Merchant Kings When Companies Ruled the World 1600–1900 eBook Stephen R Bown
Download As PDF : Merchant Kings When Companies Ruled the World 1600–1900 eBook Stephen R Bown 
Commerce meets conquest in this swashbuckling story of the six merchant-adventurers who built the modern world, as told by “Canada’s Simon Winchester” (Globe and Mail).
Through the Age of Heroic Commerce, from the 17th to the 19th centuries, a rogue’s gallery of larger-than-life merchant kings ruled vast tracts of the globe and expanded their far-flung monopolies to generate revenue for their shareholders, feather their own nests and satisfy their vanity and curiosity. Their exploits changed the world during an age of unfettered globalization, mirroring a world we know today.
Merchant Kings looks at each ruling monopoly through its greatest merchant king and considers their stories together for the first time
Jan Pieterszoon Coen of the Dutch East India Company
Pieter Stuyvesant of the Dutch West India Company
Robert Clive of the English East India Company
Alexandr Baranov of the Russian-American Company
George Simpson of the Hudson’s Bay Company
Cecil John Rhodes of the British South Africa Company
Merchant Kings When Companies Ruled the World 1600–1900 eBook Stephen R Bown
I was always puzzled by the British East India Company. What was the relationship with the British government? Why did they have an army? etc etc... After many years of procrastination, I decided to look for a good book in Amazon, and I ended up buying this book. The author does a great job in explaining how the British East India Company operated along with all the other monopolies from the 17th century stretching out all the way to the end of the 19th century. I liked the fact that he did not overwhelm you with historical details. For each monopoly, he gives you the general background and then he focuses on one individual, a merchant king, who made the monopoly great. Fascinating reading, particularly since I was clueless about these monopolies. The only reason I give it 4 stars is the lack of maps... but there is always google or apple maps (whatever you preference). At times I had to do some additional reading in order to better understand the background , and Wikipedia was a good resource. I would recommend this book to whoever is interested in this topic.Product details
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Merchant Kings When Companies Ruled the World 1600–1900 eBook Stephen R Bown Reviews
The author manages to paint an interesting picture of the intricate relationship between capitalism and colonialism between 1600 and 1900. It also depicts the personalities of the leading men of these enterprises
This is a fantastic introduction to some of the main faces of these trade monopolies which have changed the courses of history.
I was fascinated by this engaging account of these Portuguese, Dutch and English mercantile adventurers. I suffered front a British education at a time when Britannia had not quite realised that she no longer ruled the waves. Clive and Rhodes were great men. It was a real bonus to read such an interesting and informative sequential account of these great colonial trading companies.
When a book attempts to profile a # of interesting individuals and situations, the highest compliment is to say it encourages you to go out and read more about those people and events. That is exactly what happened here with Mr Bown's book, at least for this reader. He gives interesting insights into the times and the background and characters that shaped much of the world as we know it today. For all their faults they can be said to have opened up the world to commerce, shaping the international trade we have today.
Personally I could have done without Mr Bown's pontifications around slavery, apartheid and the like, in favor of just reporting the facts. But I suppose he felt strongly about the abuses that occurred, or wanted to distance himself as much from them as possible. Regardless, it is a good read on a few/six interesting periods in the world's history.
This book gave a wonderful and brief account on six Merchant Kings. At times I wish that I could have had more detail on the merchant kings, but I appreciate how concise the book is. At the end of the book the author recommends other books for those who want to learn about these "kings" and the companies that they helped create. Obviously each of these men's or corporations lives can and have filled volumes. This is a great start to your study of these men!
Stephen Brown profiles the careers of six leaders of quasi-governmental companies across the age of discovery. The work is informative and a well written general overview of six companies and their most potent leaders. I was particularly pleased to learn about the Russian American Company, of which I was previously ignorant. Something about the text left me longing for more insights and occasionally disagreeing with stated conclusions. Overall a recommended read, especially if you are unfamiliar with the subject.
A very lively, well-balanced treatment of six men who spanned an age where commerce and conquest intersected in the guise of chartered monopoly companies. Jan Peterszoon Coen of the Dutch East India Company, Pieter Stuyvesant of the Dutch West India Company, Robert Clive of the East India Company Alexandr Baranov of the Russian American Company, George Simpson of the Hudson Bay Company and Cecil Rhodes of the British South Africa Company were giants of history. In the search for profit, they founded empires and governed (both officially and unofficially) territories more vast than the monarchs and governments of their age.
I had read about and studied Robert Clive before and, of course, knew a fair amount Cecil Rhodes. But of the other men, I knew very little and this was an excellent introduction to their deeds and personalities. It is hard to pick a favourite because of the way the author neither venerates nor denigrates any of these men, but rather recognizes them as product of their age. Their energy and sheer opportunistic drive and passion for what they did, is certainly to be admired. But their shortcomings – some are racists, others ruthless and power-hungry - make it difficult to fully sympathize.
All in all this is a great read. One that makes you want to delve more deeply into each of the men at the centre of this study. An interesting epilogue too, which suggests that these companies are not too far removed from the multinationals of today!
I was always puzzled by the British East India Company. What was the relationship with the British government? Why did they have an army? etc etc... After many years of procrastination, I decided to look for a good book in , and I ended up buying this book. The author does a great job in explaining how the British East India Company operated along with all the other monopolies from the 17th century stretching out all the way to the end of the 19th century. I liked the fact that he did not overwhelm you with historical details. For each monopoly, he gives you the general background and then he focuses on one individual, a merchant king, who made the monopoly great. Fascinating reading, particularly since I was clueless about these monopolies. The only reason I give it 4 stars is the lack of maps... but there is always google or apple maps (whatever you preference). At times I had to do some additional reading in order to better understand the background , and Wikipedia was a good resource. I would recommend this book to whoever is interested in this topic.
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