THE NATIONAL LAW INSTITUTE UNIVERSITY, BHOPAL

SEMESTER-4
HISTORY-2
TOPIC- STRATEGIES OF BRITISH TO COLONISE INDIA

SUBMITTED BY- SUBMITTED TO-

ANURAG RAJPUT PROF. DR. UDAY PRATAP SINGH

2019BALLB120
INTRODUCTION

In 1757 Mir Jafar, the commander in chief of the army of the Nawab of Bengal, along with Jagat
Seth, and some others, secretly connived with the British, asking support to overthrow the
Nawab in return for trade grants. The British forces, whose sole duty until then was guarding
Company property, were numerically inferior to the Bengali armed forces. At the Battle of
Plassey on 23 June 1757, fought between the British under the command of Robert Clive and the
Nawab, Mir Jafar's forces betrayed the Nawab and helped defeat him. Jafar was installed on the
throne as a British subservient ruler. The battle transformed British perspective as they realised
their strength and potential to conquer smaller Indian kingdoms and marked the beginning of the
imperial or colonial era in South Asia. British policy in Asia during the 19th century was chiefly
concerned with expanding and protecting its hold on India, viewed as its most important colony
and the key to the rest of Asia.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

 Whether British succeed in their strategies to colonise India?

OBJECTIVE

 To understand the modern history efficiently.

 To understand the tactics used by British to colonise.

METHOD OF STUDY
The proposed piece of work is based on doctrinal method of study.

HYPOTHESIS
 British succeed in their aim to colonise India.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

 BOOK ON MODERN HISTORY BY BIPIN CHANDRA

History of Modern India is one of the famous books of Bipin Chandra. This book was published
by Orient Black swan in 2009. This book is a journey mapping the path of colonial India in from
the eighteenth century to the twentieth century. It traces the timeline of British rule which
majorly coincides with the modern Indian history. However, this is not a political narrative of the
British rule, the freedom struggle and the Independence. Rather, this book is a social
understanding of the factors that allowed British rulers to rule over India for such a long span of
time. It tries to understand what the social effects of the rule were. How the small villages and
corners of India was affected by a power that was controlled from Europe. What did this rule
bring for the Indians to make their lives better? How did the colonized people perceived,
behaved and reacted to the foreign rule? These are some of the questions famous Historian and
Former JNU faculty, Late Bipin Chandra have tried to answer through his own understanding on
the matter combined with oral and written references.

CONCLUSION

BIBLIOGRAPHY
CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the Project title- STATEGIES OF BRITISH TO COLONISE INDIA has
been prepared and submitted by ANURAG RAJPUT who is currently pursuing his BA LLB.
(Hons.) at National Law Institute University ,Bhopal in fulfilment of history course .It is also
certified this is original research report and this project has not been submitted to any other
university ,nor published in any journal .

Date

Signature of the student

Signature of the research supervisor

ACKNOWLEDGMENT.

This project has been made possible by the unconditional support of many people, I would like
to acknowledge and extend my heartfelt gratitude to PROF.DR. UDAY PRATAP SINGH for
guiding me throughout the development of this project into a coherent whole by providing
helpful insights and sharing their brilliant expertise.

I also would like to thank the members of the library staff and computer section for the
cooperation in making available the books and accessing the internet even during their free time.
I am deeply indebted to my parents, seniors and friends for all the moral support and
encouragement.

Anurag Rajput
TABLE OF CONTENT

1. Introduction
2. CHAPTER: 1BACKGROUND
3. CHAPTER:2- HOW DO WE KNOW BRITISH COLONISATION
4. CHAPTER: 3- BRITISH POLICIES
5. CHAPTER:4- BRITISH ADMINISTRATION
6. Conclusion
7. Bibliography
INTRODUCTION

In 1757 Mir Jafar, the commander in chief of the army of the Nawab of Bengal, along with Jagat
Seth, and some others, secretly connived with the British, asking support to overthrow the
Nawab in return for trade grants. The British forces, whose sole duty until then was guarding
Company property, were numerically inferior to the Bengali armed forces. At the Battle of
Plassey on 23 June 1757, fought between the British under the command of Robert Clive and the
Nawab, Mir Jafar's forces betrayed the Nawab and helped defeat him. Jafar was installed on the
throne as a British subservient ruler. The battle transformed British perspective as they realised
their strength and potential to conquer smaller Indian kingdoms and marked the beginning of the
imperial or colonial era in South Asia.

