Expansion of east India company rule in india
Expansion of east india company rule in india
Occupation of Bengal
Battle of Plassey
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| Battle of Plassey |
The defeat of Siraj – Ud – daulah (1756 – 57),
the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa by deceit in the battle of Plassey
(1757), led to the foundation of the British Empire in India which paved the
way for the establishment of British imperialism.
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| Robert Clive |
Robert Clive, an ordinary servant of the East India
Company, acquired the art of diplomatic skill to build up a colonial empire in
India with in a very short time. Clive devised scheme of expelling other
European Companies from India in the interest of his own company. He tried to
win over the native kings to his side either by war or by friendship. The Nawab
of Bengal, Nizam of Hyderabad, Nawab of Oudh, King of Rajputna etc. all made
friendship with the company and had to surrender their authority.
The East India Company receives the Zamindari of the 24
Pargana. Mir Jafar paid a sum of Rs 17, 700,000 as compensation for the attack
on Calcutta to the company and traders of the city. In 1758, Robert Clive
secured from Mir Jafar the Puppet Nawab of Bengal, monopoly of the Saltpeter
trade in Bengal for the company. As Saltpeter was an ingredient for the
manufacture of gunpowder, it was in great demand among European nations during
their war in the 18th Century.
Mir Qasim
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Mir Qasim |
Mir Qasim ceded Budwan,
Midnapore and Chittangong. He shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Munger.
Mir Qasim soon revolted as he was angry with the British for misusing the
dastak (free duty passes). However, having been defeated by the British, he
fled to Awadh, where he formed a confederacy with Awadh ruler Shujaddaula and
Mugal Emperor Shah Alam II. The Battle of Buxar (1764) was fought against
British. British win over the alliance of Mir Qasim, Shujauddaula and Shah Alam
II.
Mir Jafar was again placed on throne. On Mir Jafar death,
his son Nuzmuddaula was placed on the throne and signed a treaty on 20th
Feb 1765 by which Nawab was to disband most of his army and to administer
Bengal through a Deputy Subedar nominated by the company.
Robert Clive concluded two
separate treaties of Alahabad with Shah Alam II (12 Aug 1765) and Shujauddaula
(16th Aug 1765).
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| Battle of Buxar |
Dual Government of Bengal (1765 – 72)
After the battle of Buxar,
the East India Company became the real master of Bengal. Robert Clive
introduced the dual system of government in 1765.
The company acquired both Diwani and Nizamat rights from
Nizmuddaula, the Nawab of Bengal. The system held a great advantage for the
company. It left the appearance of authority to the Puppet Indian ruler, whole
keeping the Sovereign power in the hands of the Company. The Nawab was
responsible for maintaining peace and order, but he depended both for funds and
forces upon the company.
The dual system led to an administrative break down and
proved disastrous for the people of Bengal. Neither the Company nor the Nawab
cured for the welfare of the people.
Warren Hasting ended the
dual system of government in 1772.
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| Warren Hasting |
Mysore oppose to the British company
After the battle ofTalikota (1565) gave a deadly blow to the great kingdom emerged from its
remnants.
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| Battle_of_Talikota |
Haidar Ali
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| Haidar Ali |
Haidar Ali began his career as a horseman in
the Mysore army under the ministers, Nanjaraj and Devaraj. Later he became the
faujdar of Dindigul. Haider Ali took the help of the French to set up an arms
factory at Dindigul (now in Tamil Nadu) and also introduced western methods of
training for his army. Though uneducated, he possess a keen intellect and was a
man of great energy and determination.
In 1761, he overthrow the Nanjajar( the powerful Prime
minister of Wodeyar King krishraja I )
and Usurped power, through continuing to recognize Krishnraja I as the lawful
ruler.
First Anglo – Mysorewar (1767 – 69)
Haidar Ali already had territorial disputes with the
Nawab of Arcot and differences with the Marathas.
The Nizam, the Marathas, and the English allied together
against Haider. The war continued for a year – and – a – half without a
conclusion. Haider Ali defeated the British. The treaty of Madras (1769)
signed. The treaty provided for the exchange of Prisoners and mutal restitution
of conquests. Haidar Ali was promised the help of the English in case he was
attacked by any other power.
Second Anglo – Mysore war (1780 – 84)
Warren
Hasting attacked French port Mahe. This was in Haidar Ali’s territory. Haidar
Ali led a joint front with Nizam and Maratha and captured Arcot (capital of
carnatic state).
In 1781, Haidar Ali was defeated a porto Novo by eyecoot.
He died of cancer on December 7, 1782.
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Battle of Mahe |
Tipu Sultan
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| Tipu sultan |
Haidar Ali was succeeded by his son Tipu sultan in 1782.
Tipu sultan, carried on the war for one year without any positive outcome. Both
sides opted for peace, negotiating the Treaty of Mangalore (March 1784) the
second Anglo – Mysore war ended. Under the treaty of Manglore each party gave
back the territories it had taken from the other.
