The History of the East India Company

The company is founded in 1599. It starts getting a bit militaristic in the 1740s making serious conquests. In 1857, the East India Company is nationalised and it becomes part of the state. But not until much later. And so the Raj, which we see in Kipling,. in those much in ivory films, in Passage to India, that famous, much storied, much filmed, much Sunday night drama moment is only 90 years. The East India Company was from 1599 to 1858, more than 250 years. So in a sense, what we'll keep looking at is the tip of the iceberg, the Raj,which pops out above the waves.