In which year of the Common Era was the English East India Company formally established by royal charter, marking the beginning of its long commercial presence in India?

Introduction / Context:
This question concerns the origin of the English East India Company, which later played a central role in the colonisation of India. Knowing the year of its establishment helps place the Company within the broader timeline of global trade and European expansion in Asia.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks in which year the East India Company was established.
• Options are 1664, 1632, 1600 and 1608.

Concept / Approach:
The English East India Company was established on the last day of the year 1600, when Queen Elizabeth granted a royal charter to a group of London merchants. The other dates in the options refer to other events or to the founding of different companies. Therefore, the correct approach is to match the Company's founding year with 1600, which is widely accepted in history texts.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the East India Company is often described as being founded in 1600 by a charter from Queen Elizabeth. Step 2: Compare this with the given options and note that 1600 is among them. Step 3: Recognise that dates like 1608 refer instead to the Company's early voyages and factories in India, not the founding of the Company itself. Step 4: Understand that 1632 and 1664 do not correspond to the original establishment of the English Company. Step 5: Select 1600 as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by noting that many standard history books highlight the year 1600 as the start of the English East India Company and often mention the exact date as the last day of December. Later years, like 1608, 1612 and beyond, are associated with the Company's first voyages to India, setting up of factories at Surat or other coastal locations, and the growth of its trading rights. This confirms that 1600 is the founding year, and the other dates relate to subsequent developments.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1664: This year is more closely linked with the French East India Company, not the English East India Company.
1632: Does not represent the founding date of the English East India Company; it relates to later seventeenth century events.

1608: Often associated with the Company's early arrival in India and setting up of a factory at Surat, but not with the original establishment of the Company itself.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse the founding of the Company in England with the establishment of its first factory or trading post in India. As a result, some students choose 1608 due to its association with early Company activity at Surat. To avoid this, clearly separate in your mind the company's legal creation by royal charter in 1600 from its later commercial operations on Indian soil.

Final Answer:
The English East India Company was established in the year 1600.