Progress of the English Company in India
I. Foothold in West and South
India
- Early Attempts (Surat):
- 1609: Captain Hawkins
arrives at Jahangir's court to get permission for a factory at Surat.
- Problem:
Portuguese oppose, mission fails. Hawkins left in 1611.
- 1612: Captain Thomas
Best defeats Portuguese at sea near Surat.
- 1613: Impressed by
the victory, Jahangir allows the English to set up a factory at Surat
(first permanent factory).
- South-Eastern Coast (Masulipatnam &
Madras):
- 1611: English start
trading at Masulipatnam.
- 1616: Factory
established at Masulipatnam.
- 1639: British
merchant Francis Day gets permission from the ruler of Chandragiri to
build a fortified factory at Madras.
- Fort St. George
built at Madras, becomes HQ for South India, replacing Masulipatnam.
- Mughal Privileges:
- 1615-1619:
Sir Thomas Roe, ambassador of King James I, stays at Jahangir's court.
- Result:
Secures privileges to set up factories at Agra, Ahmedabad, and Broach.
Doesn't get a full commercial treaty, but gets important permissions.
- Dealing with Rivals (Portuguese &
Dutch):
- Early struggles with Portuguese and
Dutch competition.
- Portuguese:
- 1662:
Bombay given to King Charles II of England by Portugal as dowry.
- 1668:
Charles II gives Bombay to the East India Company for a small annual
rent.
- 1687:
Bombay becomes HQ of Western Presidency, replacing Surat.
- Result:
Tacit peace with Portuguese.
- Dutch:
- Anglo-Dutch compromise: Dutch agree not
to interfere with English trade in India.
- Result:
English get rid of Dutch rivalry in India.
- Golden Farman (Golconda):
- 1632: Sultan of
Golconda issues "Golden Farman".
- Privilege:
English can trade freely in Golconda ports for a fixed annual payment
(500 pagodas).
- Expansion to East (Odisha):
- 1633: English expand
east, start factories at Hariharpur (Mahanadi delta) and Balasore
(Odisha).
II. Foothold in Bengal
- Bengal - Rich Province:
Bengal was wealthy and important for trade. English wanted control.
- Early Trade in Bengal:
- 1651: Shah Shuja,
subahdar of Bengal, allows English to trade in Bengal for annual payment
of Rs 3,000 (instead of all duties).
- Factories set up:
Hooghly (1651), Kasimbazar, Patna, Rajmahal.
- Problem:
Local customs officers still obstruct trade and ask for tolls despite
farmans.
- Conflict with Mughals in Bengal:
- English want fortified settlement at
Hooghly to use force if needed.
- 1682: William Hedges
(Company agent) appeals to Mughal governor Shayista Khan about problems.
No response.
- 1686: Hostilities
break out. Mughals sack Hooghly in October 1686.
- English Retaliation:
Capture Mughal forts at Thana, raid Hijli, storm Balasore fortifications.
- Result:
English forced to leave Hooghly and go to unhealthy location at Ganga
mouth.
- Return to Bengal & Sutanuti:
- 1690: Job Charnock
(Company agent) negotiates with Mughals to return.
- Treaty signed (Feb 1690):
English allowed to return to Sutanuti (village).
- Factory at Sutanuti (Aug 1690)
established.
- 1691: Imperial farman
allows English to trade in Bengal for Rs 3,000/year.
- Fort William & Calcutta:
- 1696: Zamindar
rebellion (Sobha Singh's revolt) gives English excuse to fortify
Sutanuti.
- 1698: English get
permission to buy zamindari of three villages: Sutanuti, Gobindapur,
Kalikata (Kalighat) for Rs 1,200.
- 1700: Fortified
settlement named Fort William. Becomes seat of Eastern Presidency
(Calcutta). Sir Charles Eyre first president.
- Farrukhsiyar's Farmans (Magna Carta):
- 1715: John Surman
leads mission to Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar.
- 1717: Secures three
famous farmans - "Magna Carta" of the Company, giving major
privileges in Bengal, Gujarat, Hyderabad.
- Key Privileges:
- Bengal: Exempt from extra customs
duties (except annual Rs 3,000).
- Allowed to issue dastaks (passes)
for goods transport.
- Rent more land around Calcutta.
- Hyderabad: Retain duty-free trade, pay
rent for Madras only.
- Surat: Duty-free trade for annual
payment of Rs 10,000.
- Company's Bombay-minted coins valid
throughout Mughal empire.
- Diplomacy & Competition:
- English used "flattery and
diplomacy" to get concessions from Mughals in Bengal.
- Still had to defeat the French to become
dominant power in India.
III. Merging of English
Companies
- Rival Company:
After 1688 English Revolution, rival company formed due to Whig opposition
to EIC monopoly.
- 1701-1702:
Sir William Norris sent to Aurangzeb's court by rival company, but fails.
- 1708: Under Crown and
Parliament pressure, the two English companies merge.
- New Company Name:
"United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East
Indies" (East India Company from 1708-1873).
- Significance:
This new, merged company became the one that established British political
power in India.
IV. Timeline of Formative
Years (1600-1717) (from provided list)
- 1600: East India
Company established.
- 1609: William Hawkins
arrives at Jahangir’s court.
- 1611: Captain
Middleton gets permission to trade at Surat (Mughal governor).
- 1613: Permanent
factory at Surat.
- 1615: Sir Thomas Roe
arrives at Jahangir’s court.
- 1616: First factory in
South India at Masulipatnam.
- 1632: Golden Farman
from Sultan of Golconda.
- 1633: First factory in
East India at Hariharpur, Balasore.
- 1639: Lease of Madras.
- 1651: Permission to
trade at Hooghly (Bengal).
- 1662: Bombay as dowry
to British King.
- 1667: Aurangzeb gives
farman for trade in Bengal.
- 1691: Imperial order
to continue Bengal trade for Rs 3,000/year.
- 1717: Farrukhsiyar’s
Farman ("Magna Carta").
In Simple Words: The
English East India Company slowly built its power in India through trade and
diplomacy, facing challenges from the Portuguese and Dutch. They established
key factories like Surat, Madras, and Calcutta. They got important trade
privileges from Mughal rulers and eventually became a major political force,
especially after merging rival companies and securing major concessions in
Bengal.