Cochin History

Kochi was founded in 1341, In 1405, the royal family  made it their new base, after which the city expanded rapidly, attracting Christian, Arab and Jewish settlers from the Middle East. Its name probably derives from kocchazhi meaning new, or small, harbour.European involvement in Kochi began in the early 1500's with the Portuguese - followed by the Dutch and British, all wanting to control the port and its lucrative spice trade. In 1800, the state of Cochin became part of the British Madras Presidency and from 1812 until independence in 1947, was administered by a sucession of diwans, or finance ministers. In the 1920's the British expanded the port to make it suitable for modern ocean-going ships and Willingdon Island, between Ernakulam and Fort Cochin, was created by extensive dredging.