The Anjengo Revolt

• In 1684 AD, British obtained a sandy plot of land at Anjengo for the construction of a factory from the Rani of Attingal
• In 1690, they obtained permission to build a fort at Anjengo and its construction was completed in 1695.
• A depot for military stores was also opened there.
• Anjengo developed in to the most important British possession on the West Coast, next only to Bombay.
• Under pressure from the English, Rani of Attingal was compelled to grant them the monopoly of pepper.
• English manipulated the price of pepper against the interest of the local cultivators
• In November 1697 the factory at Anjengo was subjected to a violent attack by the local people.
• They attacked English factories there and massacred Englishmen.
• The Rani of Attingal was forced to sign a fresh treaty by which Rani agreed to rebuild the factory and to pay 80,000 panams as compensation.

Attingal Outbreak of 1721

• In 1721 a crisis occurred in the functioning of the Anjengo factory.
• This revolt was the first organized revolt against British authority in Kerala.
• The British followed a policy of economic exploitation at Attingal.
• British tried to please Rani by providing costly presents every year.
• In the Easter Dinner given by the Company, An English woman insulted a Muslim merchant by throwing colored water or powder to him.
• The chief factor Gyfford ordered to punish the Muslim, instead of punishing the real culprit. 
• The situation was aggressed by the policy of British government to give costly presents to the Rani of Attingal to win more concessions.
• The gents of the Pillamar (Nair chieftains) demanded that the presents should be handed over to them for transmission to  the Rani 
• Gyfford refused the demand and proceeded to Attingal along with 140 English men to hand over the price to Rani in person.
• On their return, they were attacked by the provoked local people.
• In this attack almost all the English men were murdered including Gyfford.
• The hostile mob then turned against Rani.
• They proceeded towards Anjengo fort which was defended by Gunner Ince.
• The siege lasted for six months and it ended with the arrival of reinforcements from Tellichery.
• Following the failure of the revolt, the English and Rani entered into an agreement under which the Company was compensated for all the losses.
• They were also given the sole monopoly of trade in pepper as well as the right to erect factories in places of its choice.