Courting India

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This work offers a profound and groundbreaking perspective on a pivotal moment in the history of British interactions with India in the early seventeenth century. Traditional narratives often overlook the uncertainty surrounding the British Empire's initial engagement with India. In September 1615, Thomas Roe, the first British ambassador to the Mughal Empire, arrived on India's western coast and entered the court of Jahangir, a powerful figure who viewed Roe with skepticism, given his representative status from a distant island nation. While London thrived during the Renaissance, financial instability and precarious power dynamics posed significant risks. The ensuing events in India marked a historical turning point, characterized by palace intrigue, scandal, and mutual misunderstanding, as global trade networks began to expand. By utilizing a blend of Indian and British records and examining the art, literature, and cultural contexts of both Elizabethan London and Imperial India, the author reveals the complexities of cultural and national collisions on a personal level. This approach challenges conventional views of Britain's early empire and serves as a poignant reminder of the distortions often found in the narratives crafted by the victors.