The British in India
1608 – 1947 • Formation & Early Focus
🏭 Formation & Objectives
1599
The Merchant Adventurers: Formation of “The Company of Merchant Adventurers,” popularly known as the English East India Company (EIC).
1600
Royal Charter: Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter granting exclusive trade east of the Cape of Good Hope for 15 years.
1609
Renewal: The charter was renewed indefinitely.
🔄 The Strategic Shift
Initial Objective: Control over the Spice Islands (Indonesia).
Reason for Shift: The Dutch (VOC) dominance in Indonesia forced the English to redirect attention to India.
- Portuguese & Dutch Focus: Spices.
- English Focus: Cotton & Silk textiles, later Indigo and Saltpetre.
👑 Under Emperor Jahangir (1605–1627)
1. William Hawkins (1608–1611)
- Arrived at Surat aboard the ship Hector (first English ship).
- Welcomed by Jahangir and given Mansabdar rank.
- Failure: Failed to establish a factory due to Portuguese pressure.
- 1608 First trading post established at Surat.
- 1611 First temporary factory at Masulipatnam (Andhra).
2. Thomas Best (1612–1613)
- Commanded the ships Red Dragon and Hosiander.
- Battle of Swally (1612): Defeated the Portuguese near Surat.
- Result: Jahangir was impressed and allowed the first permanent English factory at Surat (1613).
3. Sir Thomas Roe (1615–1619)
- Ambassador of King James I to Jahangir’s court.
- Obtained a Farman permitting English factories across Mughal territory (though no formal treaty).
- New Factories: Agra, Baruch, Ahmedabad.
- 1616: Factory at Masulipatnam established (Identified as the first in South India).
🕌 Under Emperor Shah Jahan (1628–1658)
| 1632: Golden Farman | Issued by the Sultan of Golconda. Allowed duty-free trade on an annual payment of 500 pagodas. |
| 1633: East India Entry | Factory at Hariharpur (Balasore, Odisha) — the first in Eastern India. |
| 1639: Madras Foundation | British merchant Francis Day obtained Madras on lease from the Raja of Chandragiri. Built Fort St. George (later Southern Presidency HQ). Madras replaced Masulipatnam as HQ. |
| 1651: Bengal Entry | Factory established at Hugli — the first in Bengal. |
| Bengal Expansion | William Hedges became the first agent and governor in Bengal. Factories soon followed at Kasimbazar, Patna, and Rajmahal. |
⚔️ Under Emperor Aurangzeb (1658–1707)
- 1661 (The Dowry): King Charles II received Bombay as dowry from Catherine of Braganza (Portuguese princess).
- 1668: Charles II leased Bombay to the EIC for 10 pounds per year in gold.
- 1686 (Anglo-Mughal War): Company was defeated and reverted to diplomacy.
- 1687: Bombay replaced Surat as headquarters of the Western Presidency.
- 1690 (Calcutta Origins): Job Charnock established a trading post at Sutanuti.
- 1690 (Tamil Nadu): Fort Devanampatnam near Madras bought and renamed Fort St. David.
- 1698: Company purchased Sutanuti, Govindapur, and Kalikata.
- 1700: Fort William built — formal foundation of Calcutta (Seat of Eastern Presidency). The first president of Fort William was Charles Eyre.
📜 Under Farrukhsiyar (1713–1719)
The John Surman Mission (1717)
Sent by King George I. Secured the Farman of 1717, known as the “Magna Carta of the Company in India.”
Key Privileges Granted:
- Bengal: Goods duty-free; annual payment of ₹3,000; right to issue dastaks; right to acquire land around Calcutta.
- Gujarat: Complete customs exemption on payment of ₹10,000.
- Hyderabad: Renewal of earlier trade privileges (Golconda).
- Coinage: Bombay-minted coins legalized across Mughal India.
Result: Institutionalized Company’s commercial dominance and weakened Mughal fiscal control.
📉 Conclusion (1600–1717)
The English East India Company evolved from a commercial body to a quasi-political entity.
Aided by royal farmans, fortified settlements, and rival European decline, this marked the transition from trade monopoly to territorial ambition.