ABSTRACT
WhentheroyalcharterwasgrantedbyElizabethIinr6ooto'The GovernorandCompanyofmerchantsofLondontradingintotheEast Indies',thePortuguesewerealreadywellestablishedatGoaandother coastalsitesinIndia.ItwashardfortheEnglishtogainafoothold.The Portuguese,DutchandArabtraderswerehostile,andpowerfulatsea, andtheMoghulrulersinAgra,whoalonehadauthoritytogranttrading rights,hadaloftycontemptforcommerce.
