CHAPTER IV

THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH EAST INDIA COMPANIES THE death of the Spanish king in 1702 had been the signal for a war that ended with a partition of the Spanish monarchy and a general political resettle- ment of Europe. So with the death of Aurangzib in 1707 began the disruption of the Moghul Empire, fol- lowed by a material disturbance of the political system of Asia. The commotion and territorial derangements that were now spreading through the central regions of Asia were evident premonitory tokens of the insta- bility and approaching downfall of the two great dynas- ties that had ruled Persia and India from the middle of the sixteenth century; the long stationary period was drawing to its end; an era of great conquests was reappearing; and with the troubles fermenting in Cen- tral Asia we may undoubtedly connect the events about to follow on the coast of the Indian Peninsula. There was nothing unusual in the civil war that broke out on the Moghul emperor's death: for the title to a vacant Indian throne was ordinarily determined by the sword; every ruler of the imperial house had fought in turn for his heritage; and in fact the dynasty76