The Theft of India: The European Conquests of India 1498–1765 by Roy Moxham

The Theft of India: The European Conquests of India 1498–1765 by Roy Moxham is a compelling narrative of how European powers—first the Portuguese, then the Dutch, French, and ultimately the British—systematically exploited and plundered India. The book traces the transition from early trading contacts to outright colonial dominance, revealing how one of the world’s richest regions was steadily stripped of its wealth and sovereignty. Synopsis Moxham recounts the arrival of Vasco da Gama in 1498 and the subsequent scramble by European powers to control India’s lucrative trade routes and resources. He details the methods of coercion, manipulation, and military conquest used to dominate Indian rulers and merchants. The narrative culminates in 1765, when the British East India Company secured the right to collect revenues in Bengal after the Battle of Buxar—marking the beginning of direct colonial control and India’s economic decline. Key Features & Themes

• Colonial Intrusion: How trade gave way to conquest and exploitation.
• European Rivalries: The competing roles of Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British powers.
• Economic Drain: The extraction of India’s wealth and resources by foreign powers.
• Turning Point: The East India Company’s rise after 1765 as the foundation of British rule.
• Historical Clarity: Accessible narrative linking global trade, empire, and India’s subjugation.

Why Read It?

• Provides a concise and readable history of early European colonialism in India.
• Illuminates how India’s wealth was systematically drained, laying the groundwork for later struggles.
• Essential for readers of South Asian history, colonial studies, and global trade.
• Offers a critical perspective on the beginnings of British imperialism.

The Theft of India is a sharp and accessible history of how European conquests transformed India from a global economic powerhouse into a colony, setting the stage for centuries of exploitation.