Which of the following was formed in 1600 through a charter that granted it the exclusive privilege of trading with the area east of the Cape of Good Hope for 15 years?​

Correct option is C

The correct answer is: (c) English East India Company

Explanation:

• The English East India Company (EIC) was formed on 31st December 1600 through a royal charter issued by Queen Elizabeth I.

• This charter granted the company the exclusive right to trade with the regions east of the Cape of Good Hope (i.e., India and Southeast Asia) for 15 years.

• The Company was also known as "The Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies".

• The EIC eventually evolved from a trading corporation into a political and military power in India, playing a major role in establishing British colonial rule.

• The charter allowed the EIC to have its own governor and court of directors.

• The EIC established its first trading post at Surat in 1613 with permission from the Mughal emperor Jahangir.

• Over time, it built factories and forts at key Indian coastal cities like Madras (Chennai), Bombay (Mumbai), and Calcutta (Kolkata).

• The Company lost its monopoly in 1813 (except trade with China) and was dissolved after the Revolt of 1857, following the Government of India Act 1858.