India
The history of India and its civilization dates back to at least 6500 BC, making it one of the oldest surviving civilizations in the world. India has been a meeting ground between the East and the West. Its crucial geographic location and abundant natural resources eventually made it the target of many European forces in the 1800s, especially the Great Britain. Since 1707, the Mughal Empire in India started to decline. The gradual collapse of the empire, along with by the advent of European technology breakthrough such as steam-powered gunboats, repeating rifles, machine guns, and exploding shell, doomed India's fate of being a colony.
Indian trade links with Europe started in through sea route only after the arrival of Vasco da Gama in Calicut, India on May 20, 1498. In 1601, the East India Company was chartered, marking the British first inroads into the Indian Ocean. At first they were little interested in India, but rather, like the Portuguese and Dutch before them, with the Spice Islands. But the English were unable to dislodge the Dutch from Spice Islands. In 1610, the East India Company created its own outpost at Suratafter chasing away a Portuguese naval squadron. And there marked the start of a brand new era in India history...
In 1612, British established a trading post in Gujarat.
In 1614, Sir Thomas Roe was instructed by James I to visit the court of Jahangir, the Mughal emperor of Hindustan. Sir Thomas was to arrange a commercial treaty and to secure for the East India Company sites for commercial agencies, -"factories" as they were called. Sir Thomas was successful in getting permission from Jahangir for setting up factories. East India Company set up factories at Ahmedabad, Broach and Agra.
In 1640, East India Company established an outpost at Madras.
In 1661, the company obtained Bombay from Charles II and converted it to a flourishing center of trade by 1668. English settlements rose in Orissa and Bengal.
In 1633, in the Mahanadi delta of Hariharpur at Balasore in Orissa, factories were set up.
In 1650, Gabriel Boughton, an employee of the Company, obtained a license for trade in Bengal.
In 1651, an English factory was set up at Hugli.
In 1690 Job Charnock established a factory, which was fortified and called Fort William in 1689.
Through a combination of outright combat and deft alliances with local princes, the East India Company gained control of all European trade in India by 1769.
In 1614, Sir Thomas Roe was instructed by James I to visit the court of Jahangir, the Mughal emperor of Hindustan. Sir Thomas was to arrange a commercial treaty and to secure for the East India Company sites for commercial agencies, -"factories" as they were called. Sir Thomas was successful in getting permission from Jahangir for setting up factories. East India Company set up factories at Ahmedabad, Broach and Agra.
In 1640, East India Company established an outpost at Madras.
In 1661, the company obtained Bombay from Charles II and converted it to a flourishing center of trade by 1668. English settlements rose in Orissa and Bengal.
In 1633, in the Mahanadi delta of Hariharpur at Balasore in Orissa, factories were set up.
In 1650, Gabriel Boughton, an employee of the Company, obtained a license for trade in Bengal.
In 1651, an English factory was set up at Hugli.
In 1690 Job Charnock established a factory, which was fortified and called Fort William in 1689.
Through a combination of outright combat and deft alliances with local princes, the East India Company gained control of all European trade in India by 1769.