Arrival of the Jesuits

Between 1640 and 1647 AD many Christians fled from Trichirappalli and Thanjavur areas due to wars, famine and persecutions and took refuge in the Gingee Kingdom. We notice from 1660 to 1700, Fr.Freire, Fr.John de Britto (who became later martyr and saint) and Fr.Laynez (who became later Bishop of Mylapore) visiting these Christian settlements regularly.

A Cartographical Veiw of 18th Century Pondicherry

In 1695 the French King Louis XIV entrusted the work of evangelization of the French territories in India to the Jesuits. By the intervention of Mr.Francois Martin, it was decided that the Capuchins would take care of the Europeans and the Eurasians, while the Jesuits would look after the Indians of the French territories. The Jesuits who could not go back to Thailand decided to stay on and develop the North of Madurai Mission, a new Mission named by them as Carnatic Mission.