Editing Vasai (section)

==History==<!-- Use either Vasai, Bassein, Baçaim or Basai based on time. Use Bajipur with caution as it can cause confusion. Use Bassein instead if added content occurred between Maratha and British eras or Baçaim if added content occurred between the Portuguese and Maratha eras.-->

===Pre-Portuguese era===
The history of Vasai dates back to the ancient [[Puranas|Puranic]] ages.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.vasaiker.com/index.php/history-of-vasai|title=History of Vasai|last=Lopes|first=William|website=Vasaiker|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171230183312/http://www.vasaiker.com:80/index.php/history-of-vasai|archive-date=30 December 2017|access-date=25 July 2018}}</ref> Vasai was a trading ground for many [[Ancient Greece|Greek]], [[Arab identity|Arab]], [[History of Iran|Persian]] and [[Roman Empire|Roman]] traders and merchants who would enter through the west coast of [[Indian subcontinent|India]]. The [[Ancient Greece|Greek]] merchant [[Cosma Indicopleustes]] is known to have visited the areas around Vasai in the 6th century and the [[Tang dynasty|Chinese]] traveler [[Xuanzang]] later in June or July 640. According to historian [[José Gerson da Cunha]], during this time, Bassein and its surrounding areas appeared to have been ruled by the [[Chalukya dynasty]] of [[Karnataka]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Notes on the History and Antiquities of Chaul and Bassein|url=https://archive.org/details/notesonhistorya00cunhgoog|last=da Cunha|first=José Gerson|publisher=Thacker, Vining & Co.|year=1876|isbn=9788120608450|pages=[https://archive.org/details/notesonhistorya00cunhgoog/page/n209 129]}}</ref> 
Until the 11th century, several [[Arabian]] geographers had mentioned references to towns nearby Vasai, like [[Thane|Thana]] and [[Sopara]], but no references had been made to Vasai.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Notes on the History and Antiquities of Chaul and Bassein|url=https://archive.org/details/notesonhistoryan00jger|last=da Cunha|first=José Gerson|publisher=Thacker, Vining & Co.|year=1876|isbn=9788120608450|pages=[https://archive.org/details/notesonhistoryan00jger/page/130 130]}}</ref> Vasai was later ruled by the [[Silhara dynasty]] of [[Konkan]] and eventually passed to the [[Seuna (Yadava) dynasty|Seuna dynasty]]. It was head of district under the Seuna (1184–1318). Later conquered by the [[Gujarat Sultanate]],<ref>{{Cite book|title=Notes on the History and Antiquities of Chaul and Bassein|url=https://archive.org/details/notesonhistorya00cunhgoog|last=da Cunha|first=José Gerson|publisher=Thacker, Vining & Co.|year=1876|isbn=9788120608450|pages=[https://archive.org/details/notesonhistorya00cunhgoog/page/n211 131]}}</ref> where it was named ''Basai'', few years later [[Duarte Barbosa|Barbosa]] (1514) described it under the name Baxay (pronounced Basai) as a town with a good seaport belonging to the [[Muzaffarids (Gujarat)|King]] of [[Gujarat Sultanate|Gujarat]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Notes on the History and Antiquities of Chaul and Bassein|url=https://archive.org/details/notesonhistoryan00jger|last=da Cunha|first=José Gerson|publisher=Thacker, Vining & Co.|year=1876|isbn=9788120608450|pages=[https://archive.org/details/notesonhistoryan00jger/page/132 132]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://cultural.maharashtra.gov.in/english/gazetteer/Thane/places_b.html|title=Chapter 19: Places|date=20 December 2006|website=Thane District Gazetteer|access-date=25 July 2018}}</ref>

In 1295, the [[Republic of Venice|Italian]] explorer [[Marco Polo]] passed through Vasai.<ref name=":4" />

===Portuguese era===
The [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] first reached the west coast of [[Indian subcontinent|India]] when the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] [[Age of Discovery|explorer]] [[Vasco da Gama]] landed at [[Kozhikode|Calicut]] in 1498. According to historian [[Manuel de Faria e Sousa]], the coast of Basai was first visited by the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] in 1509, when [[Francisco de Almeida]] on his way to [[Diu, India|Diu]] captured a Muslim ship in the harbour of [[Mumbai|Bombay]], with 24 citizens of the [[Gujarat Sultanate]] aboard.

