Page:History of India Vol 6.djvu/260

 ENGLAND'S ATTEMPTS TO KEACH INDIA East at Lisbon itself, and he cordially entered on a project for an Indian mart in northern Europe. Bruges, the outlet to the North for the Eastern trade by the mediaeval land paths, had decayed, owing partly to the blocking of the Asiatic routes by the Turks, partly to the vengeance of Maximilian of Austria for its revolts, JAIPUR, A MODERN CENTRE OF INDIAN TRADE. but permanently in consequence of the silting up of its river and ports. The Portuguese king made Antwerp the entrepot of Indian produce for northern Europe, and the opening up of a new branch of the Scheldt, by the scouring of the channel about 1504, gave it a sea approach such as Bruges had not enjoyed even in the height of her prosperity. Lisbon thus became the port of trans-shipment be- tween the East and the great colonial mart of Antwerp. During the first half of the sixteenth century England's