Travels Through Time: Bloodshed and Confusion in India
How did the East India Company become ‘an empire within an empire’?
By the second half of the 18th century, millions in India had been brought under British rule, due to the presence of the East India Company.
The Company was first granted its charter in 1600, and initially sought access to Asian markets and commodities. By the mid-18th century, it was facing fierce competition from Dutch merchants, and so moved its focus to South Asia. Commercial presences became established in Madras, Bombay and Calcutta, and the Company began to create an empire for itself.
In this episode of Travels Through Time, historian William Dalrymple discusses this moment, looking specifically at the year 1764 which culminated in the Battle of Buxar.
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