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Courting India: Seventeenth-Century England, Mughal India, and the Origins of Empire
A profound and ground-breaking approach to one of the most important encounters in the history of colonialism: the British arrival in India in the early seventeenth century.
Traditional interpretations of the British Empire’s emerging success and expansion have long overshadowed the deep uncertainty that marked its initial entanglement with India. In Courting India: Renaissance London, Mughal India, and the Origins of Empire , acclaimed historian Nandini Das examines the British arrival in India in the early 17th century with fresh eyes, resulting in a profound and groundbreaking account of one of the most important encounters in the history of colonialism.
When Thomas Roe arrived in India in 1616 as James I’s first ambassador to the Mughal Empire, the English barely had a toehold in the subcontinent. Their understanding of South Asian trade and India was sketchy at best, and, to the Mughals, they were minor players on a very large stage. Roe represented a kingdom that was beset by financial woes and deeply conflicted about its identity as a unified ‘Great Britain’ under the Stuart monarchy. Meanwhile, the court he entered in India was wealthy and cultured, its dominion widely considered to be one of the greatest and richest empires of the world.
In this fascinating history of Roe’s four years in India, Nandini Das offers an insider’s view of Britain in the making, a country whose imperial seeds were just being sown. It is a story of palace intrigue, scandal, lotteries, and wagers that unfold as global trade begins to stretch from Russia to Virginia, from West Africa to the Spice Islands of Indonesia.
A major debut that explores the art, literature, sights and sounds of Elizabethan London and Imperial India, Courting India reveals Thomas Roe’s time in the Mughal Empire to be a turning point in history—and offers a rich and radical challenge to our understanding of Britain and its early empire.
Traditional interpretations of the British Empire’s emerging success and expansion have long overshadowed the deep uncertainty that marked its initial entanglement with India. In Courting India: Renaissance London, Mughal India, and the Origins of Empire , acclaimed historian Nandini Das examines the British arrival in India in the early 17th century with fresh eyes, resulting in a profound and groundbreaking account of one of the most important encounters in the history of colonialism.
When Thomas Roe arrived in India in 1616 as James I’s first ambassador to the Mughal Empire, the English barely had a toehold in the subcontinent. Their understanding of South Asian trade and India was sketchy at best, and, to the Mughals, they were minor players on a very large stage. Roe represented a kingdom that was beset by financial woes and deeply conflicted about its identity as a unified ‘Great Britain’ under the Stuart monarchy. Meanwhile, the court he entered in India was wealthy and cultured, its dominion widely considered to be one of the greatest and richest empires of the world.
In this fascinating history of Roe’s four years in India, Nandini Das offers an insider’s view of Britain in the making, a country whose imperial seeds were just being sown. It is a story of palace intrigue, scandal, lotteries, and wagers that unfold as global trade begins to stretch from Russia to Virginia, from West Africa to the Spice Islands of Indonesia.
A major debut that explores the art, literature, sights and sounds of Elizabethan London and Imperial India, Courting India reveals Thomas Roe’s time in the Mughal Empire to be a turning point in history—and offers a rich and radical challenge to our understanding of Britain and its early empire.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published March 16, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 31, 2024
I heard the author speak at Cheltenham Literature Festival and was interested in this book about the first encounters between England and the Mughal Empire. The book would appeal more to specialists as the detail and length are probably too much for the general reader.
March 20, 2023
I'd not come across Thomas Roe before but I'm glad to have encountered him in this book. Informative, educational and beautifully written, with hints of the absurdity of the merchant life, this has been one to savour.
Very enjoyable.
Very enjoyable.
August 10, 2023
Das' account of the Mughal Court, imperial diaries and Roe's embassy breathes new life into a well-known historical archive, but with a refreshing context and fresh eyes.
April 27, 2024
4.5 stars
Sir Thomas Roe was the first English ambassador to the Mughal court from 1615 to 1619. As well as representing King James I he was employed by the East India Company to represent their interests and to sign a permanent bilateral trading treaty with Emperor Jahangir.
This brilliant book enlightens the reader on the fact that Roe’s mission was anything but a walk in the park or a time of revelling in mind-boggling Mughal opulence. To the contrary, those were years of struggle, stress, frustration, often humiliation, loneliness and homesickness. Although Jahangir was kindly inclined towards Roe, especially at the beginning, being subject to the Emperor’s constantly changing moods and whims was anything but easy. While living in a shared crumbling house threatened by fire and flood and ever short of money, he desperately tried to preserve his status and his English identity in manner, dress and language (he never attempted to learn Persian, relying on a less than competent translator). Keeping up his attitude of religious and racial superiority and strict moral code while having to submit to Mughal customs and court etiquette must have been a difficult task. Another huge problem for him was the custom of gift giving at every opportunity in that part of the world. This normally involved elephants, horses and any amount of costly jewels which of course he was in no way able to match. The shoddy wares he was sent to be given as gifts made him and his King the laughing stock of the court.
