East India Company

The English trading corporation founded in 1600 that built a territorial empire in India and governed much of the subcontinent until Crown rule began in 1858.

Mughal Empire: A South Asian empire founded in 1526 that ruled much of the subcontinent until the 18th century. The Company expanded as Mughal authority weakened and negotiated or fought for imperial privileges.
Elizabeth I: Queen of England from 1558 to 1603, whose reign authorized overseas ventures and chartered trading companies. Her royal charter created the Company’s legal monopoly on English trade east of the Cape of Good Hope.
Indian Rebellion of 1857: A widespread uprising against Company rule in northern and central India, beginning in 1857. The rebellion precipitated the end of the Company’s governing role.
Dutch East India Company: A Dutch chartered corporation founded in 1602 that controlled Asian trading posts and territories. It competed with the English Company for Asian trade while developing a different corporate empire.
Battle of Plassey: A 1757 battle in Bengal that gave the East India Company decisive influence over the region. The Company’s victory there established the political leverage behind its Bengal takeover.
East India Company Charter of 1600: The royal charter establishing the English East India Company and granting it an exclusive trading privilege. It gave the enterprise its corporate identity and initial monopoly.
Government of India Act 1858: A British law that transferred the Company’s Indian territories and administration to the Crown. It formally replaced Company government with direct British rule.
French East India Company: A French chartered company founded in 1664 to pursue trade and political influence in Asia. Its rivalry with the English Company shaped conflicts for influence in India.
Diwani of Bengal: The revenue-collection rights over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa granted to the East India Company in 1765. These rights turned commercial influence into direct access to land-tax revenue.
East Indies: A historical European name for the islands and regions of South and Southeast Asia associated with the spice trade. The Company’s original commercial ambitions centered on Asian markets beyond India.

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