EXPANSION OF BRITISH POWER IN INDIA – British vs Bengal

Battle of Plassey 1757

After the death of Alivardikhan in 1756 his grandson Siraj-ud-Daulah became the Nawab of Bengal.

Reason:

  • British misused Dastak practice in internal trade resulted in Tax evasion so he abolished this system.
  • British gave asylum to Nawab’s Nephew and refused to hand over him.

Farman

  • The Farman was issued by Mughal Emperor Farukshiyar to East Indian Company in 1717 to carry on trade in Bengal, Bombay and Madras free of customs duty. This Farman allowed the Company to mint its own coin and to issue Dastak (duty free pass) the Tax free passes to its employees.
  • So it allowed the employee of the Company to make private trade without paying any taxes.
  • This Dastak system was abolished by Lord Warren Hastings
  • Nawab seized Kasimbazar factory and in June 1756 and captured Fort William.

The Black Hole tragedy (1756):

  • There was a small dungeon room in the Fort William in Calcutta, where Siraj-ud-daula held 146 British Prisoners of war for one night. Next day morning, when the door was opened 123 of the prisoners found dead because of suffocation
  • Troops under Robert Clive and Watson from Madras defeated Nawab and revived Calcutta. As a result the Treaty of Alinagar signed between Robert Clive and Nawab.
  • In March 1757 British captured Chandranagore the French territory. So Siraj-ud-Daulah and French became a team against British.

Battle of Plassey 23rd June, 1757

  • British + Mir Jaffar (uncle of Nawab) + Jagat Seths (Money Lenders of Bengal) vs Siraj-ud-Daulah +
  • British defeated Nawab and attained sovereignty over Bengal
  • Mir Jafar enthroned as Nawab by Robert Clive and reinstitute Dastak System.

Battle of Buxar 1764:

  • Mir Jaffar replaced by Mir Qasim when Mir Jafar tried to reform the Dastak System which opposed by British.
  • When Mir Qasim seeks independence British dethroned him and again Mir Jaffer enthroned as Nawab.
  • Mir Qasim formed a triple alliance with Shah Alam II the Mughal King and Shuja-ud-Daulah the nawab of Awadh (Oudh or Ayodhya).
  • British under Hector Munro met the Triple alliance at Buxar in Bihar on 22nd October, 1764.
  • British defeated the Alliance’ troops and Robert Clive signed a Treaty with Shah Alam II in 1765 called Treaty of Allahabad.
  • British got Diwani right (to collect revenue and decide civil cases) of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
  • In 1765 Robert Clive second time appointed as the Governor of Fort William and he introduced Dual Government system in which power lies with British and responsibility lies in the hand of Rulers.

Dual Government system

  • Diwani and Nizamat (Police and judicial function) came under the control of the Company.
  • The Company nominated the deputy Subedar for Nizamat (The police and judicial function came under the deputy Subedar but he was nominated by Company).
  • In this system, the Nawab was responsible for maintaining peace and order but depended upon the Company for both-funds and forces
  • The Company took army and revenue under its control. So both Company and Nawab neglected the Welfare of people and it led to Famine in Bangal region.
  • This system abolished in 1772 by Lord Warren Hastings.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

error: Content is protected !!