English Colonial Empire

The English overseas possessions, also known as the English Colonial Empire, comprised territories and colonies acquired by the Kingdom of England before 1707. These possessions were established through conquest or other means, with early settlements in Ireland following the Tudor conquest. Initial voyages of exploration occurred under Henry VII, and permanent overseas settlements were successfully established in North America, the West Indies, and New England after James I's succession in 1603. These included Jamestown (1607) and Plymouth Colony (1620). During the 17th century, various North American colonies were settled, and New Netherland and New Sweden were acquired from the Dutch in 1664. In Asia, trading posts were established in the East Indies and on the Indian subcontinent, beginning with Surat.