicut. In 1502, a new expedition under the command of Vasco da Gama arrived at Cochin, and the friendship was renewed. Vasco da Gama later bombarded Calicut and destroyed the Arab factories there. This enraged the Zamorin, the ruler of Calicut, and he attacked Cochin after the departure of Vasco da Gama and destroyed
3479-418: The late 15th century, the kingdom had shrunk to its minimal extent as a result of invasions by the Zamorin of Calicut . When Portuguese armadas arrived in India, the kingdom of Cochin had lost its vassals to the Zamorins , including Edapalli and Cranganore, the later of which had even been at the centre of the kingdom historically. Cochin was looking for an opportunity to preserve its independence, which
3550-459: The much larger Perumpadappu state. The growing wealth of Cochin gave the junior prince in Cochin power and ascendancy, eventually enabling him to assert himself as king over senior relatives from other branches of the Perumpadappu dynasty, as well as allowing him to detach Cochin from Edapalli, and chart his own separate course. As a result of this transition, the large "kingdom of Perumpadappu" ( Perumpadappu Swaroopam ) came to be referred to as
3621-447: The new break at Cochin, and merchant families began to relocate and set up warehouses and eventually homes there. The once-great old port city of Kodungallur (Cranganore) declined as the new port-city of Kochi (Cochin) rose in wealth and importance. The urban center of the early city developed on relatively high ground in the village of Mattancherry (now a district in Kochi city, once called " Cochim de Cima "). The original owners of
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#17328631140293692-455: The rise in sea-level which formed the shape of the coastal area as we see it today. The origin of the name Kochi is thought to be the Malayalam word kochu azhi, meaning 'small lagoon'. Mattancherry is the nerve town of old historic Kochi. In old Malayalam it is Maadan-cheri , from cheri meaning town. Maad or cow was the stamp of Old Royal Fort of Rajah of Kochi, who built his palace after
3763-416: The stone fortress replaced the wooden fort. Later, for a better defence of the town, a fort called "Castelo de Cima" was built on Vypeen Island. At the departure of the Portuguese fleet, only Duarte Pacheco Pereira and a small fleet were left in Cochin. Meanwhile, the Zamorin of Calicut formed a massive force and attacked them. For five months, Cochin kingdom was able to drive back Calicut's assaults , with
3834-402: The successor should be the next oldest in age among potential candidates. This was later relaxed, and in practice kingship became elective, to ensure the successor was not too old or incompetent. The overlooked true elder was compensated with symbolic or ceremonial dignities (notably the religiously significant title Muppustanam ). Retirement was also forced – it was customary and expected for
3905-667: The territory of what later became Cochin city was the Ellangallur royal family of the Rajas of Edapalli ( Repelim ) (on the east side of the lagoon). Drawn from the Brahmin class, the Edapalli royal family followed different rules of succession. In the early 1400s, the king of Edapalli had married a sister of the Elaya branch of Perumpadappu, and so their son was doubly royal heir to two houses – via father to Edapalli, via mother to Perumpadappu . But he
3976-511: The traders from various parts of the world would gather. Fort Kochi was a fishing village in the Kingdom of Kochi in the pre-colonial Kerala. The Portuguese arrived at Kappad Kozhikode in 1498 during the Age of Discovery , thus opening a direct sea route from Europe to India . The territory that would be later known as Fort Kochi was granted to the Portuguese in 1503 by the Rajah of Kochi , after
4047-505: The traders from various parts of the world would gather. On the Malabar coast during the early 15th century, Calicut and Cochin were in an intense rivalry, so the Ming dynasty of China decided to intervene by granting special status to Cochin and its ruler, known as Keyili (可亦里) to the Chinese. Calicut had been the dominant port-city in the region, but Cochin was emerging as its main rival. For
4118-651: The transfer of Kochi and Vypin from the Edappally rulers to the Perumpadappu rulers, the latter came to be known as kings of Kochi. During 1800 to 1947, the kingdom of Cochin included much of modern-day Thrissur district excluding Chavakkad taluk, a few areas of Alathur taluk and the whole of Chittur taluk of the Palakkad district and Kochi taluk (excluding Fort Kochi ), most of Kanayannur taluk (excluding Edappally ), parts of Aluva taluk ( Karukutty , Angamaly , Kalady , Chowwara , Kanjoor , Sreemoolanagaram , Malayattoor , Manjapra ), parts of Kunnathunad taluk and parts of Paravur Taluk ( Chendamangalam ) of
4189-500: Was a part of Malabar District until 1956, was made a municipality on 1 November 1866, along with Kannur , Thalassery , Kozhikode , and Palakkad , according to the Madras Act 10 of 1865 (Amendment of the Improvements in Towns act 1850) of the British Indian Empire , and its first Municipal Council election with a board of 18 members was conducted in 1883. The Maharajah of Cochin initiated local administration in 1896 by forming town councils in Mattancherry and Ernakulam . In 1925,
