At least 3 books document John's many adventures ; The Privy Council Papers for 1599-1614 in the London Guildhall Library, The Preacher's Travels by Rev. John Cartwright and Sir William Foster's History of the East India Co., also found in the Guildhall Library.

The invasion of the Far East by the Dutch, for no other description works as well, and their crushing of the Portaguese monopoly on trade inflamed the imagination of English merchants. It became imperitive that England keep pace with their rivals. In 1599 an association, a Joint Stock Company, was created and petitioned Queen Elizabeth for permission to begin trade with India. She did not grant such permission but on the advise of her Privy Council, which had made a favorable report on the petition, sent John Mildenhall overland, by the route of Constantinople, on an embassy to the Great Mogul.

John Mildenhall had apparently gained a good deal of experience on merchant ships, because he became a ship's captain in the employ of Richard Staper, a merchant of London. John had gone as far a Constantinople and the Mesopotamian region by 1598. In Feburary of 1599 he set sail on his epic, 10 year journey to the Far East. He set sail first for Constantinople in the"Hector" and arrived in October. During that winter he apparently heard some news that changed his plans for the rest of his life. The expedition sponsored by Queen Elizabeth to launch a British trading venture with India had failed that year. John Mildenhall decided to do it himself.

Three times English merchants had strove to reach the Orient and failled. In 1583 and 1591 the British Levant Copany had sent expeditions to India and failed. In 1599 the British East India Company sent six ships to establish trade rights and possible monopolies with the Persians and the old Mogul Emperors of India. The fleet failed to round the Cape of Good Hope.

John Mildenhall, in Constantinople, heard the news and set off overland to reach the Mogul Emperor Akbar first. He organized a large caravan of 600 persons. Mildenhall spent some time in Persia and bought and sold in order to augment his funds. He finally arrived in Lahore, India in 1603. His plan was to act as the Queen's personal ambassador in order to arrange trade concessions. He could then greatly profit by offering these trading privileges to the English Crown.

He spent 3 years in Agra. He saw the Mogul and presented him 29 Persian horses and jewels. He was very convincing as an ambassador. He requested trade facilities like the Portuguese had and non-interference in the war the British were fighting then with the Portuguese. The Mogul refused. There were Portuguese Jesuits there who tried to oppose the English. the Mogul then offered some monies and some trading privileges, but Mildenhall refused. He had decided to wait him out.

John actually learned the language of the court and in 6 months got all he requested from the Emperor. He even promised to have Queen Elizabeth's ambassador come to live there as a "hostage" for the peaceable behavior of his countrymen. They signed papers, as did the Akbar's son, Emperor Jahangir, who ruled in Eastern India. This accomplished, Mildenhall started on his way back to England in Oct, 1606. He stopped over again in Persia and sent a letter to the East India Company. this letter is preserved in the Privy Council papers. In it he declared what privileges he had obtained. He offered his documents and services in exchange for 1500lbs ( now $300.000) and a high position in the East India Company.

In 1608 the company deferred it's decision. In 1609 they objected saying John's demands were unreasonable, particularly his demand for a high position. By July 27, 1609, he was back in England and appealed to the King directly. He said he had just completed 10 years of travel and had "discovered great trade in the dominions of the Great Mogul" He even asked if he could conduct the trade privileges himself!

Finally the company give in and appointed him as a factor and paid him a substantial sum. Within 2 years the English began establishing trading stations on the east coast of India. From there the company grew to dominate the far eastern trade, and eventually the British Empire itself developed from that.

But, John Mildenhall was never knighted by the King; although many thought he should have been. He remained at odds a bit with the East India company, and it seems he couldn't wait to get out of London again. He sailed with a shipment from Staper and other London merchants again. He went to Constantinople and this time tried to sail on farther, through the Black Sea. But the Turks attacked him there and pursued him for many miles. Finally, they captured him and accused him of being a Persian spy because he spoke their language. He was shortly saved by the nearest English ambassador and continued on his journey. This was only the second journey by an Englishman through the Black Sea.

He arrived in April 1614 at Ajmere where the Indian Royal court then was...but he was ill, and died within 2 months. Before he died he sent a letter back to London. It said "English cloth will not sell; it is only bought at first by great men to cover their elephants and make saddles for their horses ; for garments they use no such thing in these parts, neither in rain nor in cold."

John was buried in Agra, India in the Catholic cemetery. His grave is still there in good condition. It certainly must be the oldest gravestone of a Mildenhall. In fact, it is the oldest English monument there is in India. He was the only Englishman to visit both of the royal courts of the Emperors Akbar and Jahangir.

John had an Indian wife and kept her in Persia, and he left his goods to his 2 children by her. John is referred to as a "cuckold" several times in contemporary writings, the definition of this meaning a "man who is deserted by his wife for another man." So, this may be the cause of his "long travels"....no one knows for sure.