Royal Charter of the East India Company

E378442

The Royal Charter of the East India Company was the 1600 English crown decree that granted the company a trade monopoly in Asia, laying the foundation for British commercial and later political dominance in India.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf founding charter
legal document
royal charter
alsoKnownAs Charter of 1600 of the East India Company
authorized formation of a Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies
raising of joint stock capital for Asian trade
authorizedCreationOf East India Company
conferredStatus joint-stock company
countryOfOrigin Kingdom of England
dateGranted 1600-12-31
economicEffect established English commercial presence in Asia
established East India Company
field colonial history
economic history
legal history
followedBy subsequent renewal charters of the East India Company
geographicScope Asia
East Indies
Indian Ocean region
linked to: Indian Ocean Region
grantedBy Elizabeth I of England
grantedMonopolyOn English trade east of the Cape of Good Hope
English trade west of the Straits of Magellan
English trade with the East Indies
grantedPrivileges exemption from certain customs duties in England
grantedRights right to acquire territories with local consent
right to build forts
right to coin money in certain territories
right to maintain armed forces for defense of trade
right to make war and peace with non-Christian rulers in specified regions
grantedTo East India Company
historicalSignificance contributed to later British political control in India
laid foundations for British commercial dominance in India
issuedBy English Crown
linked to: Kingdom of England
language English
legalBasisFor East India Company’s early operations in India
English trade factories in India
legalForm letters patent
legalSystem English law
limitedMembershipTo named group of London merchants
mainPurpose grant monopoly over English trade in Asia
regulate English trade with the East Indies
placeOfIssue London
linked to: London, England
precededBy earlier English exploratory voyages to Asia
relatedTo British colonization of India
history of British imperialism
renewalCondition subject to royal review and renewal
signedUnder Great Seal of England
termOfMonopoly 15 years (initially)
yearGranted 1600

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Royal Charter notableExample Royal Charter of the East India Company
Governors of East India Company presidencies legalBasis Royal charter of the East India Company
linked to: Royal Charter of the East India Company
British Raj (Company rule in India) legalBasis royal charter of the East India Company
linked to: Royal Charter of the East India Company
Company Presidencies legalBasis Royal Charter of the British East India Company
linked to: Royal Charter of the East India Company
Royal Charter of the East India Company alsoKnownAs Charter of 1600 of the East India Company
linked to: Royal Charter of the East India Company
Armies of the British East India Company legalBasis Royal Charter of the East India Company