BRITISH- NAWAB CONFLICTS IN BENGAL THE BATTLE

OF PLASSEY to THE BATTLE OF BUXAR

The Battle of Plassey

The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the British East India Company over the Nawab of
Bengal Siraj-ud-daulah on 23 June 1757. The battle established the Company rule in Bengal
which expanded over much of India for the next hundred years. The battle took place at
Plassey on the banks of the Bhagirathi River, about 150 km north of Calcutta and south of
Murshidabad, then capital of Bengal.
Background and Causes of Battle

By the early 18th century, the British East India Company had a strong presence in India with
the three main stations of Fort St. George in Madras, Fort William in Calcutta and Bombay Castle
in western India. These stations were independent presidencies governed by a President and a
Council, appointed by the Court of Directors in England. The British adopted a policy of allying
themselves with various princes and Nawabs, promising security against usurpers and rebels.
The Nawabs often gave them concessions in return for the security.
By then, all rivalry had ceased between the British East India Company and the Dutch or
Portuguese. The French had also established an East India Company under Louis XIV and had
two important stations in India – Chandernagar in Bengal and Pondicherry on the Carnatic
coast, both governed by the presidency of Pondicherry. The French were a late comer in India
trade, but they quickly established themselves in India and were poised to overtake Britain for
control.
Alwardi Khan ascended to the throne of the Nawab of Bengal in 1740 after his army attacked
and captured the capital of Bengal, Murshidabad. Alivardi’s attitude to the Europeans in Bengal
was strict. During his wars with the Marathas, he allowed the strengthening of fortifications by
the Europeans and the construction of the Maratha Ditch in Calcutta by the British. On the other
hand, he collected large amounts of money from them for the upkeep of his war.
(Maratha Ditch was a three-mile long moat excavated by British around Calcutta in 1742, as a
protection against possible attacks by Marathas. The “natives” had to pay for the construction
of the Maratha Ditch to protect the British seat of power, Fort William.The Marathas, however,
never came to the city. Later, the ditch proved to be useless when the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-
Daulah, came and ransacked the British settlement in 1756. It was mostly filled up in 1799 to
build the Circular Road. The area bound by the ditch was considered to be the original town of
Calcutta.)
Alwardi Khan was well-informed of the situation in southern India, where the British and the
French had started a proxy war using the local princes and rulers. He did not wish such a
situation to transpire in his province and thus exercised caution in his dealings with the
Europeans.
 However, there was continual friction; the British always complained that they were prevented
from the full enjoyment of the farman of 1717 issued by Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar. (British
East India Company had purchased duty-free trading rights in all of Bengal for a mere three
thousand rupees a year from Farrukhsiyar. It is said that the Company’s surgeon, William
Hamilton, cured Farrukhsiyar and the Emperor was moved to grant trading rights to the
Company.)
The British used to give passes to native traders to trade custom-free and levied large duties on
goods coming to their districts – actions which were detrimental to the Nawab’s revenue.
In April 1756, Alwardi Khan died and was succeeded by his twenty-three-year-old grandson,
Siraj-ud-daulah. His personality was said to be a combination of a ferocious temper and a
feeble understanding. He was particularly suspicious of the large profits made by the European
companies in India.
The British wanted to occupy the rich and prosperous region of Bengal by subjugating the
power of the Nawab and the other European powers.
Fort William was established to protect the East India Company’s trade in the city of Calcutta,
the principal town of the Bengal Presidency. With the possibility of conflict with French forces,
the British began building up the fort’s strengths and defences. Siraj ud-Daulah, was unhappy
with the company’s interference in the internal affairs of his province and perceived a threat to
its independence and immediately ordered them to stop such activities as they were doing it
without permission. When the British refused to cease their constructions, the Nawab led a
detachment to surround the fort and factory of Cossimbazar and took several British officials as
prisoners, before moving to Calcutta. The defenses of Calcutta were weak and negligible
especially against the Nawab’s force of nearly 50,000 infantry and cavalry.
The city was occupied on 16 June by Siraj’s force and the fort surrendered.The garrison’s
commander organised an escape, leaving behind 146 soldiers under the command of Holwell,
a senior East India Company bureaucrat who had been a military surgeon.The fort fell on 20
June.
The Black Hole of Calcutta