4260-464: Was apparently not first in the line of succession to Perumpadappu. In the early 1400s, the King of Edapalli granted part of his lands, specifically southern Vypin island and northern part of Karapuram peninsula around the new break, as an appanage fief for his prince son. It was originally not supposed to be a permanent cession, but rather to serve as a training ground, to allow the heir to cultivate his governing skills. Upon succession to his father, he
4331-481: Was at risk. King Unni Goda Varma warmly welcomed Pedro Álvares Cabral on 24 December 1500 and negotiated a treaty of alliance between Portugal and the Cochin kingdom, directed against the Zamorin of Calicut. A number of forts were built in the area and controlled by the Portuguese East Indies , the most important of which was Fort Manuel . Cochin became a long-term Portuguese protectorate (1503–1663) providing assistance against native and foreign powers in India. After
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#17328631140294402-414: Was created by a flood that also destroyed the harbour of the town Kodungallur . Thereafter, the town developed into one of the most important harbours on the West Coast of India. It concentrated on the spice trade with China and the Middle East. During this period, Kozhikode was ruled by king Zamorin and Kochi was ruled by the Maharaja of Kochi. This was the time when the first Portuguese ships berthed at
4473-452: Was erected under Portuguese Padroado in 1558 with its headquarters in Fort Kochi. Santa Cruz Basilica , also built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, was later destroyed by the British and rebuilt near the end of 19th century. From this period there are other residential buildings and hotels such as the Old Harbour House , some of which have been renovated in more recent times. The landmark that causes more public and visitor interest
4544-403: Was expected to move across the lagoon to Edapalli, and cede Cochin as a seat to the next heir. As the ruler was always a prince in training, he was addressed as " Kocchu Thampuran " (meaning 'junior lord' or 'junior king'), thus the fief became known as "Kochi/Cochin" after him. So the original "kingdom of Cochin" ( Kochi rajyam ) started off as a small Edapalli offshoot, distinct and separate from
4615-413: Was in turn unified with the Malabar district of Madras Presidency . Kasaragod was merged into it and Kanyakumari was removed from it. On 1 November 1956, the Indian state of Kerala was formed. For administrative purposes, Cochin was divided into seven taluks.(from 1860 to 1905 AD) Chittur, Cochin, Cranganore, Kanayannur, Mukundapuram, Trichur and Talapilly. The capital of Perumpadapu Swaroopam
4686-495: Was located at Chitrakooda in the Perumpadapu village of Vanneri from the beginning of the 12th century to the end of the 13th century. Even though the capital of Perumpadapu Swaroopam was in Vanneri, the Perumpadapu king had a palace in Mahodayapuram. When the Zamorins attacked Vanneri in the later part of the 13th century, Perumpadapu Swaroopam shifted their capital from Vanneri to Mahodayapuram. In 1405, Perumpadapu Swaroopam changed their capital from Mahodayapuram to Cochin . By
4757-463: Was originally just a small village along a long embankment. Violent floods and overflows of the Periyar River in 1341 forced the opening of the outlet between the Vembanad lagoon and the Arabian Sea at the juncture where Cochin now sits, separating the long Cochinese peninsula ( karapuram ) from what is now Vypin island. As the waterways connecting Cranganore to the sea were silting up, commercial traffic began re-directing away from Cranganore to
4828-400: Was originally the residence of the kings. In 1555, though, the royal palace moved to Mattancherry , and later relocated to Thrissur . At that time Penvazithampuran (Female Thampuran) and the other Kochuthampurans (other Thampurans except the Valliathampuran (King)) stayed at a palace in Vellarapilly. In the beginning of the 18th century Thripunithura started gaining prominence. The kingdom
4899-406: Was rebuilt in 1516 as a permanent structure, today known as the St Francis Church . Fort Kochi remained in Portuguese possession for 160 years. In 1683 the Dutch captured the territory from the Portuguese, destroyed many Portuguese institutions, particularly Catholic including convents. The Dutch held Fort Kochi in their possession for 112 years until 1795, when the British took control by defeating
4970-423: Was ruled from Thrissur , Cochin and Thripunithura . Around 1755 Penvazithampuran (Female Thampuran) and the other Kochuthampurans (other Thampurans) left Vellarapalli and started to live in Thripunithura. Thus Thripunithura became the capital of the Cochin Royal Family. Veerakerala Varma, nephew of Cheraman Perumal , is the person traditionally believed to be the first Maharaja of Cochin. The written records of
5041-399: Was the daughter of the last niece of Cheraman Perumal. Keralolpathi recorded the division of his kingdom in 345 Common Era , Perumpadapu Grandavari in 385 Common Era , William Logan in 825 Common Era . There are no written records on these earlier divisions of Kerala , but according to some historians the division might have occurred during the Second Chera kingdom at the beginning of
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