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Sir Thomas Roe's Embassy to the Mughal Court (1615–1618)
In 1615–1618, King James I of England sent Sir Thomas Roe as ambassador to the Mughal court to seek trading privileges from Emperor Jahangir and coun…
Timeline
- 1615–1616Surat · GujaratThomas Roe landed at Surat with the English king's letter of credence and made a long journey to the Mughal court. His mission included securing trading rights for the East India Company free from Portuguese interference and establishing England's formal diplomatic presence before the emperor.
- 1616–1617Ajmer · RajasthanRoe had multiple audiences with Jahangir at Ajmer and elsewhere, presenting gifts and setting out trading demands. The emperor treated European envoys courteously but was cautious about granting exclusive privileges and excluding other European rivals, so negotiations progressed slowly.
- 1618Surat · GujaratIn 1618 Roe ended his mission and returned to England; his detailed reports gave London first-hand knowledge of how the Mughal court operated. Although no ideal treaty was obtained, formal diplomatic channels had been established, and the East India Company was subsequently able to expand its trading presence in Gujarat under an imperial charter.
Sources
- Sir Thomas Roe https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Roe
- The Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe to the Court of the Great Mogul, 1615-1619 — Thomas Roe (ed. William Foster) (1899)