Dowries Aren't Worth What They Use to Be

King Charles II married the Princess of Portugal, Catherine of Braganza, because of the contents of her dowry. Her dowry became so important to Britain because included in her dowry was the territory of Bombay, an area in India that would become a hub for British colonialism and trade at the end of the 18th century and the turn of the 19th century. All of this and more is outlined in the book, Richer Than Spices: How a Royal Bride's Dowry Introduced Cane, Lacquer, Cottons, Tea, and Porcelain to England, and So Revolutionized Taste, Manners, Craftsmanship, and History in Both England and America.
King Charles II married Catherine mostly because of the wealth that her dowry possessed. It was Charles' goal to bring England out of the finical strains that had been worsened by the time of the Commonwealth. The newly reinstated monarch of England wanted to prove that a monarchy was the best form of rule for the island nation. However, King Charles II left his legacy in the 1660s when he signed Bombay over to the East India Trading Company. By doing this Charles allowed for the establishment of the Company as an international trading powerhouse. With Bombay in its control the East India Trading Company was able to bring more spices, teas, and other food commodities to the England and the New World. Bombay and its tea trade are significant because what would England be like today if it didn't have it's afternoon tea? And what would America be like if it didn't have it's Boston Tea Party? Well thanks to Catherine of Braganza's dowry we will never have to wonder what the world would be like without tea.