The East India Company: 1600-1857

Introduction

• A crash course on East India Company from 1600 to 1857.
• Indian history is divided into:
  • Ancient History
  • Medieval History (8th-18th century, Islamic rule 13th-18th century)
  • Modern History (British rule)

Early European Involvement in India

• 1498: Vasco de Gama, a Portuguese explorer, discovers the sea route to India.
• 1595: Dutch arrive in Pulicat.
• 1608: British arrive in Surat.
• 1616: Danish arrive in Trangibar.
• 1664: French in Pondicherry.

The Rise of the East India Company

• 1600: English company acquires a charter from Queen Elizabeth I to trade with eastern countries.
• European traders compete for Indian goods like cotton, silk, and spices.
• Local rulers get involved due to conflicts amongst European traders.

Establishing Control

• 1651: First English factory set up on the Hooghly river.
• 1698: English company gains zamindari rights around Kolkata.
• Mughal emperor Aurangzeb issues a farman allowing duty-free trade.

Political Maneuvering and Conflicts

• Post-1707 (Aurangzeb's death), regional powers like Nawabs gain influence.
• 1727-1756: Three strong Nawabs of Bengal: Murshid Quli Khan, Aliwardi Khan, and Sirajuddaula.
• 1757: Battle of Plassey, Robert Clive defeats Sirajuddaula, Mir Jafar becomes Nawab.
• 1764: Battle of Buxar, establishes company power over Indian rulers.

Governance and Administration

• 1765: Clive introduces Dual System of Government; company undertakes defense, while Nawab manages civil administration.
• 1773: Regulating Act establishes centralized administration, Warren Hastings becomes first Governor-General.
• 1772: Judicial Plan of Warren Hastings; introduction of civil and criminal courts.

Expansion and Wars

• 1767-1799: Four Anglo-Mysore Wars against Mysore Kingdom.
• 1775-1818: Three Anglo-Maratha Wars.
• 1845-1849: Anglo-Sikh Wars result in annexation of Punjab.

Policies for Expansion

• Subsidiary Alliance: Indian rulers couldn’t have independent armed forces.
• Doctrine of Lapse: Annexation if an Indian ruler died without a male heir.

The End of the East India Company

• 1857: Revolt of 1857, also known as Sepoy Mutiny or India's first struggle for independence.
• 1858: Government of India Act transfers power to British Crown, marking the end of Company rule and the beginning of British Raj.

Conclusion

• The East India Company evolved from a trading organization to a ruling power in India over 257 years, laying the groundwork for British colonial rule that lasted until 1947.