To the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]], Basai was an important trading centre located on the [[Arabian Sea]]. They saw it as a vital service station that would give them access to global sea routes and goods such as salt, fish, timber and mineral resources.<ref name=":2" /> They wanted to build a shipyard to manufacture ships and use the fertile land to grow rice, sugarcane, cotton, betel nuts and other crops to trade globally.<ref name=":4" />

The presence of the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] significantly shaped the region into what it is today.<ref name=":2" />

==== Treaty of Vasai (Bassein) (1534) ====
In 1530 the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]], under António da Silveira, took advantage of its strong navy and pillaged and burnt the village of Vasai (Basai). The army of [[Gujarat Sultanate]] was not strong enough for the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] forces and, despite resistance, the [[Bahadur Shah of Gujarat|Sultan of Gujarat]] was eventually defeated.<ref name=":4" /> In 1531 António set fire to Basai yet again as punishment for the [[Bahadur Shah of Gujarat|Sultan]] for not ceding [[Diu, India|Diu]], a vital island that would protect trade in the region. In 1533, Diogo (Heitor) da Silveira set fire to the western coast leading from [[Bandora, Goa|Bandora]] through [[Thane|Thana]] and Basai to [[Surat]].<ref name=":2" />

[[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] General [[Nuno da Cunha]] discovered that the son of [[Malik Ayyaz|Meliqueaz]], the governor of [[Diu, India|Diu]], Malik Tokan was fortifying Basai with 14,000 men. Seeing this fortification as a threat, [[Nuno da Cunha|Nano da Cunha]] assembled a fleet of 150 ships with 4000 men and sailed to north of Basai. Upon seeing the naval superiority of the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]], Malik Tokan attempted to initiate a peace agreement with [[Nuno da Cunha|Nano da Cunha]]. Upon rejection, Malik Tokan was forced to fight against the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]]. Despite bringing fewer soldiers, the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] managed to kill most of the enemy while losing only a few of their own.<ref name=":2" />

The [[Treaty of Bassein (1534)|Treaty of Bassein]] was signed by [[Bahadur Shah of Gujarat]] and the [[Kingdom of Portugal]] on 23 December 1534 while on board the [[galleon]] São Mateus. Based on the terms of the agreement, the [[Portuguese Empire]] gained control of the village of Basai as well as its territories, islands and seas including [[Mumbai|Bombay]]. The village was renamed to Baçaim and became the northern capital of [[Portuguese India|Portuguese territories]] in India.

[[Garcia de Sá]] was later appointed as the first Captain (governor) of Baçaim by his brother-in-law [[Nuno da Cunha]] in 1536, who ruled until 1548 when the governorship was passed onto [[Jorge Cabral]]. The first cornerstone for the [[Fort Bassein|Bassein Fort]] was laid by [[António Galvão]].<ref name=":2" />

Under [[Portuguese India|Portuguese rule]], the [[Fort Bassein]] was the Northern Court, or 'Corte da Norte', functioning as the headquarters of the Court of the North. Baçaim became the capital of the Northern Province, the most productive village of [[Portuguese India]] and became a resort for [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] 'fidalgos' (noblemen and wealthy merchants). A great Portuguese person would be called 'Fidalgo ou Cavalheiro de Baçaim' (''Nobleman of Baçaim'').<ref name=":2" /> By 1674, the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]] constructed 2 colleges, 4 convent schools and 15 churches in total in Baçaim's territories.<ref name=":4" /> For approximately 205 years, the presence of the [[Portuguese Empire|Portuguese]] made the surrounding area a vibrant and opulent village.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/MTDC/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/TouristDelight/Forts/Forts.aspx?strpage=VasaiFort.html|title=Vasai Fort|website=Maharashtra Tourism|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150917163134/https://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/MTDC/HTML/MaharashtraTourism/TouristDelight/Forts/Forts.aspx?strpage=VasaiFort.html|archive-date=17 September 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=25 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/treasures/fort/vasai-fort|title=Vasai Fort|website=Maharashtra Tourism|access-date=25 July 2018}}</ref>

