Which British company initially received a charter permitting them to trade in India by land routes?

Key Fact(s)

The Levant Company was granted a royal charter by Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century to conduct trade with the Ottoman Empire and the Eastern Mediterranean. Through these connections, the company attempted to access Indian goods via overland routes passing through Persia and Central Asia.

This approach relied on traditional caravan-based land trade, which was costly and insecure compared to sea routes. The limitations of overland commerce highlighted the need for a direct maritime route to India. Consequently, English merchants later formed the English East India Company (1600) to trade with India by sea. Thus, the Levant Company represents the earliest English attempt to trade with India via land routes.