Arrange the following foreign travelers in chronological order of their arrival in India: I. William Hawkins II. Ralph Fitch III. Sir Thomas Roe IV. Nicholas Dawnton Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
- (a)II, I, IV and III
- (b)IV, II, I and III
- (c)I, III, II and IV
- (d)III, II, IV and I
Correct — A, the sequence II, I, IV, III (Ralph Fitch → William Hawkins → Nicholas Downton → Sir Thomas Roe). Ralph Fitch was among the earliest English travellers to reach India, arriving in the 1580s during Akbar's reign. William Hawkins landed at Surat in 1608 and reached Jahangir's court in 1609. Nicholas Downton came as an East India Company fleet commander around 1614 (Battle of Swally, 1614–15). Sir Thomas Roe, the formal ambassador of James I to Jahangir, arrived at Surat in September 1615. So the arrival order runs c.1583 < 1608 < 1614 < 1615.
- (b)IV, II, I and III — Places Nicholas Downton (arrived c.1614) first, but Ralph Fitch (c.1583) was the earliest of the four to reach India — the sequence must begin with Fitch, not Downton.
- (c)I, III, II and IV — Starts with Hawkins and ends with Downton; but Fitch predates Hawkins, and Sir Thomas Roe (1615) was the latest to arrive — he cannot sit in the second position. The whole order is scrambled.
- (d)III, II, IV and I — Puts Sir Thomas Roe (1615, the last of the four to arrive) first — the reverse of the truth. Roe belongs at the end of the sequence.
European travellers and envoys reached the Mughal court in a definite sequence, and exams test both the order and the ruler each visited. Ralph Fitch (merchant, 1580s) came in Akbar's reign; William Hawkins, Nicholas Downton and Sir Thomas Roe all dealt with Jahangir in the early 17th century as the English East India Company sought trading rights.
Anchor on the two extremes: Ralph Fitch is the earliest English visitor (Akbar's reign, 1580s) and Sir Thomas Roe the formal ambassador who came last (1615, Jahangir). Fixing 'Fitch first, Roe last' eliminates every wrong option at a glance.
- Ralph Fitch (c.1583–1591) — one of the earliest English travellers to India, during Akbar's reign
- William Hawkins (1608–1611) — East India Company captain; sought trading concessions at Jahangir's court
- Nicholas Downton (c.1614–15) — Company commander; defeated the Portuguese at the Battle of Swally (Suvali)
- Sir Thomas Roe (1615–1619) — ambassador of James I to Emperor Jahangir; won firmer trading rights for the EIC
- c.1583 — Ralph Fitch (Akbar)
- 1608 — William Hawkins (Jahangir)
- c.1614 — Nicholas Downton (Battle of Swally)
- 1615 — Sir Thomas Roe (Jahangir)
Answer (a): II, I, IV, III — Fitch → Hawkins → Downton → Roe.
- Confusing the earliest English traveller (Fitch) with the first Company captain (Hawkins)
- Placing the famous ambassador Sir Thomas Roe first — he actually arrived last
UPPSC/UPSC ask this as 'arrange in chronological order' or 'match the traveller with the ruler/company' — memorise the arrival decade and the emperor for each European visitor.
Which one of the following foreign travellers elaborately discussed about diamonds and diamond mines of India ?
- (a) Francois Bernier
- (b) Jean-Baptiste Tavernier
- (c) Jean de Thevenot
- (d) Abbe Barthelemy Carre
Answer(b) Jean-Baptiste Tavernier
Same concept — European foreign travellers to India who left written accounts of the country and its court.
With reference to the Captain Hawking's, which of the following statements is correct? (1) He came to India in 1611 as an envoy of James - I. (2) He was very well versed in Turkish language.
- (a) Both 1 and 2
- (b) Only 2
- (c) Only 1
- (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Same figure — (Captain) William Hawkins, one of the travellers in this chronology, tested by UPPSC again in 2023.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Sir Thomas Roe, sent by King James I, visited the court of which Mughal emperor?
- (a)Akbar
- (b)Jahangir
- (c)Shah Jahan
- (d)Aurangzeb
Answer(b) Jahangir — Roe was ambassador at Jahangir's court (1615–19).
- practice — not a real PYQ
William Hawkins arrived at Surat in 1608 as a representative of which body?
- (a)The Portuguese Crown
- (b)The English East India Company
- (c)The Dutch VOC
- (d)The French East India Company
Answer(b) the English East India Company.