The Coming of the Europeans Queen Elizabeth I to have a share in the lucrative spice trade with the East. The Company, headed by a governor, was managed by a court of Directors. In , King James I obtained from Mughal Emperor Jahangir through William Hawkins, permission for regular trade. The English obtained some trading privileges in Surat.
The Viceroy of Gujarat, Prince Khurram granted trading privileges, but the British could not operate freely because the Portuguese exercised a powerful influence in the region. Madras was ceded to East India Company in by the Raja of Chandragiri with permission to build a fortified factory which was named Fort St. George. This was the first landholding recorded by the Company on Indian soil.
In , the ruler of Golkonda overran the territories under the Company’s control in Madras. Aurangzeb conquered Golkonda in and brought the Company territories under Mughal rule. But the privileges granted to the English continued. Within a short time Madras replaced Masulipatinam as the headquarters of the English on the Coromandel Coast.
The island of Bombay, which Charles II had inherited as dowry, was transferred to the Company in . The Charter of empowered the Company to raise military forces and the right to declare war or make peace with the powers in America, Africa and Asia. In Madras became a presidency. In the year ( ) its position as presidency was nullified.
Madras was re-elavated to the status of a presidency in . In Madras had a municipal government with a Mayor. In the Company obtained another grant of three villages surrounding Madras and in five more villages were granted. Chandragiri Fort During the Napoleonic wars the British caused heavy damage to their possessions.
Serampore was sold to the British in and Tranquebar and other settlements in . The Danes in Tamil Nadu The Danish Fort built in Tarangambadi is still intact. Bartholomaeus Ziegenbalg along with Heinrich Pluetshau arrived in Tranquebar in September , as the first Lutheran missionaries in India. They began preaching, and baptized their first converts