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East India Company

Read about the East India Company’s roots of colonialism and the formation of the company. Learn about the invasive business policy and the governance structure taken.

East India Company 

  1. Vasco da Gama discovered trade routes for India. It became a platform for European countries to rule over the Indian market. The Portuguese were the first ones to reach India. Following Portugal, many other countries came to India to rule over the Indian market.
  2. Queen Elizabeth signed the Royal Charter. The British East India company released this charter in 1600. This charter allowed ownership of English trade.
  3. This charter allowed trade with eastern countries like South Africa (Cape of Good Hope) and also in the west south straits of Magellan.

East India Company History

  1. 1608 – William Hawkins set up his factories after getting royal permission. He came to Jahangir’s court to cover sponsorship.
  2. 1611 – Caption Middleton got authorization from the Surat Mughal governor.
  3. 1612 – Captain Thomas Best conquered the Portuguese, he conquered the sea of Surat, in battle of swally.
  4. 1613 – Thomas Aldworth started a factory at Surat after getting permission from Jahangir.
  5. 1632 – After receiving Golden Farman from the Sultan of Golconda, the company formed the platform for profitable trade of East Indian company.
  6. 1639 – The East India Company built Fort St George. It was built in Madras city, after taking it on a lease from the local king. This fort was built to protect their trade.
  7. 1662 – Charles II got Bombay as a gift. He got it after marrying the Portuguese princess Katherine.
  8. 1668 – Charles II was receiving 10 pounds per year after giving Bombay to EIC. The headquarters of the company  was repositioned from Surat to Bombay after this incident.
  9. 1690- The East India Company bought the Sultanate. The company also bought Gobindapur and Kolkata. These towns were brought to construct factories. For defense purposes, Fort William was also constructed.
  10. 1717 – About British trade, Mughal Empire Farrukhsiyar issued a Farman(a trade license). 

About East India Company

The English in Bengal 

In 1651, the East India Company started its trading in  Bengal after an agreement of returning an annual payment of 3,000 rupees instead of all duties. At Hooghly(1651), an East Indian company was started. In Kasimbazar, Patna and Rajmahal, the British started the factories. The profit of the British trade was increased by the Farman issued by Aurangzeb.

  1. In 1717 About British trade, Mughal Empire Farrukhsiyar issued a letter to Farman about the Magna Carta. This was accurate by Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar. It helps in the increase of trade concessions.
  2. Farrukhsiyar gave these rights to the East Indian Company as William Hamilton’s surgeon saved him from the disease. The company provided passes for the shipping of goods, which many company officials embezzled.

 The Anglo-French Struggle For Supremacy

WAR

CAUSES

EFFECT

FIRST CARNATIC WAR (1740 – 1748)

● The Anglo-French war takes more time in Europe, this period of time was more favorable to the Austrian war

● The English navy seized all the French ships and the French retaliated, it was the beginning of the First Carnatic War.

● The Treaty of Aix-La Chapelle concluded this war

● The French got the territories of North America and the British got Madras

SECOND CARNATIC WAR (1749 – 1754)

● To defeat the British, Dupleix and the French governor interfered with all the local politics related to English in South India

● Death of Nizam -Ul-Mulk king of Hyderabad and Chanda Sahib release by the Marathas are the two golden opportunities for Duplex

● The French supported Muzaffar Jang for the throne of Hyderabad

● Also supported Chanda Sahib for the throne of Carnatic

● The British supported Nasir Jang for the throne of Hyderabad

● And the British Supported Anwar-ud-din for the throne of Carnatic

● French company criticized Dupleix for the heavy loss in company

● Treaty of Pondicherry, Charles-Robert Godeheu was appointed in place of Dupleix

● As per the treaty, The English and French have no right to involve themselves in political and subcontinental affairs

● They can only be involved in trading activity

THIRD CARNATIC WAR(1758 – 1763)

● The seven years war began in (1756 to 1763). Austria conquered Silesia in 1756, In the seven years war, the British and French fought once

● The third Carnatic war was won by the British in 1760. This was won in Vandavasi in Tamilnadu

● After the third war, French influence in politics disappeared, and by the treaty of Peace of Paris, the French restored their factories in India

British Company Rule in India

  • As many governments did not go against English companies, they started to make a decision based on their convenience
  • French companies should only follow the rules taken by the government
  • The British company was established in three main places, which were: Madras, Calcutta and Bombay
  • At the same time, the French company was introduced in Pondicherry
  • The East Indian Company established vast territory in Bengal
  • The British had a superior navy compared to the French
  • British company got more finances compared to the French
  • Sir Eyre Coote, Robert Clive and Stringer Lawrence were capable commanders in the British company
  • On the other hand, Dupleix only had capable commanders in the French company