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| Tipu sultan |
Third Anglo – Mysore War
Maratha and Nizam aided the English and attacked
Seringapatam. Tipu offered serious opposition, but the odds were against him.
Consequently, he had to pay heavily
under the Treaty of Seringapatam. (1792)
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| battle_of_Seringapatam |
Under the Treaty of 1792, nearly half of the Mysorean
territory was taken over by the victors. A war damage of three crore rupees was
also taken from Tipu. Half of the war indemnity was to be paid immediately
while the rest was to be given in installments, for which Tipu’s two Son were
taken as hostage by the English.
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Third Anglo – Mysore War |
Fourth Anglo – Mysore war (1799)
The English as well as Tipu Sultan used the period 1792
-1799 to recoup their losses. In 1798 Lord Wellesley succeeded Sir John shore
as the new Governor General.
The war began on April 17, 1799 Lord Wellesly attacked
and Tipu Sultan died. Tipu was the only Indian ruler who have understood the importance
of economic strength as the foundation of military strength. Tipu established
the embassies to France, Turkey, Iran and Pegu to develop foreign trade.
Tipu planted a ‘tree of liberty’ at his capital
Seringapatnam and became a member of Jacobian Club.
Conquest of Punjab
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| Guru_Gobind_Singh |
Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th and the last Guru
of the Sikhs, transformed the religious sect into a military brotherhood. In
the confusion and disorder that followed the invasion of Nadir Shah and Ahmad
Shah Abdali, the Sikhs increased their military strength and became a strong
power.
After the murder of the last sikh guru, Guru Govind
Singh, a section of Sikh under the leadership of Banda Bahadur revolt against
the Mugal during the rule of Bahadur Shah. In 1715, Banda Bahadur was defeated
by Farrukhsiyar and put to death in 1716.
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| Banda Bahadur |
Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1792 – 1839)
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| Maharaja Ranjit Singh |
He was the greatest Indian ruler of his time and founder
of the Sikh rule in the Punjab. Born in 1780 at Gujranwala he occupied Lahore in
1799 and made it his capital. He conquered Amritsar in 1802, Occupied Ludhiana
and after incessant war, annexed Kangra, Attock, Multan, Kashmir, Hazara,
Bannu, Derajat and Peshawar.
In the changed political
secenarion in which the Napoleonic danger receded and the English become more
assertive, Ranjit Singh agreed to sign the treaty of Amritsar (April 25, 1809)
with the company. Ranjit Singh died in June 1839 and with his death the process
of decline of his empire began.
Successors of Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh’s only
legitimate son and successor Kharak Singh (1839 -40). Kharak Singh’s sudden
death in 1839 and the accidental death of his son, Prince Nav Nihal Singh (when
he was returning from his father’s funeral) led to an anarchic situation in
Punjab. Sher singh, another son of Ranjit singh srcceeded, but he was murdered
in late 1843. Soon afterwards Dalip Singh a minor son of Ranjit Singh was
proclaimed the Maharaja with Rani Jindan as regent and Hari Singh Dogra as
Wazir.
First Anglo – Sikh war (1845 – 46)
The
outbreak of the first Anglo Sikh war starts on Dec 11, 1845 with 30,000 troops
in the British side while Sikhs has about 50,000.
Sikhs were defeated in all the four battles at Mudki,
Ferozshah, Aliwal and Sobraon. Lahore fell to the British forces on feb 20,
1846 without a fight. The treaty of Lahore (1846) ended the war.
Under the treaty of Lahore
(1846) war indemnity of more than 1 crore rupees was to be given to the
English. The Jalandhar Doab (between the Beas and Sutlej) was annexed to the
company’s domination. The strength of Sikh army was reduced. A British
resident was to be established at Lahore under Henry Lawrence and hence Sir
Henry Lawrence became the first resident.
Second Anglo – Sikh war (1848 – 49)
Dalhousie annexed Punjab.
Sir John Lawerence become the first Chief Commissioner of Punjab.
Establishment of the British Paramoontey and civil administration
Lord Warren Hassting (1772 – 85)
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Lord Warren Hassting |
He came to office at a time when no government worth name
existed. From 1772 – 1785 he was the Governor General of Bengal. His most well
known measure was the REGULATING ACT of 1773. He is remembered as Preserver of
British Empire.
Lord Cornvallis (1786 – 93)
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Lord Cornvallis |
He took many steps to strengthen the company. His most
enduring works were the reorganization of the Covenanted Civil Service establishment
of PERMANENT SETTLEMENT in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. He was a good military
commander.
Lord Wellesley (1798 – 1805)
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Lord Wellesley |
He was an ambitious, shrewed diplomat and hardcore
imperialist with his subsidiary Alliance he established the company’s supremacy
over many kings of India. He won many area after the fourth battle of Mysore
(1799) and a fight with Marathas.
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