British colonization first began in 1591, when the merchant Sir James Lancaster was commissioned by Commander Sir Francis Duke to set sail for the East Indies . Sir James continued to sail until, in September 1592, he landed at Penang and remained there for two years, plundering any rival European ships that were to stay there. Returning to Britain in 1594 and relaying news of this newly discovered region, the British would not become a major player in Penang's history until 1786 with the Malay Sultanate of Kedah. Meanwhile, the Burmese and Siamese armies had increasingly threatened the Sultan of Penang, forcing him to strike a deal with Francis Light, then a British naval captain in the Southeast Asian region. Captain Francis Light, while at Penang, was acting under direct command. of the British East India Trading Company. The British East India Company, commissioned by Queen Elizabeth I, began trading operations in Southeast Asia in 1600, focusing primarily on the acquisition and trade of cotton, silk, opium and spices, all of which were extremely valuable commodities throughout Europe. Because European countries were imminent rivals for the British, the British East India Company had created a large English army that would protect the trade routes and lands exploited by the Company. This was the basis of the agreement that the Sultan of Kedah sought to make with Captain Light. In exchange for English military protection against the Siamese and Burmese, the sultan would cede Penang to the British. Once the agreement was reached, Penang would be officially renamed Prince of Wales Island until it was renamed in 1867. Penang would be extremely advantageous to the British in the future middle of paper.... ....defeating the Japanese, the British agreed in 1947 to grant the Burmese complete independence within a year. On January 4, 1948, Burma became an independent country. Works Cited6. Wilson, Constance, Dr. “Colonialism and Nationalism in Southeast Asia.” Colonialism and nationalism in Southeast Asia. Himself, July 2005. Web. December 2, 2013.7. “The Biography of Francis Light – Founder of Penang.” The biography of Francis Light - Founder of Penang. Penang Vacations, October 2012. Web. December 02, 2013.8. "Strait of Malacca (strait, Asia)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, November 2005. Web. December 02, 2013.9. “History of Burma”. History of Burma. CFOB, nd Web. December 01, 2013.10. “On this day: Burma declares its independence from Great Britain.” On this day: Burma declares its independence from Great Britain. FindingDulcinea, January 4, 2011. Web. December 2. 2013.