What can the early history of the English East India Company tell us about the foundations of the British Empire, and where does that history sit within current debates about Britain’s imperial legacy?

In this session Mark Williams offers a timely insight into the history of one of the most significant building blocks of the British Empire. Tracing the EIC’s history well before the infamous Battle of Plassey he reveals an institution of surprising complexity and varied ambitions, and an imperial path that was far from inevitable.

Dr Mark Williams is Reader in Early Modern History at Cardiff University. He has published widely on a range of topics including early modern exiles and refugees, the English and Dutch East India Companies, and the early history of the British Empire. He is currently working on a cultural history of the English East India Company from 1600-1757.