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Question 8 of 73 · Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule
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Sir Thomas Roe, who stayed at Jahangir's court (1615-1619) and obtained trading privileges for the English, was the ambassador of which English king?

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Answer: Option C — James I

Detailed Solution

Sir Thomas Roe was sent as the ambassador of King James I of England to the court of the Mughal emperor Jahangir, where he stayed from 1615 to 1619.

His mission:

  • Roe was sent at the request of the English East India Company, to obtain a formal treaty and trading privileges for the English.
  • He landed at Surat in 1615, and followed Jahangir's court to Ajmer, Mandu and other places.
  • He presented gifts to Jahangir, and had many audiences with him.
  • Jahangir treated him courteously, but did not sign a formal treaty, as Mughal emperors did not make treaties with merchants of foreign kings on equal terms.

Results:

  • Roe obtained farmans (orders) from Jahangir and from the prince who governed Gujarat, which allowed the English to trade and set up factories in different parts of the Mughal empire.
  • These privileges strengthened the English position at Surat and elsewhere.

His advice to the Company:

  • Roe advised the Company not to build forts or use military force in India, but to focus on peaceful trade by sea.
  • He wrote that "a war and traffic are incompatible".

His account:

  • His journal and letters describe the Mughal court, its wealth, ceremonies, and the personalities of Jahangir, Nur Jahan and Asaf Khan.
  • They are an important historical source.
  • He described Jahangir's daily routine, his drinking, and his love of justice.

About James I:

He was King of England from 1603 to 1625 (and King of Scotland as James VI).

Later English kings and India:

Charles I (1625-1649): during his reign, the English set up a factory at Masulipatnam and later Madras (1639-40).

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Charles I, Henry VIII and Charles II were other English kings.

Quick tip

Remember: Sir Thomas Roe = ambassador of James I to Jahangir (1615-1619); obtained farmans for English trade; advised peaceful trade, not war.

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Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Arrival of Europeans & Expansion of British Rule, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers the arrival of the Portuguese, Dutch, English, Danes and French in India, the growth of the East India Company, and the battles, wars and treaties through which British power expanded, including the Battles of Plassey and Buxar, the Anglo-Mysore, Anglo-Maratha and Anglo-Sikh wars, and policies such as subsidiary alliance and the doctrine of lapse. Typical questions ask which battle was fought in which year and between whom, which treaty ended which war, and which Governor-General introduced a policy. For example, the Battle of Plassey (1757) was fought between Robert Clive and Siraj-ud-Daulah, and the Treaty of Allahabad (1765) gave the Company the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Practise the arrival of Europeans and expansion of British rule questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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