New Delhi: During the early days of the British Empire, rather than even before it was formed, England sent diplomats to the powerful empires in the world to establish trade relations. One of those diplomats who played a crucial role in securing trade permissions in India during the reign of the Mughal Empire was Thomas Roe. The English diplomat of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods represented England in the Mughal Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Roman Empire. In this article, we will take a look at the adventures of Roe in the Mughal Empire.
The diplomat who went to Amazon
In 1610, Prince Henry sent Roe to the West Indies on a mission. During his voyage, Roe also visited Guiana and the Amazon River and also tried to reach the fabled El Dorado. However, he was unsuccessful in his quests to discover gold there.
Thomas Roe and the Mughal Empire
Thomas Roe played a crucial role in establishing the relationship between England and the Mughal Empire. It was the East India Company which coaxed King James into sending Roe as a royal envoy to the Agra court of the Mughal Empire which was helmed by Jahangir at that time.
Roe lived in Agra for three years until 1619 and he became a favourite of Jahangir. According to several historical accounts, he became Jahangir’s drinking partner and he arrived with gifts of several crates of red wine if the reports are to be believed. He also explained to Jahangir what is beer and how it is made.
Roe was sent to secure permission and protection for a factory that the East India Company intended to construct at Surat. Even though Jahangir did not give any major trading privileges, Roe’s mission founded the relationship between the Mughal Empire and the East India Company which would later develop into a partnership and eventually end in the fall of the empire. Also, the journals of Roe give us valuable information about the reign of Jahangir. However, the emperor made no mention of Roe in his diaries.
Thomas Roe’s mission founded the relationship between the Mughal Empire and the East India Company which would later develop into a partnership and eventually end in the fall of the empire. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
