T

Rise of British Power in Bengal - Vocabulary Flashcards

Rise of British Power in Bengal – Comprehensive Study Notes

  • The Advent of the British in India

    • The British first came to India as traders in the 17^{ ext{th}} century. By the middle of the 19^{ ext{th}} century, they had eliminated rivals and established an all-India empire; the conquest of Bengal was a crucial milestone that paved the way for further conquests and the establishment of British rule in India.

  • The English East India Company (EIC)

    • Founded in the year 1600 CE by a small group of British merchants.
    • The Queen granted exclusive rights to trade with the East to the Company.
    • Profits came from buying Eastern goods and selling them at high prices in Europe; the Queen herself took a share of the Company’s profits.
    • The first factory in Surat was set up in 1612 CE; a trading settlement consisting of a warehouse, an office for records, and residential quarters for Company servants. It did not manufacture.
    • By 1623 CE, factories were established in Surat, Broach, Ahmadabad, Agra, and Masulipatam.
    • Sir Thomas Roe, the British ambassador to Jahangir’s court, secured trade concessions from the Mughal emperor.
    • In 1639 CE, Madras (now Chennai) was granted to the British; they fortified it as Fort St George.
    • In 1688 CE, Charles II granted the Company the island of Bombay (for a nominal rent of 10 pounds/year) as dowry through marriage to a Portuguese princess; Bombay became the main western settlement.
    • In 1690 CE, a British trading settlement was established and fortified in Calcutta, named Fort William.
    • Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay became the three presidencies (headquarters) in eastern, southern, and western India, each under a Governor.
    • By the beginning of the 18^{ ext{th}} century, several trading companies merged to form the United Company of Merchants of England Trading to the East Indies (the United Company).

  • The French East India Company and Anglo-French Rivalry

    • The French East India Company was formed in 1664 CE; its Indian headquarters were in Pondicherry (Puducherry). It established settlements in Surat, Masulipatam, Chandernagore, and Mahe.
    • The British were already well established along the coasts when the French arrived, leading to intense competition for trade monopoly.
    • By the 18^{ ext{th}} century, the two powers—British and French—faced off as arch-rivals, with the European rivalries spilling into India. Other European powers (Portuguese, Dutch) had diminished influence by this time.
    • The conflict was not only commercial but political, as the French tried to secure influence to undermine British trade.
    • War between them in India is known as the Carnatic Wars (the Carnatic refers to the Coromandel coast and its hinterland). They fought three Carnatic Wars; British influence in the Carnatic grew as a result, culminating in the Third Carnatic War which shattered French dreams of empire in India.

  • Rise of British Power in Bengal

    • Bengal was the richest and most fertile province in the 18^{ ext{th}} century, drawing European traders from the Netherlands, France, and Britain.
    • The British settlement at Calcutta was the largest and most prosperous.
    • In 1717, Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar issued a farman granting the English East India Company the right to duty-free trade in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa; this allowed export/import without taxes in those provinces and the Company could issue passes (dastaks) for free movement of goods.
    • EIC employees were allowed to engage in private trade but they could not enjoy the duty-free privilege and had to pay taxes like other Indian merchants.
    • The Company’s private trade and privileges led to friction with local rulers and merchants.
    • The Company began to openly challenge local authority and interfered in local politics to gain territorial, monetary, and political advantages.
    • The rapid expansion and profits enabled the Company to build military muscle and political influence in Bengal.

  • The Capture and Conquest of Calcutta; Siraj-ud-Daulah

    • The Nawab of Bengal, Alivardi Khan, died in 1756 and was succeeded by his grandson, Siraj-ud-Daulah, who aimed to curb British power.
    • Siraj demanded that the British pay taxes like other Indian merchants; the British refused, angering the Nawab.
    • Anticipating conflict with the French, the British fortified Calcutta, which was perceived as an attack on the Nawab’s sovereignty.
    • Siraj ordered the British to dismantle their forts and to refrain from private wars on Indian territory; the British refused.
    • A conspiracy formed in the Nawab’s court to replace Siraj-ud-Daulah with Mir Jafar, who would become Nawab in return for money and trade privileges.
    • A secret treaty was signed; war became inevitable.

  • Battle of Plassey (23 June 1757) and its Consequences

    • Robert Clive led the British forces to Plassey near Murshidabad, with the Nawab’s army defending his territory.

    • A major portion of the Nawab’s army, under Mir Jafar, did not actively participate in the battle; betrayal sealed the outcome.

    • Siraj-ud-Daulah was captured and killed after fleeing the battlefield.

    • Mir Jafar was proclaimed Nawab under British influence.

    • Results and Significance:

    • The English East India Company gained undisputed right to free trade in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.

    • The Company obtained the zamindari of the 24 Parganas and Mir Jafar paid the Company and its officials a large sum (₹300 lakh rupees) as compensation.

    • Plassey marked a major turning point: transformed a trading company into a political power; the Nawab of Bengal became a puppet under British control; the British gained access to Bengal’s vast resources, which would finance future campaigns (including Third Carnatic War) and expeditions.

    • Mir Jafar’s weakness highlighted the fragility of puppet rulers installed by the Company.

