On British Merchant Adventurers (15-17 Century)

In this paper, the discuss about Merchant Adventurers can be divided into three parts. In the first part, We discussed the historical background and conditions for the rise of the company of Merchant Adventurers. The second part discussed the internal organization, the nature and characteristics of the company; and the third part discussed the company's recession, and its historical status.Concerning the origin of the company, there are two profound historical origins. One is the origins of its organization, it rooted in overseas businessmen's organization of the earlier period. Another is its right source that was granted from the king. The direct background of its foundation is the changes in the structure of the British economy - with the growth of fabric industrial of England, the fabric export trade also grew, which provided a favourable socio-economic environment for the emergence of the company. Subsequently, in the early period of Tudor, because of the changes of the environment at home and abroad, the English foreign trade policy was changed, which provided a good opportunity for the development of Merchant Adventurers.The company of Merchant Adventurers, includes two different agencies. The first is the Court of Assistants, which is made up of one Governor or his deputy and 24 assistants. Actually, they formed the true government of the company. The second is subsidiary distributed in many cities domestic and international. The company is a regulated company which is monopoly and exclusive.In the 17th century, being impacted by the political relations, as well as the further expand of English foreign trade, the company's dominant position was gradually replaced by joint-stock companies. However, It occupies an important historical position, it opened up foreign markets, and expanded the Fabric export trade, it promoted the emerge of the subsequent trading companies and developed the transformation of oversea trade and rural textile industry.