French India's banknotes

The French Company for the commerce of the East Indies is created by Colbert in 1664. This first aims at developing the textile activity with the importation of "Indian", a particular kind of painted fabrics very appreciated in Europe. The first French settlements in India date from 1668. First under the leadership of François Caron, several Trading stations developed, the most famous of which are Pondicherry, Chandernagor, Karikal and Yanaon on the East Coast and Mahé on the West Coast. All these assembled colonies gradually constitute a large area with the capital Pondicherry. In 1719, John Law merged the Compagnie des Indes with other French companies of which he obtained control and created the "Compagnie perpuelle des Indes" ... until the financial bankruptcy of March 1720. Then, between 1741 and 1754, Joseph -François Dupleix undertakes a new conquest of India. It durably transforms the Company which then knows a new and long period of prosperity. This wealth ends up exciting the lust of the English. The ensuing frontal confrontation finally turned to the advantage of the Crown of England and in 1763, after the Treaty of Paris, the first French colonial empire faltered and returned to gradual decline. The English ended up definitively driving France from India. The five Trading stations of Pondicherry, Karikal, Yanaon, Mahé and Chandernagor are nevertheless preserved and will remain in the form of establishments until 1949. All the banknotes issued from 1875 for these Indian counters, including mainly that of Pondicherry, are among the last visual representatives of this colonial history. The low quantities emitted, the destruction and the time have finally transformed some of its notes into invaluable documents that are almost impossible to find today!