UPSC Prelims 2009 Q64: Medieval History – European Powers & Early Colonial Contacts

UPSC Prelims 2009, General Studies Paper I · Medieval History

With whose permission did the English set up their first factory in Surat?

Answer: (b) Jahangir

Explanation

Whose permission let the English set up their first Surat factory

The English East India Company's early trading foothold in India required imperial Mughal sanction.

Option	Verdict	Reason
(a) Akbar	Incorrect	The Surat factory was established slightly after Akbar's reign
(b) Jahangir	Correct	The English set up their first factory at Surat (1613) with the permission of Emperor Jahangir
(c) Shahjahan	Incorrect	This event predates Shahjahan's reign
(d) Aurangzeb	Incorrect	Also predates Aurangzeb's reign

Surat factory facts:

Point	Detail
Year	1613
Granted by	Emperor Jahangir
Significance	England's first trading post in India

Answer: (b) Jahangir.

(a) Incorrect. Akbar's reign ended before this 1613 event.
(b) CORRECT. Jahangir granted permission for the first English factory at Surat in 1613.
(c) Incorrect. Shahjahan's reign came after this event.
(d) Incorrect. Aurangzeb's reign also came after this event.

The English set up their first factory at Surat in 1613 with the permission of Emperor Jahangir.

The English set up their first factory in Surat with Emperor Jahangir's permission.

Confusing the 1613 Surat factory's timeline with other Mughal emperors' reigns.
Not knowing the specific Jahangir-English Company permission granted for this trading post.
Mixing up the sequence of Mughal emperors relative to key colonial-era events.

England's first Indian factory (Surat, 1613) = permitted by Emperor Jahangir. A foundational colonial-era fact.