December 31, 1600 East India Company receives royal charter Queen Elizabeth I grants a charter incorporating the company and giving it a monopoly on English trade to the East Indies. 1601 First voyage sails under company auspices The company's first expedition leaves England, marking the start of organized long-distance trade under the new charter. 1608 Company establishes a foothold at Surat English merchants secure access to Surat, an early base for company operations in Mughal India. c. 1616 Sir Thomas Roe negotiates with the Mughal court Diplomatic engagement with Emperor Jahangir helps the company secure wider trading privileges in India. 1639 Company acquires Madras site The company obtains the site that becomes Madras and develops Fort St. George as a major administrative and commercial center. 1661 Bombay passes to English control Bombay comes under English control as part of the Portuguese dowry for Charles II and is later transferred to the company. 1690 Company establishes Calcutta base A settlement at Calcutta becomes one of the company's key urban and administrative centers in Bengal. 1708 Old and New East India companies merge Competing English trading companies are united, strengthening the corporation's finances and political backing. 1717 Mughal farman grants trading privileges Imperial authorization expands the company's favorable customs position in Bengal and other regions. June 23, 1757 Battle of Plassey transforms the company Robert Clive's victory over Siraj al-Dawlah marks the company's emergence as a major political and military power in India. October 22, 1764 Battle of Buxar expands company dominance Victory at Buxar consolidates the company's control in northern India and strengthens its position in Bengal. 1765 Company receives diwani of Bengal The Mughal emperor grants the company revenue-collecting rights in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. May 10, 1773 Tea Act is passed Parliament aids the financially troubled company by reshaping tea duties, a measure that contributes to colonial protes… 1773 Regulating Act subjects the company to closer oversight The British Parliament begins imposing stronger governmental supervision over company rule in India. 1784 Pitt's India Act increases crown control A new regulatory framework creates a Board of Control and tightens metropolitan oversight of the company's affairs. 1793 Company charter is renewed Parliament renews the company's charter while maintaining its privileged commercial and political position. 1813 Company monopoly over Indian trade is largely ended The Charter Act of 1813 opens most Indian trade to private British merchants, narrowing the company's commercial monopo… 1833 Company loses its remaining commercial functions The Charter Act of 1833 ends the company's commercial role and leaves it primarily as an administrative arm of empire. 1839 First Opium War reshapes Asian trade politics The conflict underscores the wider imperial trading networks in which company opium and tea commerce had become entangl… 1857 Indian Rebellion breaks out A broad uprising against company rule erupts across North India, exposing the failures and coercive character of the re… 1858 Government of India Act ends company rule The British Crown assumes direct control over India, ending the company's governing role after the rebellion. June 1, 1874 East India Company is formally dissolved The company is legally dissolved, closing the history of one of the world's most influential chartered corporations.