In the first quarter of seventeenth century, in which of the following was/were the factory/factories of the English East India Company located?
1. Broach
2. Chicacole
3. Trichinopoly
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Explanation
The first quarter of the seventeenth century refers to the period between 1601 and 1625:
– 1. Broach (Bharuch) (Correct): Following Sir Thomas Roe’s diplomatic embassy to Mughal Emperor Jahangir (1615-1619), the English East India Company secured trading privileges and established factories at Surat (1613), Agra (1619), Ahmedabad (1619), and Broach (1619).
– 2. Chicacole (Srikakulam) (Incorrect): Located on the northern Coromandel coast, the English did not operate a primary commercial factory here during the initial quarter of the 17th century; regional trading was anchored further south around Masulipatnam (1616) and Armagaon (1626).
– 3. Trichinopoly (Tiruchirappalli) (Incorrect): Located deep in the inland Carnatic region, Trichinopoly became a focal point of Anglo-French rivalry only in the mid-18th century during the Carnatic Wars, possessing no English factory in the early 1600s.
Hence, only 1 is correct — Option A.