The Royal African Company

The Royal African Company, established in 1660 in England, was a trading company set up to exploit the resources of Africa, specifically in gold and later in the transatlantic slave trade. It held a monopoly on English trade along the West African coast, facilitating the capture and transportation of enslaved Africans to the Americas. The company was instrumental in developing British colonial interests in Africa and significantly impacted the economy and culture of the time. Despite its prominence, it faced financial difficulties and competition, leading to the loss of its monopoly in the 1750s.