Where in South India did the British East India Company construct a trading post in 1639?

In 1639, the British East India Company secured a grant of land on the Coromandel Coast from the local Nayak rulers of the Chandragiri region [1][2]. This site, known as Madraspatnam, was chosen for its strategic maritime location and proximity to textile weaving centers [1]. On August 22, 1639, the Company acquired this stretch of land to establish a fortified trading post, which replaced Masulipatnam as the English headquarters on the east coast [2]. The construction of Fort St. George began shortly thereafter in 1640, forming the nucleus of the modern city of Chennai [1]. While the Company had earlier established a factory at Surat in 1612, Madraspatnam became one of the three major trade settlements alongside Bombay and Calcutta [1][2]. The site eventually evolved into the capital of the Madras Presidency.

Sources

1. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > European Factories/Settlements during Mughal Rule > p. 209
2. [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Why the English Succeeded against Other European Powers > p. 57