With whose permission did the English set up their first factory in Surat?

The correct answer is B) Jahangir. Explanation: The English East India Company's first significant attempts to establish trade relations and factories in India occurred during the reign of Mughal Emperor Jahangir (1605-1627). Captain William Hawkins visited Jahangir's court in Agra in 1608 to seek permission for trade. Although initial efforts faced Portuguese opposition, the English victory over the Portuguese at the Battle of Swally (near Surat) in 1612 impressed Jahangir. Subsequently, Sir Thomas Roe, as an ambassador from King James I, successfully secured a formal imperial farman (decree) from Jahangir in 1618, granting the English permission to establish factories, including their first permanent one at Surat. Analysis of options: A) Akbar: Emperor Akbar died in 1605, before the English made their concerted efforts to establish factories in India. B) Jahangir: The English, through Captain William Hawkins and later Sir Thomas Roe, sought and obtained permission from Emperor Jahangir to set up their first factory in Surat. This aligns perfectly with the historical timeline. C) Shahjahan: Emperor Shahjahan reigned from 1628-1658. By this time, the English factory at Surat was already well-established. D) Aurangzeb: Emperor Aurangzeb reigned from 1658-1707. The Surat factory was established long before his rule.