While Jahangir seemed to have liked Roe, crown prince Khurram, the later Shah Jahan, mistrusted him, put obstacles in his way at every opportunity and made his life extremely difficult. And then of course there were the Portuguese and later the Dutch who were cleverly played off against each other by Jahangir who had no intention of favouring the English.
Jahangir, like his forebears, was a keen traveller, moving his massive court to Agra, Ajmer, Mandu and Ahmedabad with Roe trotting behind him, always on the edge of the encampment, suffering from dysentery, fending for himself and keeping up his vast correspondence under the most uncomfortable conditions. Another headache were the truculent English factors who had resented his authority from the start and were incensed by his trying to stop their private trading. On top of that there were often complaints about the rowdy behaviour of Englishmen who got into skirmishes with members of the court. As he himself said: ”My employment is nothing but vexation and trouble, little honor, less profit”. So, despite all of Roe’s efforts, his four years of hard work in the end achieved very little. It was always one step forward and two steps back and there would be no English ambassador to the Mughal court until 1699.
Having followed Roe’s trials and tribulations for more than 500 pages and developed a fondness for the man I thought it was sad that in Jahangir’s diary “the departure of the English ambassador, like his arrival, goes unremarked.
Sir Thomas Roe was the first English ambassador to the Mughal court from 1615 to 1619. As well as representing King James I he was employed by the East India Company to represent their interests and to sign a permanent bilateral trading treaty with Emperor Jahangir.
This brilliant book enlightens the reader on the fact that Roe’s mission was anything but a walk in the park or a time of revelling in mind-boggling Mughal opulence. To the contrary, those were years of struggle, stress, frustration, often humiliation, loneliness and homesickness. Although Jahangir was kindly inclined towards Roe, especially at the beginning, being subject to the Emperor’s constantly changing moods and whims was anything but easy. While living in a shared crumbling house threatened by fire and flood and ever short of money, he desperately tried to preserve his status and his English identity in manner, dress and language (he never attempted to learn Persian, relying on a less than competent translator). Keeping up his attitude of religious and racial superiority and strict moral code while having to submit to Mughal customs and court etiquette must have been a difficult task. Another huge problem for him was the custom of gift giving at every opportunity in that part of the world. This normally involved elephants, horses and any amount of costly jewels which of course he was in no way able to match. The shoddy wares he was sent to be given as gifts made him and his King the laughing stock of the court.
While Jahangir seemed to have liked Roe, crown prince Khurram, the later Shah Jahan, mistrusted him, put obstacles in his way at every opportunity and made his life extremely difficult. And then of course there were the Portuguese and later the Dutch who were cleverly played off against each other by Jahangir who had no intention of favouring the English.
Jahangir, like his forebears, was a keen traveller, moving his massive court to Agra, Ajmer, Mandu and Ahmedabad with Roe trotting behind him, always on the edge of the encampment, suffering from dysentery, fending for himself and keeping up his vast correspondence under the most uncomfortable conditions. Another headache were the truculent English factors who had resented his authority from the start and were incensed by his trying to stop their private trading. On top of that there were often complaints about the rowdy behaviour of Englishmen who got into skirmishes with members of the court. As he himself said: ”My employment is nothing but vexation and trouble, little honor, less profit”. So, despite all of Roe’s efforts, his four years of hard work in the end achieved very little. It was always one step forward and two steps back and there would be no English ambassador to the Mughal court until 1699.
Having followed Roe’s trials and tribulations for more than 500 pages and developed a fondness for the man I thought it was sad that in Jahangir’s diary “the departure of the English ambassador, like his arrival, goes unremarked.
February 6, 2023
Fascinating account of the early encounters between Britain and Mughal Empire. Thomas Roe was James I first ambassador to India where he spent four years (1616-19) at the court of Jahangir. He went on to have a successful diplomatic career as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire but here he is quite the fish out of water, trying to establish relationships and obtain better trading arrangements without the proper means to do so. Unable to match the lavishness of the Persian embassy for example or to make much headway against the Portuguese, already by this time better established on the subcontinent, he is forever complaining about lack of funds. The gifts and bribes that periodically arrive on the East India Company ships often spoil on the long voyage or rot in the climate. His health suffers and his embassy is badly understaffed. From such beginnings, it makes you wander, how on earth did Britain end up having an empire at all?
Das has done a phenomenal amount of research and gives us a fantastic insight into the Mughal court, its culture, customs, society, politics and power relationships between major players. And while Roe kept a journal and wrote letters, I didn’t get the impression that he was particularly interested in any of this, unless it pertained to him obtaining privileges for British traders. I personally found him quite dull especially compared to Jahangir and his family. Still, a fascinating read.
My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Courting India.
Das has done a phenomenal amount of research and gives us a fantastic insight into the Mughal court, its culture, customs, society, politics and power relationships between major players. And while Roe kept a journal and wrote letters, I didn’t get the impression that he was particularly interested in any of this, unless it pertained to him obtaining privileges for British traders. I personally found him quite dull especially compared to Jahangir and his family. Still, a fascinating read.
My thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read Courting India.
April 26, 2024
"Courting India" by Nandini Das is a captivating exploration of the intricate dance between literature, culture, and politics in colonial India. Das skillfully navigates through the historical backdrop, weaving together narratives of power, identity, and resistance. Her meticulous research and engaging prose make this book a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of colonialism and its impact on Indian literature and society. Through a series of insightful analyses, Das sheds light on how colonial encounters shaped literary production and reception, highlighting the agency of Indian writers in negotiating their cultural and political identities. "Courting India" is not just a scholarly work; it is a compelling journey through the literary landscape of colonial India, offering fresh perspectives and inviting readers to rethink conventional narratives of colonial history.
Thank you @bloomsburyindia for the review copy
Thank you @bloomsburyindia for the review copy
January 1, 2024
This was a slow, but interesting reading experience. This was mainly a biography of Thomas Roe's
years as the first ambassador from England to Mughal India. I thought that Nandini Das did a wonderful job of describing life in the Mughal emperor's court and some of the wonders of the Mughal civilization at that time. Roe seemed more interested in his own pride than in really learning about the Mughal culture, for example, refusing to learn the local language. In reflecting on other things I have read about India as a British colony, it seems like the British (and, I suppose other colonizing powers) were deceitful in their future "plans" for their trading "partners." It makes me wonder how India might have developed without centuries under the British yoke.
years as the first ambassador from England to Mughal India. I thought that Nandini Das did a wonderful job of describing life in the Mughal emperor's court and some of the wonders of the Mughal civilization at that time. Roe seemed more interested in his own pride than in really learning about the Mughal culture, for example, refusing to learn the local language. In reflecting on other things I have read about India as a British colony, it seems like the British (and, I suppose other colonizing powers) were deceitful in their future "plans" for their trading "partners." It makes me wonder how India might have developed without centuries under the British yoke.
March 20, 2023
Courting India is an interesting account of the British arrival in India in the early 1600's from the perspective of Thomas Roe, James I’s first ambassador to the Mughal Empire, who arrived there in 1616. It explored the beginning of Britain's imperial and colonial as well as the goings on and culture of Elizabethan England. It's a great read for anyone who wants to learn more about the origins of Britain's link with India.
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November 24, 2023This was chosen by Pratinav Anil, Lecturer at St Edmund Hall, Oxford and author of Another India: The Making of the World’s Largest Muslim Minority, 1947-77 (Hurst, 2023), as one of History Today’s Books of the Year 2023.
Find out why at HistoryToday.com.
Find out why at HistoryToday.com.
July 30, 2023
History writing of the highest order by a scholar equally well-versed in Jacobin court culture as in Persianate India. Imaginatively conceived and beautifully written, this should be shortlisted for the Wolfson!
October 24, 2023
Although extremely informative and clearly well-researched, the author's writing style irritated me. Her writing is too 'donnish' in an annoying way. I read the book in its entirety, but often found it hard to keep up my enthusiasm for it.
October 30, 2023
I quit P.172 as I found it too detailed & academic, in spite of many interesting bits about the politics & personalities in England & India
January 27, 2024
This was a little too slow-paced for me. It felt like it could have been a shorter book and been much more interesting.
February 12, 2024
what a love story !
March 1, 2023
Fascinating and comprehensive account of Thomas Roe’s embassy from the impoverished James I to the opulent Mughal Court of Jahangir. Courting India provides great insight into the political and economic context. It also highlights the complex relationships and power structures at Jahangir’s court, and the open way he conducted much government business, as well as sharing court gossip and intrigue.
There are some great anecdotes about the discomforts and indignities suffered by Roe, in part self-inflicted (such as refusing to learn the language or give up wearing British-style clothes in the extreme heat) but also due to the penny-pinching ways of the East India Company. In the face of a lavish court where relationships were built on exchange of gifts, Roe had to resort to handing over his most prized personal possessions to get a hearing.
Roe’s time in India apparently had little impact on the Mughals (he is barely mentioned in Jahangir’s own comprehensive writings). It’s a useful reframing of the beginnings of British colonisation in India.
*
Copy from NetGalley
There are some great anecdotes about the discomforts and indignities suffered by Roe, in part self-inflicted (such as refusing to learn the language or give up wearing British-style clothes in the extreme heat) but also due to the penny-pinching ways of the East India Company. In the face of a lavish court where relationships were built on exchange of gifts, Roe had to resort to handing over his most prized personal possessions to get a hearing.
Roe’s time in India apparently had little impact on the Mughals (he is barely mentioned in Jahangir’s own comprehensive writings). It’s a useful reframing of the beginnings of British colonisation in India.
*
Copy from NetGalley
February 28, 2023
This is a well researched and informative book that made me travel in time and space, visit Jacobean London and India in XVII century.
There's so much to learn, so many wonderful things.
It's a history book but the good storytelling makes it fascinating and never dry.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
There's so much to learn, so many wonderful things.
It's a history book but the good storytelling makes it fascinating and never dry.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews