International Journal of
Advanced Multidisciplinary Application

Volume 3, Issue 11

• Author(s)Reni Anna Philip
• AffiliationPart-time Research Scholar, PG & Research Department of History, PSMO College, Tirurangadi, Affliated to University of Calicut, Kerala, India, Email: renianna21@gmail.com
• Page No.59-62
• Volume, Issue & YearVolume 3 Issue 11,Nov-2026
• Published On14/11/2026
• JournalInternational Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Application (IJAMA)
• ISSN No.3048-9350

Abstract

Ezekiel Rahabi, a prominent Jewish merchant of eighteenth-century Cochin, played a pivotal role in shaping the economic and political landscape of Malabar. As both a trader and an intermediary between European colonial powers and local rulers, he embodied the intersection of commerce and diplomacy. This paper examines his contributions, analyzing his role within the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and his impact on Cochin's Jewish community. It further explores how Rahabi leveraged trade networks to consolidate power while preserving his community's cultural and religious identity. This study adopts both primary and secondary sources and primary sources are basically archival documents. Secondary sources include printed materials on maritime trade of Cochin Jewish community.

Keywords: Ezekiel Rahabi, Dutch East India Company, Jewish Merchants, Early Modern Trade, Cochin Jews

References

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