‘Accidental Rulers?’

How did the British take control of India?

1600

• Tudor merchants – East India Company

• Changed history of world

• They just wanted to trade with India

• And become…

• Rich!!

1608 - EIC

• First ship sent to India

• Merchants hoped…

- it would return with silks, spices and jewels

- Sir William Hawkins – win friendship of Mughal emperor

1612

• Disappointed

- Very few valuable goods

- Rival traders tried to murder Hawkins

- Indian officials took Hawkins’ money

- Emperor refused special trading rights to EIC

- Hawkins died on way back

1700

• EIC governors not put off

• Sent other representatives – set up small ‘factories’ as trading bases

• Owned land at 3 main bases – Madras, Bombay & Calcutta

• Won huge privileges – merchants paid no tax, custom duties

1707

• EIC – depended on Aurangzeb• Stricy and powerful ruler• Protected EIC traders• But…• Died – his sons and grandsons fought

each other• Local rulers turned on each other• Serious problems for EIC agents

Madras April 1740

• To the most worthy Directors of the East India Company in London,

• Dear Sirs,• Say what goods you got• Explain what helped you – what helped you the

most?• Now say what made it difficult • Why would controlling large areas of land in

India help?• Why would this also cause problems?