1600Reputable sourceWell documented
The East India Company
On the timeline · around 1600 ·
What happened
Queen Elizabeth I granted a royal charter to a company of London merchants for trade with the East Indies. The English (later British) East India Company grew into a commercial colossus with its own army and administration, gradually conquering and governing vast territories in India on behalf of shareholders.
Why it matters
The East India Company was the engine of British expansion in Asia — a private corporation that came to rule a subcontinent, blurring the line between commerce and empire and laying the foundations of British India.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. East India Company · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Age of Exploration → — The great trading companies of the age of exploration