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THE ENGLISH IN INDIA - UPSC-Structured Notes

Early Ventures & Foundations 1580: Sir Francis Drake completed his global circumnavigation. 1588: English defeated the Spanish Armada, paving the way
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📘 THE ENGLISH IN INDIA (UPSC-Structured Notes)

🧭 Early Ventures & Foundations

  • 1580: Sir Francis Drake completed his global circumnavigation.

  • 1588: English defeated the Spanish Armada, paving the way for maritime expansion.

  • 31 December 1600: Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to the Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies — foundation of the East India Company.

🚢 Initial Trading Efforts in India

  • 1609: Captain William Hawkins visited Jahangir's court to obtain factory rights in Surat.

  • 1611: Factory established at Masulipatnam (factory formalized in 1616).

  • 1612: Captain Thomas Best defeated Portuguese near Surat → English factory permitted in 1613.

  • 1615: Sir Thomas Roe, envoy of James I, visited Jahangir; secured privileges to trade and establish factories at Agra, Ahmedabad, and Broach by 1619. (UPSC 2021)

🏛️ Key Areas of Early British Control

1. Golden Farman (1632) – Golconda Sultan:

  • Granted trading rights for 500 pagodas/year in Golconda ports.

2. Madras (1639):

  • Chandragiri ruler allowed fortified factory at Fort St. George.

  • Became HQ replacing Masulipatnam. (UPSC 2022)

3. Bombay (1668):

  • Given to Charles II as Portuguese dowry.

  • East India Company took control for £10/year.

4. Odisha (1633):

  • Factories at Hariharpur and Balasore.

🐯 Bengal Expansion

  • Trade rights from Shah Shuja (Mughal prince).

  • Factories at Hooghly (1651), Kasimbazar, and Patna.

  • Job Charnock (1691): Treaty for factory at Sutanuti.

  • 1698: Acquired Sutanuti, Govindapur, Kalikata (Kalighat) — for ₹1200.

  • 1700: Fort William established; Sir Charles Eyre became first president.

  • Bengal exports (18th century): Cotton, Silk, Saltpetre, Opium. (UPSC 2018)

🗓️ Chronology: English East India Company in Bengal (1651–1708)

🧭 Initial Entry and Challenges

  • 1651: Shah Shuja, subedar of Bengal, granted the Company permission to trade in exchange for an annual payment of ₹3,000.

    • Factories established at Hooghly, Kasimbazar, Patna, and Rajmahal.

  • Problem: Despite imperial permission, local Mughal officers continued to harass the Company.

  • Company’s desire: To fortify Hooghly and deploy troops for protection.

🔥 Escalation and Military Conflict

  • 1682: William Hedges, sent to resolve grievances with Shaista Khan (then subedar), but failed.

  • 1686: Mughal retaliation: Mughals sacked the Hooghly factory.

  • English response: Attacked Thana fort, raided Hijli, and stormed Balasore fort.

⚔️ Reconciliation and Strategic Acquisition

  • 1690: Job Charnock negotiated return to Sutanuti and resumed trade for ₹3,000/year.

  • 1696: Rebellion by zamindar of Bardhaman → English used it as a pretext to begin fortification.

  • 1698: EIC acquired zamindari rights of Sutanuti, Gobindapur, and Kalighat (Kalikata) for ₹1,200.

🏰 Consolidation of Power

  • 1700: Fort William established in Calcutta; Charles Eyre became the first President of Eastern Presidency.

🧾 Major Milestone: Farrukhsiyar’s Farmans (1715) – “Magna Carta” of the Company

John Surman led the mission to the Mughal court and obtained three significant farmans:

➤ Bengal:

  • Complete exemption from internal & external duties (₹3,000/year lump sum).

  • Right to issue dastaks (passes) for goods transport.

  • Right to lease more lands near Calcutta.

➤ Hyderabad:

  • Continued duty-free trade.

  • Payment of prevailing rent only for Madras.

➤ Surat:

  • Exempted from all duties for a payment of ₹10,000/year.

➤ Bombay:

  • Company-minted coins to be valid throughout the Mughal Empire.

🧩 Merger of English Companies

  • 1688: Glorious Revolution in England → rise of Whigs → criticism of monopoly of the East India Company.

  • New company formed with Sir William Norris as ambassador to Aurangzeb.

  • 1701–1702: Two companies operated in parallel under compromise.

  • 1708: Merger of both entities into “United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies” → the EIC dominance begins (1708–1873).

📘 UPSC Prelims MCQs

1. With reference to the English East India Company’s expansion in Bengal, consider the following statements:

  1. Shah Shuja allowed the English to trade in Bengal on payment of ₹3,000 annually.

  2. Job Charnock was the first Englishman to acquire zamindari rights in Bengal.

  3. Farrukhsiyar’s farman allowed the Company to issue dastaks and lease land near Calcutta.

Which of the above are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
✅ Answer: (d)

2. The term “Magna Carta of the English Company” refers to:

(a) Shah Shuja’s farman of 1651
(b) Establishment of Fort William in 1700
(c) Farmans granted by Farrukhsiyar in 1715
(d) Merger of the two English companies in 1708
✅ Answer: (c)

3. Consider the following pairs:

Event Year
Hawkins at Jahangir’s court 1609
Thomas Roe's visit 1615
Charnock in Sutanuti 1691

Which of the above is/are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 2 and 3 only
C. 1 and 3 only
D. All of the above
✅ Answer: D

3. What was the significance of the Farman of Farrukhsiyar (1715)?
 A. Allowed the Company to annex Bengal.
B. Granted the British authority to impose land taxes.
C. Provided duty-free trading rights in multiple regions.
D. Allowed Christian missionaries to preach in Mughal courts.
✅ Answer: C

4. Which port did the English replace with Fort St. George in 1639 as their South Indian headquarters?
 A. Surat
B. Calicut
C. Masulipatnam
D. Balasore
✅ Answer: C

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