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“It is very easy to get access to the material in this digital collection. I particularly enjoyed reading the manuscript details. I believe the database will make a huge difference in understanding the working of the British Empire in India by helping researchers to access manuscript material so easily.”
Dr Claire Gallien Exeter College, University of Oxford
There is a growing interest in the history of South Asia. India has played a crucial role in global trading networks for centuries and was central to the story of Empire. More recently it has emerged as a vibrant democracy and a major economic power.
The National Library of Scotland has wonderful collections documenting this history from the foundation of the East India Company in 1615 to the granting of independence for India and Pakistan in 1947.
The sources are extremely varied ranging from the papers of key East India Company representatives and colonial officials to records of daily life in Agra, Bombay, Lahore, and Madras. There are original Indian manuscripts containing histories and literary works, as well as accounts of wars, discussions of Indian Nationalism and papers of tea and coffee planters.
The collection is particularly strong for the 18th and 19th centuries and will be of interest to scholars studying:
Crispin Bates (University of Edinburgh)
The National Library of Scotland
Original manuscript material, comprising diaries, letters, maps, sketches and official and private papers.
In 1615, Britain signed a treaty with the Mughals to permit the East India Company to establish ‘factories’ or trading posts in cities such as Mumbai (Bombay) and Kolkata (Calcutta). Over the next 240 years this trading relationship became a political relationship as the ‘Company’ gained control over Bengal and other territories as a result of successive wars. The rebellion of 1857 prompted a further change, as India came under direct rule from the British Government and this situation lasted until 1947 as – after a prolonged nationalist struggle – India and Pakistan were granted independence.
This complex and fascinating history is brought to life through the large and diverse South Asian holdings of the National Library of Scotland. The 18th and 19th centuries are especially well represented in manuscript sources which look at:
Some of the highlights include:
Please click here to download a PDF document of titles sourced from the National Library of Scotland.
This collection provides scholars with a rich array of documents with which to explore the history of India – and will provide the basis for countless research projects.
Collection downloads available:
"I believe the database will make a huge difference in understanding the working of the British Empire in India by helping researchers to access manuscript material so easily."
Dr Claire Gallien, Exeter College University of Oxford
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India, Raj and Empire: CHOICE October 2009
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Empire Online
FO India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, 1947-1980
Travel Writing, Spectacle and World History