The local ethnic community were called 'Norteiro' (Northern men), named after the Court of the North functioning out of the [[Fort Bassein|fort]].

In 1674, about 600 [[Arab identity|Arab]] pirates from [[Muscat]] entered Baçaim via the west and pillaged the churches in Baçaim. The unexpected attack weakened the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]] control outside the [[Fort Bassein|fort]] walls<ref name=":4" /> and [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] [[Maratha Army|warriors]] stationed in the west isolated them further.

===Maratha era===
In the 18th century, [[Fort Bassein|Vasai Fort]] was attacked by the [[Maratha Empire]] under [[Peshwa]] [[Baji Rao I|Baji Rao]]'s brother [[Chimaji Appa]] and the Portuguese surrendered on 16 May 1739 after the [[Battle of Vasai|Battle of Vasai (Baçaim)]]. The [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]] allowed the women and the children of the enemy to leave peacefully. The [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]] lost a total of 4 main ports, 8 cities, 2 fortified hills, 340 villages and 20 fortresses.<ref name=":4" />

This defeat of the [[Portuguese India|Portuguese]], combined with [[Kingdom of Portugal|Portuguese]] [[House of Braganza|royal]] [[Catherine of Braganza]]'s wedding dowry of the [[Seven Islands of Bombay]] to [[Charles II of England]], led to [[Mumbai|Bombay]] overtaking Bajipur (the Maratha name for Vasai) as the dominant economic power in the region.<ref name=":0" />

===British era===
With the [[East India Company|British]] ruling the [[Salsette Island|island of Bombay]] just south of the Vasai Creek, the region's prominence as a trade centre in [[Indian subcontinent|India]] became increasingly overshadowed by [[Mumbai|Bombay]].<ref name=":0" />

After the death of [[Madhavrao I]] in 1772, his brother [[Narayan Rao]] became [[Peshwa]] of the [[Maratha Empire]]. [[Narayan Rao]] was the fifth [[Peshwa]] of the [[Maratha Empire]] from November 1772 until his murder by his palace guards in August 1773. [[Narayan Rao]]'s widow, Gangabai, gave birth to a posthumous son, who was legal heir to the throne. The newborn infant was named [[Madhavrao II|Sawai Madhavrao]]. Twelve [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] chiefs, led by [[Nana Fadnavis]], directed an effort to name the infant as the new [[Peshwa]] and rule under him as [[regent]]s.

[[Raghunathrao]], unwilling to give up his position of power, sought help from the [[Bombay Presidency|British at Bombay]] and signed the [[Treaty of Surat]] on 6 March 1775. According to the treaty, [[Raghunathrao]] ceded the territories of Salsette and [[Vasai-Virar|Vasai]] to the [[East India Company|British]], along with part of the revenues from the [[Surat]] and [[Bharuch district|Bharuch]] districts. In return, the [[East India Company|British]] promised to provide [[Raghunathrao]] with 2,500 soldiers. The treaty was later annulled by the [[East India Company|British]] [[Supreme Council of Bengal]] and replaced by the [[Treaty of Purandar (1776)|Treaty of Purandar]] on 1 March 1776. [[Raghunathrao]] was pensioned and his cause abandoned, but the revenues of the Salsette and [[Bharuch district|Bharuch]] districts were retained by the [[East India Company|British]]. The [[East India Company|British]] [[Bombay Presidency]] rejected this new treaty and gave refuge to [[Raghunathrao]]. In 1777, [[Nana Fadnavis]] violated his treaty with the [[East India Company|British]] [[Supreme Council of Bengal]] by granting the [[French India|French]] a port on west coast. The [[East India Company|British]] retaliated by sending a force towards [[Pune]].

