In 1661 King Charles II of England married Princess Catherine of Braganza. The marriage dowry gave to the English the island of Bombay which the Portuguese had no use for. Charles himself didn’t care two hoots for the island. But it was the British East India Company that realised the importance of Bombay’s perfect natural harbour. Deep enough to accommodate 150 ships and with a natural fortification in the form of mainland India, Bombay was perfect for the company’s operations. And so with the Company renting the islands from the Crown, for £10/- annually, Bombay’s illustrious history began.