British policy in Asia during the 19th century was chiefly concerned with expanding and
protecting its hold on India, viewed as its most important colony and the key to the rest of Asia.
The East India Company drove the expansion of the British Empire in Asia. The company's army
had first joined forces with the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War, and the two continued
to cooperate in arenas outside India: the eviction of Napoleon from Egypt (1799), the capture of
Java from the Netherlands (1811), the acquisition of Singapore (1819) and Malacca (1824), and
the defeat of Burma (1826).

From its base in India, the company had also been engaged in an increasingly profitable opium
export trade to China since the 1730s. This trade helped reverse the trade imbalances resulting
from the British imports of tea, which saw large outflows of silver from Britain to China. In
1839, the confiscation by the Chinese authorities at Canton of 20,000 chests of opium led Britain
to attack China in the First Opium War, and the seizure by Britain of the island of Hong Kong, at
that time a minor settlement.
BACKGROUND

In 1817, James mill divided history in three pasts which is in Hindu, Muslim. And British. James
mill thought that India is uncivilized country and we need to make them civilised. According to
James mill, no proper education rendered, religious apathy among against other religions, caste
discrimination, superstitions beliefs are present in India. We have to colonise India and introduce
European arts, education and laws in India. In his thoughts, India can’t be civilized without
British and without colonisation.

HOW DO WE KNOW, OUR BRITISH COLONISATION

 From official records of British.

 From various surveys and census
 Various autobiography, poems, of the local people.

ARRIVAL OF BRITISHERS

In 1600, Queen Elizabeth 1 issued a charter to trade in the east to east India Company. First ship
of British sails through Cape of Good Hope and enter into Indian Ocean. Ralph Fitch was first to
arrive in India.

TRADE FROM BENGAL

 From the Bengal, Britishers started the trade. First factory was established on the bank of
river Hugli in 1651. At that time nawab was alivardi Khan.
 1
They bribed Mughal officials and get the zamindari system of three villages
 Aurangzeb grants the right to east India Company to trade duty free.

1
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1439&context=pcs
REASONS FOR BATTLE OF PLASSEY

 They refused to pay the duty for the private trade which lead to disagreement between the
nawab of Bengal and Britishers.
 Fort William fortification started without permission of sirajuddaula.
 Black hole tragedy.

This disagreement leads to battle of Plassey between sirajuddaula and Robert Clive in 1756. This
battle resulted in the defeat of nawab of Bengal. The main reason was that the mir Jafar never
fought the battle, Britishers promise him to give the title of nawab of Bengal. After that mir Jafar
became the nawab of Bengal.

 Battle of bedara in 1759 between Dutch and English. Dutch lose.

 Mir Qasim shifted the capital to munger from murshidabad.

When mir Jafar protested against the Britishers, he was removed by the Britishers and in place of
him mir qasim became nawab. Again mir Qasim protested, lead to battle of Buxar between
Mughal(shah alam 2), awadh( sujjauddaula), Bengal (mir qasim) and Munro in 1764 where he
was defeated and mir Jafar again became the nawab of Bengal.

 Company became the diwan of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa by the Mughals.

 Treaty of Allahabad was sign between Robert Clive and shah alam 2.
 Dual govt. Established in Bengal. Diwani was control by Britishers and nizamat was
control by nawab by the assistance of Britishers.

POLICIES

Company introduced the subsidiary alliance by lord Cornwallis according to which no ruler can
own separate military. Company will provide military to the rulers. But rulers has to pay the
military forces and in case, they failed to pay for the forces, certain amount of territory will be
captured as a penalty.
2

CAPTURE OF MYSORE

The ruler of Mysore was Haidar Ali and after him Tipu Sultan became the ruler of Mysore. In
order to capture Mysore, Britishers fought four battles and in the last battle of serringpatnam,
Tipu Sultan was defeated by the Britishers. After defeating Tipu Sultan, subsidiary alliance was
imposed on the Mysore.

 First anglo-mysore war resulted in treaty of Mysore and Haidar Ali won the battle.
 Second anglo-mysore war resulted in treaty of Mangalore and battle was not decided.
 Third anglo-mysore war resulted in treaty of serringpatnam and Tipu Sultan lose the
battle.
 Fourth anglo-mysore war resulted in death of Tipu Sultan.

