A new power emerges in South Asia

Q1.  What do you know about the incident of the Black hole of Calcutta?
Q2. Explain the Battle of Plassey in detail.
Q3. What was the Battle of Buxar?
Q4. Who was involved in the Battle of Buxar?
Q5. Describe  any two causes and effects of the Battle of Buxar.
Q6. Write few personality traits of Tipu Sultan?

Ans 1: The incident of the black hole of Calcutta took place in 1756, 1 year before the battle
of Plassey. The new ruler of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula attacked and defeated the British at
Calcutta. The black hole of Calcutta was a small dungeon used by Siraj-ud-Daula to hold
British prisoners after he had conquered Fort William, Calcutta from the British. The British
army doctor, Holwell stated that there were 146 British prisoners and 123 of them died of
suffocation. However, many historians believe that this report was exaggerated by the doctor
and believe that about 40 people died in that dungeon rather than 123. An obelisk was later
erected at that site.

Ans 2: The battle of Plassey took place in 1757, 1 year after after the incident of the black
hole of Calcutta in 1756. The new ruler of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula attacked and defeated the
British at Calcutta. The black hole of Calcutta was a small dungeon used by Siraj-ud-Daula to
hold British prisoners after he had conquered Fort William, Calcutta from the British. 1 year
later, in 1757, Robert Clive, the British governor, conspiring with Mir Jafar, defeated and
killed Siraj-ud-Daula with the help of the British Fleet. After the battle of Plassey, the British
gained the Diwani, the right to collect taxes from Bengal. This made the British extremely
wealthy. They even gained enough wealth to build fortifications around their territories and
increase their army.
Ans 3: Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, frustrated and ultimately fed up by the British’s
constant greed, allied with the ruler of Awadh, Shuja-ud-Daula and Shah Alam II, the Mughal
Emperor, to defeat the British and throw them out of Bengal. Together, their armies met the
British at Buxar, leading to the battle of Buxar, 1764. Unfortunately, the trio lost and the
british had managed to defeat the combined power of the Mughals. After the Battle of Buxar,
the British could have swiftly taken Delhi but decided to wait a little longer. After the British
victory. Shah Alam II had to grant the British governor, Robert Clive the Diwani (right to
collect taxes) from the provinces of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. In return, the British agreed to
pay 260,000 pounds to the Mughal Emperor so he could retain his court in Allahabad and let
the British rule on their terms. While the Mughals were busy fighting the British, the
Marathas became powerful enough to conquer Agra and Delhi and invited Shah Alam II to
return to Delhi as a pensioner, to which Shah Alam II agreed.

Ans 4:

 The Mughal Empire, under the rule of Shah Alam II

 Mir Qasim, Newab of Bengal
 Shuja-ud-daula, ruler of Awadh

Vs

 The British Army

Ans 5:

Cause
Mir Qasim, Newab of Bengal, got fed up with
the constant greed of the British.
The British challenged Mir Qasim’s authority
by which was also a result of the British
Company’s greed.
Affect
After the British victory. Shah Alam II had to
grant the British governor, Robert Clive the
Diwani (right to collect taxes) from the
provinces of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. In
return, the British agreed to pay 260,000
pounds to the Mughal Emperor so he could
retain his court in Allahabad and let the
British rule on their terms.
While the Mughals were busy fighting the
British, the Marathas became powerful
enough to conquer Agra and Delhi and
invited Shah Alam II to return to Delhi as a
pensioner, to which Shah Alam II agreed.
Ans 6: Personality traits of Tipu Sultan:

 Extremely skilled in military strategies and war tactics. He used his impressive skills in
his battle against the British
 He wanted his people to become educated and prosperous so he introduced
manufacturing of silk, sugar, sandalwood to boost economy which lead to Mysore
earning 5 times more revenue as compared to other states at that time.
 He was a visionary leader and extremely brave which is evidenced by how he envisioned
the Sub-Continent being free from British rule and his extreme bravery while fighting the
British as he kept in opposing them till his death at the hands of the British.