Kozhikode, the 'City of Spices', was the capital of the Samoothiris (Zamorins) and the port where Vasco da Gama anchored

Background

During classical antiquity and the Middle Ages, Kozhikode was dubbed the 'City of Spices' for its role as the major trading point of Eastern spices.
It was the capital of an independent kingdom ruled by the Samoothiris (Zamorins) in the Middle Ages.
It later became the capital of the erstwhile Malabar district under British rule.
Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama dropped anchor at Kozhikode on 20 May 1498, opening a trade route between Europe and Malabar.
The English landed in 1615, followed by the French (1698) and the Dutch (1752).
The word calico, a fine hand-woven cotton cloth exported from the port, is thought to have been derived from Calicut.