Correct option is B
The East India Company was given permission to trade duty-free in Bengal by Jahangir
- On December 31, 1600, the British East India Company received a Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I to trade with the East Indies.
- Over time, the company transitioned from a trading entity to playing a key role in the colonization of the Indian subcontinent.
- Initially established as a trading company, it laid the foundation for the British Raj in India.
- The company primarily traded in goods such as cotton, indigo dye, silk, salt, opium, and tea.
- Surat became the first transit trade point in 1608, marking the beginning of the company’s operations in India.
- Captain Hawkins served as an envoy to the Mughal Emperor Jahangir for two years, attempting but failing to secure trade privileges.
- By 1610, the company had set up its first factory in South India, located in Machilipatnam.
- In 1612, Sir Thomas Roe, representing King James I, successfully negotiated exclusive rights to establish factories in Surat and other regions.
- Gradually, the company outpaced other European competitors and set up trading posts in Surat (1619), Madras (1639), Bombay (1668), and Calcutta (1690).
- Major factories evolved into fortified structures, such as Fort St. George in Madras, Fort William in Bengal, and Bombay Castle.
- Beginning as a commercial enterprise, the East India Company ultimately paved the way for British colonial rule in India.
English
160 Questions
400 Marks
120 Mins
