Which of the following was/were reason/reasons for the success of European trading companies

Q. Which of the following was/were reason/reasons for the success of European trading companies in South India, during the 17th century?

1. The presence of the Mughals in the South was not as much as in the North.

2. The Vijayanagara kingdom had been overthrown in the late 16th century.

3. The South had many small and weak states. Select the correct answer using the codes given below

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1 and 2

(c) 2 and 3

(d) Only 1

Ans: (a) 1, 2 and 3