British East India Company: Early History

British East India Company: Early History

• The British East India Company was established in 1600
• The company was granted a monopoly on trade in the East for 15 years
• Initial traders were called Merchant Adventurers
• The company's success was partly due to the voyages of Francis Drake (1578), who circumnavigated the globe
• Francis Drake's successful voyage around the world by the Cape Route in 1580 opened opportunities for the East India Company
• 1588 - Historic English victory over the Spanish Armada, which reduced Spanish power and allowed for English expansion
• This victory, along with Drake's voyage, provided a less hostile environment for the company
• The high profits generated by Portuguese trade in the East Indies motivated English traders
• Competition existed with the Dutch in the Spice Islands and Portuguese in India
• Surat, India was a key trade location for the Portuguese
• Captain Hawkins visited the Mughal emperor Jahangir in 1609, but permission to establish a factory was not granted until 1613
• The Battle of Swally, 1612, strengthened English reputation and ensured permission to trade in the Mughal Empire
• In May 1609, King James I extended the company's monopoly of trade in the East for an indefinite period.
• Jahangir granted the English permission to establish a factory in 1613
• English established factories in several significant locations, including Balasore, Masulipatnam, Agra, Ahmedabad, and Broach
• The company faced competition, especially from the Dutch, in the Spice Islands and Portuguese in India, including Surat in India, which was a major Portuguese stronghold.
• Captain Hawkens communicated with the Mughals without an interpreter in the Persian language.
• A commercial treaty between English and Mughal authorities, facilitated by Sir Thomas Roe, who arrived as an ambassador in 1615, secured permission to trade and opened additional factories within the growing Mughal Empire.

Explore the early history of the British East India Company, established in 1600. This quiz covers key events, including the significant voyages of Francis Drake and the impact of the English victory over the Spanish Armada. Test your knowledge on the company's initial trade monopolies and competition in the East.