The Anarchy: the relentless rise of the East India Company

The beginnings of the East India Company can be traced back to Elizabethan times in 1599. This was a time of exploration; the quest for new lands and trade routes. Competition for supremacy between European countries, particularly England, France, Spain and the Netherlands was strong.  Initially the British government encouraged companies such as the East India Company to undertake new trading ventures but the government never envisaged that the company's interests would encompass more than trade.

This study by William Dalrymple primarily looks at the rapid growth and power of the company particularly between 1765 and 1803. In 1765 the East India Company defeated the Mughal emperor and then proceeded, using their own army, to aquire additional territory. As the power of the company expanded the British government tried to restrict the power of the company and take control of India as a colony.

Although the East India Company continued to grow during the first part of the nineteenth century it became more closely overseen by the British government. There was a rebellion in the ranks of the East India Company Army in 1857 followed by the Indian Mutiny. This resulted in the end of the role of the East India Company in India though India remained under the control of the British government until gaining independence in 1947.

William Dalrymple provides a detailed study of events during this time and looks at the role of the main players from Britain including Robert Clive, Warren Hastings, Charles Cornwallis and Richard Colley Wellesley plus French leaders in India and leaders of a number of Indian states.

I was particularly interested to look at this book as I had family members working in India as merchants, soldiers in the East India Company army then later the British army and the civil service during the nineteenth century. This book will be a useful source for background information when researching this branch of the family tree.

The book has detailed notes, an extensive bibliography and index for further research.