  • Battle of Buxar (1764) and Treaty of Allahabad (1765)

    • Mir Qasim, a capable ruler, sought to free Bengal from British control and modernized its finances and military with European-trained troops; this increased British hostility.

    • British officials engaged in corrupt practices: some Company employees sold duty-free passes to Indian merchants, depriving the Nawab of revenue and harming local merchants.

    • In 1763, war broke out between Mir Qasim and the British; Mir Jafar was reinstated as Nawab in 1760, but ultimately British forces defeated the allied Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daulah (Awadh), and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II at the Battle of Buxar in 1764.

    • The defeat solidified British mastery over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa and granted political influence over Awadh and the Mughal Emperor.

    • The outcome laid the foundation for British rule in India and solidified their control over revenue and military power in Bengal.

    • Robert Clive returned as Governor of Bengal during this period.

    • Treaty of Allahabad (1765) details:

    • Awadh was returned to Shuja-ud-Daulah; the Nawab’s territories of Kora and Allahabad were taken away.

    • Awadh’s ruler had to pay a war indemnity of 50\times 10^{4} rupees (i.e., 50 lakh rupees) to the Company.

    • The Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II was granted a pension and the Company was granted the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa (the right to collect revenue) along with civil and criminal jurisdiction, and defense/military powers.

    • The terms also defined a buffer role for Awadh between British Bengal and Marathas; the Nawab of Awadh had to accept Company defense guarantees.

    • Shah Alam II was guaranteed a pension in exchange for recognizing British supremacy in revenue collection and civil administration.

    • The Company’s control over Bengal was formalized, with the Nawab’s role reduced to a figurehead.

  • Dual Government in Bengal (1765–72)

    • Introduced by Robert Clive: Bengal had two masters – the Nawab (general administration, maintenance of law and order, and justice in criminal cases) and the Company (Diwani powers: revenue collection, civil justice, defense, and military power).
    • The Nawab was responsible for administration but lacked the financial resources to run it effectively; the Company held the financial resources but did not take formal responsibility for administration.
    • Indian revenue officials appointed by the Company collected taxes; the Company exercised power without corresponding administrative accountability.
    • The arrangement caused governance problems: corruption and oppression by officials led to peasant misery, including a devastating famine in which a large portion of Bengal’s population perished.
    • The dual system allowed the Company to wield power without bearing full responsibility for governance and welfare.

  • End of the Dual Government; Consolidation under the Company

    • In 1772, Warren Hastings (a competent administrator) ended the Dual Government, bringing Bengal under direct Company control.
    • The Nawab was deposed and pensioned off; the treasury was shifted from Murshidabad to Calcutta, which became the capital of Bengal and later of British India.
    • Hastings introduced reforms and laid the foundations for an organized administrative system in Bengal.
    • Regulating Act (1773) formalized the distinction by creating the Governor General of Bengal as the head of British territories in India; the Governor General became the most important functionary of the EIC.

  • Governors and Governance in Bengal and British India

    • Governors of Bengal (as per the timeline in the transcript):
    • 1757–60: Robert Clive
    • 1760–65: Henry Vansittart
    • 1765–67: Robert Clive
    • 1767–69: Harry Verelst
    • 1769–72: Cartier John
    • 1772–73: Warren Hastings
    • Governors General of India followed (overview in the materials):
    • 1773–85: Warren Hastings
    • 1785–86: Sir John Macpherson
    • 1786–93: Lord Cornwallis
    • 1793–98: Sir John Shore
    • 1798–1805: Lord Wellesley
    • 1805–07: Sir George Barlow
    • 1807–13: Lord Minto
    • 1813–23: Marquess of Hastings
    • 1823–28: Lord Amherst
    • 1828–35: Lord William Bentinck
    • 1836–42: Lord Auckland
    • 1842–44: Lord Ellenborough
    • 1844–48: Lord Hardinge
    • 1848–56: Lord Dalhousie

  • Know Your Sources, Maps, and Context

    • India in 1765 (map): British were consolidating territory around Calcutta and expanding influence across Bengal and neighboring regions; various local powers (Mughal, Awadh, Marathas) existed as political players.
    • The map exercise prompts students to analyze territorial threats to British expansion; typical candidates included Awadh and Marathas, as well as other regional powers depending on the exact map view.
    • The “Know Your Sources” and “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)” inserts connect historical events to critical thinking and ethical reflection. SDG Goal 10 focuses on Reduced Inequalities and invites students to recognize racial and regional inequalities in historical contexts and relate them to modern examples.
    • Did You Know? box notes Robert Clive’s fortune and social ascent as a Peer in Britain, and mentions a parliamentary inquiry upon his return to England, which was rejected.

