History glossary
East India Company
the chartered English trading company that grew from Asian commerce into territorial and military power in India.
- Category
- Chartered company
- Region
- Britain and South Asia
- Date range
- 1600-1858
What it means
The East India Company was a chartered English trading corporation founded in 1600. Over time it gained forts, armies, revenue rights, and governing authority, especially in India.
Stories using this term
The American Revolution and Early Republic
From colonial tensions to independence, this traces the birth and early struggles of the United States of America.
The British Empire
Britain built the largest empire in history through sea power, trade, slavery, industrial wealth, conquest, and rule, before decolonisation reshaped the modern world.
