At the beginning of the 20′th century, Great Britain hit her peak: she was disposal of about 25% of the earth’s inhabitants and it’s domains.
Description:
- 1.Pink: colonies held by 1945
- 2.Orange:Dominions
- 3.Pink in Orange:colonies of Dominions
- 4.Dark Red-Brown:areas lost by 1920
- 5.Purple:Protectorates and Princely States (in India)
- 6.Lavender:areas lost by 1705 (England only)
- 7.Hachured: sphere of influence
Also India was ruled by the British Empire since 1857 . But it’s colonial era already began in 1510, when Vasco de Gama, a portugiese sailor, institutes a trading presence in Goa, India. Because of the competition between European powers, simultaneously the Dutch, British and French entered India in the beginning of the 16′th century. The enfeebled kingdoms of the Indian subcontinent were taken over by the Europeans or indirectly controlled by puppet rulers. By the 19th century, the British had assumed direct and indirect control over most of India.
In 1600, Queen Elizabeth I of England accorded a charter, forming the East India Company to trade with India and eastern Asia. The British landed in India in Surat in 1612. Permission was granted by the ruling sovereign, Jehangir, to open up outposts in Calcutta and Madras. The British soon took advantage of their position by actively supporting the kingdoms militarily and gradually entering their politics. The Anglo-French wars of the 1700s, saw the British and the French fighting proxy wars on the behalf of the rulers. By early 19th century, the French were almost defeated and the British East India Company indirectly ruled most of India through puppet kings. In 1857, an insurrection in the army sepoys ensued in the popular Revolt of 1857. This mobilised resistance, though short-lasting, was caused due to the widespread resentment due to British discriminatory and religious policies. As a result of this, India formally became a crown possession. At the height of British power in the closing part of the 19th century, the British Empire stretched from Burma (now Myanmar) to Afghanistan, covering almost the entire undivided Indian subcontinent consisting of modern day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Areas also under occupation were Bhutan and Ceylon, (now Sri Lanka). The British rule in India ended with the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947.
