Colonial period. From the 1500's to the 1700's, the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and English vied with each other for commercial privileges and political influence in India, especially South India. In the 1600's, the East India Company of Britain established several important trading centres along the Malabar and Coramandel coasts, including Nizampatam, Masulipatam, Madapollam, and Vizagapatam.

Through the 1700's, British and French merchants each formed alliances with local powers. At the end of the 1700's, the British reached an agreement with the nizam of Hyderabad. He accepted British support in exchange for recognition of British rights to trade. By the beginning of the 1800's, Andhra came under the political control of the East India Company.

The districts of Anantapur, Cuduppa, Nellor, Chittoor, and Kurnool were annexed by the company, and the territory of the nizam was brought under its indirect rule. Hyderabad became one of the 550 princely states which stayed largely independent until 1947. Colonial rule led to the impoverishment of the Indian people.
Anticolonial feelings were first expressed through peasant and tribal revolts. Later, a national movement was organized by the educated classes.
Sri Kandukuri Viresalingam Pantulu began a social-religious movement which made possible the emergence of a democratic movement. The writings of Gujaraja Apparao and Unnava Lakshminarayana began a literary renaissance.

The anticolonial movement initiated and organized by the Indian National Congress drew popular support in Andhra. Important leaders in the movement included T. Prakasham, N. Sanjeeva Reddy, and Pattabhi Sitaramayya. The Communist movement, which grew as part of the national movement also had a large following across the region. Independence.