Following a treaty between [[French India|France]] and the [[Maratha Empire]] in 1776, the [[East India Company|British]] [[Bombay Presidency]] decided to invade and reinstate [[Raghunathrao]].  They sent a force under [[Peter Egerton-Warburton|Colonel Egerton]], but were defeated. The [[East India Company|British]] were forced to sign the Treaty of Wadgaon on 16 January 1779, a victory for the [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Battles of the Honourable East India Company: Making of the Raj|last=Naravane|first=M. S.|publisher=APH Publishing Corporation|year=2014|isbn=9788131300343|location=India|pages=60}}</ref> Reinforcements from northern India, commanded by Colonel Thomas Goddard, arrived too late to save the [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]] force. The British [[Governor-General of India|Governor-General]] in the [[East India Company|British]] [[Bengal Presidency]], [[Warren Hastings]], rejected the treaty on the grounds that the [[Bombay Presidency|Bombay]] officials had no legal power to sign it. He ordered Goddard to secure [[Kingdom of Great Britain|British]] interests in the area.<ref name="toib">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Bhadra-Fort-to-turn-into-heritage-hangout/articleshow/4646568.cms|title=Bhadra Fort to turn into heritage hangout!|date=12 June 2009|access-date=25 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010140749/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Bhadra-Fort-to-turn-into-heritage-hangout/articleshow/4646568.cms|archive-date=10 October 2016|work=[[The Times of India]]|url-status=live|agency=TNN}}</ref><ref name="longman">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZQXGmDs3LlMC&pg=PA446|title=A History of the Mahrattas|author=Duff|first=James Grant|publisher=Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green|year=1826|isbn=9781421221373|volume=2|location=London|pages=446|orig-year=University of Oxford}}</ref><ref name="hb">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hRENAAAAYAAJ&q=ahmedabad&pg=PA448|title=A Comprehensive History of India, Civil, Military and Social: From the First Landing of the English, to the Suppression of the Sepoy Revolt; Including an Outline of the Early History of Hindoostan|author=Beveridge|first=Henry|publisher=Blackie and Son|year=1862|isbn=9781341491559|volume=2|location=New York Public Library|pages=456–466}}</ref> Goddard captured Bassein on 11 December 1780. The city was renamed from ''Bajipur'' to ''Bassein'' under [[Company rule in India|British rule]].{{fact|date=June 2023}}

In 1801, [[Yashwantrao Holkar]] rebelled against the rival factions of the [[Maratha Empire]]. He defeated the combined forces of the [[Daulat Rao Sindhia|Daulat Rao Scindia]] and [[Peshwa]] [[Baji Rao II]] in the [[Battle of Poona]] and captured [[Pune|Poona]] ([[Pune]]). [[Peshwa]] [[Baji Rao II]] eventually took refuge in Bassein, where the [[East India Company|British]] had a stronghold.<ref name=":4" /> The [[Fort Bassein|Bassein Fort]] played a strategic role in the [[First Anglo-Maratha War]].<ref name=":1" />

==== Treaty of Bassein (1802) ====
The Treaty of Bassein (1802) was signed on 31 December 1802 between the [[East India Company|British East India Company]] and [[Baji Rao II]], the [[Maratha]] [[Peshwa]] of [[Pune]] (Poona), in India after the [[Battle of Poona]]. The treaty was a decisive step in the dissolution of the [[Maratha Empire]] and the expansion of [[British Raj|British rule]] over the [[Indian subcontinent]].{{fact|date=June 2023}}