The English delegate who cured emperor Farrukhshier in 1715 A. D. was:

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

The English delegate who cured the Mughal Emperor Farrukhshier in 1715 A.D. was **William Hamilton**. Hamilton was a surgeon who accompanied a British mission led by John Surman (sometimes misspelled as John Sermon in historical texts) to the Mughal court. Farrukhshier was suffering from a painful tumor/swelling which local physicians were unable to cure. Dr. Hamilton successfully treated the Emperor, earning his immense gratitude. As a reward for this crucial service, Farrukhshier issued a set of three significant firmans (royal decrees) in 1717 A.D. These firmans granted the British East India Company highly valuable trading concessions in Bengal, Gujarat, and Hyderabad, effectively giving them significant commercial advantages and laying the foundation for their later political dominance in India. This event is often regarded as one of the most critical turning points in the history of British expansion in India.

The incorrect option is 2: Edward Stephenson was an English agent or factory chief during this period, but he was not the physician who performed the cure.

The incorrect option is 3: John Sermon (or Surman) was the head of the British diplomatic mission (embassy) that visited the Mughal court, but he was not the surgeon. He was the one who negotiated the commercial terms based on the favor earned by the cure.

The incorrect option is 4: Francis Dey is not documented as the physician involved in curing Emperor Farrukhshier in 1715 A.D. His work, along with that of his brother, was associated with acquiring land for a British factory much earlier in the 17th century.