Traders to Rulers
Policy of British Expansion
The first hundred years of British rule in India (1757-1857) were marked by British conquests and rapid expansions of their dominion.
The British expanded their political power in India by using four methods-
A. Outright Wars
B. Subsidiary Alliance
C. Doctrine of Lapse
D. Alleged Misrule
The conquest of Bengal provided the East India Company with men, money and material needed to conquer other regions of India.
By 1773, the major contenders for power in India were-
A. The British
B. The Rulers of Mysore
C. The Marathas
D. The Nizam of Hyderabad
The British defeated all their rivals one by one and established an all-India empire.
Mysore
From 1767-1799, the British and the Rulers of Mysore fought four wars; called the Anglo-Mysore wars.
The first two wars were fought between Hyder Ali and the British and the last two with Tipu Sultan, the son of Hyder Ali.
As a result of the East India Company’s success in these wars, they annexed most of the territories of the Mysore State.
First Anglo Mysore War
1767-1769
The Marathas, The Nizam and the British formed an Alliance against Hyder Ali.
Hyder Ali diplomatically got the Nizam and the Marathas on his side.
Hyder Ali defeated the East India Company and captured Madras.
They signed a treaty to restore each other’s territories.
Second Anglo Mysore War
1780-1784
The British captured the French port, Mahe from where Mysore carried out oversea trade.
The company refused to fulfil the terms of the defensive treaty when Mysore was attacked by the Marathas.
Hyder Ali died.
His son Tipu carried on the struggle.
War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Manglore between Tipu and Lord Macartney.
Restoration of each other’s territories.
Third Anglo-Mysore War
1790-1792
Tipu’s difference with the Raja of Travancore.
The Nizam and Marathas formed an alliance with the British against Tipu.
War ended with the signing of the treaty of Seringapatnam.
Tipu had to surrender half of his kingdom to the British.
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
1799
Tipu’s Alliance with the British and his refusal to accept the Subsidary Alliance.
Tipu died defending Seringapatnam, followed by Annexation of Mysore by the English East India Company.
Maratha
The British had to fae their most formidable foes, the Marathas.
At the Third Battle of Panipat, the combined forces of the Mughals and Marathas were defeated by Ahmad Shah Abdali’s troop.
The Maratha empire broke into five virtually independent states:
A. The Peshwas of Poona
B. The Holkars of Indore
C. The Gaikwads of Baroda
D. The Bhonsles of Nagpur
E. The Scindias of Gwalior
First Anglo-Maratha War
1775-1782
Struggle for power between Narayan Rao and Raghunath Rao.
Ended with the Treaty of Salbai by which the British accepted Madhav Rao II as the Peshwa and gave Raghunath a pension of 3 lakhs per yeat.