TIPU SULTAN ADMINISTRATION

 introduced sericulture.
 Formed Jacobin club.
 Port of admiralty was established.

CAPTURE OF MARATHA

Britishers fought three wars against Marathas. Before first anglo-maratha war treaty of surat,
purandar,budhaon was signed. In first anglo-maratha war resulted in treaty of salbai. In second
anglo-maratha war resulted in capturing of provinces of Agra and Delhi. In third anglo-maratha
war resulted in the victory of Britishers.

2
https://www.jstor.org/stable/650259
PESHWAS

 First peshwa was Balaji vishwanath

 Bajirao 1
confederacy was established by bajirao 1
 Balaji bajirao

CLAIM OF PARAMOUNTCY

According to this, British power is supreme. Warren Hastings threaten various territory and
surrender to the power of Britishers. By this, large number of territory was annexed by the
Britishers.

CAPTURE OF SINDH

Britishers promise the Sindh to protect them from Afghanistan and raja ranjit Singh. Subsidiary
alliance was signed by amirs.

CAPTURE OF PUNJAB

Britishers fought anglo-sikh wars and at last resulted in capturing of Punjab region.

DOCTRINE OF LAPSE

Lord Dalhousie introduces the doctrine of lapse. According to which, if any ruler died without
having a male hier. His territory would be captured. By this also large territory was annexed
including awadh, jhasi.
ADMINISTRATION OF TERRITORY

Britishers divided their territories into three presidencies. Namely, Bengal, Bombay, Madras.
And administered by governor. These presidencies are headed by governer general of Bengal
First governer general was Warren Hastings.

New system of justice was introduced. In regulating act, 1773 supreme court was established in
Kolkata. Major problem relating to religion laws. NB Halhed translated the Hindu law into
English.

Soldiers were trained according to modern technology and European style. Major problem in
this. Was while forming army, all persons were equally treated. Which was a great concern
because at that time caste discrimination was prevailing and no one going to accept this system.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

 Whether British succeed in their strategies to colonise India?

OBJECTIVE

 To understand the modern history efficiently.

 To understand the tactics used by British to colonise.

METHOD OF STUDY
The proposed piece of work is based on doctrinal method of study.

HYPOTHESIS
 British succeed in their aim to colonise India.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE

 BOOK ON MODERN HISTORY BY BIPIN CHANDRA

History of Modern India is one of the famous books of Bipin Chandra. This book was published
by Orient Black swan in 2009. This book is a journey mapping the path of colonial India in from
the eighteenth century to the twentieth century. It traces the timeline of British rule which
majorly coincides with the modern Indian history. However, this is not a political narrative of the
British rule, the freedom struggle and the Independence. Rather, this book is a social
understanding of the factors that allowed British rulers to rule over India for such a long span of
time. It tries to understand what the social effects of the rule were. How the small villages and
corners of India was affected by a power that was controlled from Europe. What did this rule
bring for the Indians to make their lives better? How did the colonized people perceived,
behaved and reacted to the foreign rule? These are some of the questions famous Historian and
Former JNU faculty, Late Bipin Chandra have tried to answer through his own understanding on
the matter combined with oral and written references.

CONCLUSION

The Company's victory under Robert Clive in the 1757 Battle of Plassey and another victory in
the 1764 Battle of Buxar , consolidated the Company's power, and forced emperor Shah Alam II
to appoint it the Diwan or revenue collector, of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. The Company thus
became the de facto ruler of large areas of the lower Gangetic plain by 1773. In 1793, the
nizamat was abolished by the Company. It took complete control of Bengal-Bihar region and the
Nawabs stood as mere pensioners of the Company. It also proceeded by degrees to expand its
dominions around Bombay and Madras. The Anglo-Mysore Wars (1766–99) and the Anglo-
Maratha Wars (1772–1818) left it in control of large areas of India south of the Sutlej River.
With the defeat of the Marathas, no native power represented a threat for the Company any
longer.
The expansion of the Company's power chiefly took two forms. The first of these was the
outright annexation of Indian states and subsequent direct governance of the underlying regions,
which collectively came to comprise British India.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_history
 https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/history-of-modern-india-a-complete-
study-material-1464334160-1
 https://www.tutorialspoint.com/modern_indian_history/modern_indian_history_the_britis
h_conquest_of_india.htm
 https://asiancenturyinstitute.com/development/1568-britain-s-shameful-colonisation-of-
india