  • Timeline (Key Milestones recap)

    • 1700–1740s: Establishment of English and French trading interests; Madras Fort St George; Bombay and Calcutta developments.
    • 1717: Farrukhsiyar grants duty-free trade in Bengal to the EIC.
    • 1757: Battle of Plassey; Siraj-ud-Daulah defeated; East India Company gains diwan-like revenue rights in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
    • 1760–62: Mir Jafar becomes Nawab under British influence; later replaced by Mir Qasim.
    • 1763–64: Mir Qasim’s reforms reduce internal duties; British opposition grows; Mir Jafar reinstated; alliance against Company.
    • 1764: Battle of Buxar; decisive British victory; solidifies control over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa; Awadh and Mughal emperor come under British influence.
    • 1765: Treaty of Allahabad; Diwani granted to the Company; Awadh’s losses and payments settled.
    • 1765–72: Dual Government in Bengal; Nawab’s powers vs Company’s revenue powers.
    • 1772–1773: End of Dual Government; Hastings becomes Governor General; Calcutta becomes capital; reforms initiated.

  • Siraj-ud-Daulah: Brief Biography (as per the timeline in the module)

    • Born in 1733; last independent Nawab of Bengal; ascended the throne in 1756; known for opulence and interest in arts, music, and administration; opposed British colonial ambitions; his reign ended after the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
    • Legacy marked by resistance to colonial expansion.

  • Critical Thinking and Ethics prompts

    • Enduring questions include: How would Indian history have differed if Mir Jafar had not betrayed Siraj-ud-Daulah? What do Mir Jafar’s actions reveal about his character?
    • The dual-government period reveals tensions between private corporate power and public welfare, highlighting governance ethics, accountability, and taxation justice.

  • Connections to broader themes

    • The rise of the EIC and the Carnatic Wars illustrate how economic interests, strategic geography, and political instability interacted to enable colonial expansion.
    • The transition from private trading company to de facto ruler demonstrates the blurred lines between commerce and state power in early modern empires.
    • The British use of “divide and rule” strategies (puppet nawabs, selective alliances) enabled smoother control over vast territories with limited local resources.

  • Notation and formulas (numerical references in LaTeX)

    • 1600 CE — EIC founded.
    • 1612 CE — First factory at Surat.
    • 1623 CE — Factories in Surat, Broach, Ahmadabad, Agra, Masulipatam.
    • 1639 CE — Madras Fort St George established.
    • 1688 CE — Bombay island granted to the Company.
    • 1690 CE — Fort William in Calcutta.
    • 1717 — Farman granting duty-free trade in Bengal.
    • 1757 — Battle of Plassey.
    • 1763–64 — Conflict with Mir Qasim; Buxar battles.
    • 1765 — Treaty of Allahabad; Diwani granted.
    • 1765–72 — Dual Government in Bengal.
    • 1772 — Hastings ends Dual Government.
    • 1773 — Regulating Act; Governor General established.
    • Monetary figure: 300\times 10^{4} rupees (₹300 lakh) paid by Mir Jafar to the Company and officials (as cited in the Plassey aftermath).

  • Summary takeaway

    • The rise of British power in Bengal was not just a military conquest but a strategic consolidation of trade, finance, and political authority that was enabled by colonial policies, corruption, and tactical alliances.
    • Plassey and Buxar were watershed battles that transformed the Company from a trading entity into a ruling power, setting the stage for the expansion of British authority across India.
    • The end of the Dual Government and the establishment of the Governor General’s authority marked the formalization of British imperial rule in large parts of India.

  • Practice prompts for exam preparation

    • Explain how the Farman of 1717 enabled the British in Bengal and why it created lasting tensions with Indian merchants.
    • Compare and contrast the roles and powers of the Nawab and the East India Company under the Dual Government system.
    • Discuss the long-term consequences of the Treaty of Allahabad for Bengal, Awadh, and the Mughal Empire.
    • Evaluate the ethical implications of Company actions in Bengal, including revenue policies and the exploitation of famine conditions.

  • Timeline quick reference (condensed)

    • 1600: EIC founded; exclusive trade rights from Elizabeth I.
    • 1612: First factory, Surat.
    • 1639: Madras Fort St George.
    • 1688: Bombay island granted.
    • 1717: Duty-free trade in Bengal; dastaks.
    • 1757: Plassey; Diwani in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa.
    • 1760–64: Mir Jafar and Mir Qasim power struggles; Buxar (1764).
    • 1765: Allahabad Treaty; Diwani granted; Awadh loses territory; Mughal pension.
    • 1765–72: Dual Government in Bengal.
    • 1772–73: Hastings ends Dual Government; Governor General established.

  • Note on map-based question in the chapter

    • The map exercise asks which territory posed the greatest threat to British expansion; answer depends on the depicted boundaries and contemporaneous regional powers. Likely candidates in the era include Awadh (Oudh) and the Marathas, with other regional polities playing secondary roles depending on the map view.

  • Appendix: Did You Know?

    • Robert Clive’s jagir yielded an annual income of about 4.0\times 10^{4} dollars, contributing to his social ascent and peerage; he faced parliamentary scrutiny on abuse of power in Bengal, which was ultimately rejected.

  • Final takeaway for exam readiness

    • Understand the sequence: establishment of trading posts → competition with French → consolidation in Bengal via Plassey → Buxar → Allahabad → end of Dual Government → direct Company rule. Recognize the economic, political, and ethical dimensions, including the role of military power, taxation, and governance structures in shaping Indian history.