The Black Hole of Calcutta was a small dungeon in the old Fort William in Calcutta, where
troops of the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, held British prisoners of war after the capture
of the fort on 20 June 1756.
One of the prisoners, Holwell, claimed that following the fall of the fort, British and Anglo-
Indian soldiers and civilians were held overnight in conditions so cramped that 123 prisoners
died out of 146 held from suffocation, heat exhaustion and crushing. However, the precise
number of deaths, and the accuracy of Holwell’s claims, have been the subject of controversy.
The Holwell’s account

Holwell wrote about the events after the fall of the fort. He met with Siraj, who assured him “on
the word of a soldier that no harm should come to us“. After seeking a place in the fort to
confine the 146 prisoners (including Holwell), at 8 pm, the jailers locked the prisoners in the
 fort’s prison which was 14 by 18 feet in size. When the “Black Hole” was opened the next
morning at 6 am, only 23 people were alive.
Regarding responsibility, Holwell believed that it was the result of revenge and resentment in
the breasts of the lower Jemmaatdaars, to whose custody we were delivered, for the number of
their order killed during the siege. So Siraj did not order it and was not informed about it.
After the prison was opened, the corpses were thrown into a ditch. Holwell and three others
were sent as prisoners to Murshidabad; the rest of the survivors obtained their liberty after the
victory of a relief expedition under Robert Clive.
As a result of Holwell’s account, Robert Clive was sent in October to retaliate.
Controversies

Some argue that, because so many non-combatants were present in the fort when it fell, the
number who died cannot be stated with any precision.
In 1915, British scholar J.H. Little challenged Holwell’s claims in his article, “The ‘Black Hole’ —
The Question of Holwell’s Veracity”, arguing that Holwell was an unreliable witness and his
veracity is questionable.
A floor area of 267 square feet could not contain 146 European adults.
Absence of any independent confirmation: It is stated that apart from Holwell’s account no
other source mentioned such an incident. Given its nature, it seems very unlikely that all traces
of such a thing having happened would have disappeared.
Only forty-three of the garrison were listed as missing from Fort William after the incident and
therefore the maximum number of deaths could only be forty-three. However, this is also
subject to the objection that according to the Holwell account itself, not all the prisoners would
have been listed as members of the garrison.
Response of British

When news of the fall of Calcutta broke in Madras on 16 August 1756, the Council immediately
sent out an expeditionary force from Madras under Colonel Clive and Admiral Watson.
A letter from the Council of Fort St. George, states that “the object of the expedition was not
merely to re-establish the British settlements in Bengal, but also to obtain ample recognition of
the Company’s privileges and reparation for its losses” without the risk of war. It also states that
any signs of dissatisfaction and ambition among the Nawab’s subjects must be supported.
Clive assumed command of the land forces, consisting of 900 Europeans and 1500 sepoys while
Watson commanded a naval squadron. The fleet entered the Hooghly River in December.
On 29 December, the force dislodged the enemy from the fort of Budge Budge. Clive and
Watson then moved against Calcutta on 2 January 1757 and the garrison of 500 men
surrendered after offering a scanty resistance.
With Calcutta recaptured, the Council was reinstated and a plan of action against the Nawab
was prepared. The fortifications of Fort William were strengthened and a defensive position was
prepared in the north-east of the city
The Bengal Campaign
 On 9 January 1757, a force of 650 men, under Captain Coote and Major Kilpatrick stormed and
sacked the town of Hooghly, 37 km north of Calcutta. On learning of this attack, the Nawab
raised his army and marched on Calcutta, arriving with the main body on 3 February and
encamping beyond the Maratha Ditch.
Despite their successes, the British were cut off from trade and resupply while the war lasted. It
was in Nawab’s interest to prolong it. Instead, he made the strategic mistake of trying to finish
off the war quickly. He brought his army – with 40,000 horses, 60,000 soldiers on foot and 50
elephants – up to Calcutta and began preparing to attack the city. Clive decided to launch a pre-
emptive attack. It proved to be a winning decision. Nawab’s army broke up and many fled. The
British lost 57 men, the Nawab 1,300. Faced with a surprising defeat, Siraj-uddaula capitulated
and decided to negotiate a deal with the British. On 9 February a peace Treaty of Alinagar was
signed.
Treaty of Alinagar (Feb. 9, 1757)

The attack scared the Nawab into concluding the Treaty of Alinagar with the Company. The
treaty was named after the short-lived title ‘Alinagar’ given to Calcutta by Siraj after his capture
of the city.
The Treaty of Alinagar was signed on February 9, 1757 between Robert Clive and Siraj Ud Daula.
Based on the terms of the accord:
1. Nawab agreed to restore the Company’s factories.
2. Nawab would recognize all the 1717 provisions of Mughal Emperor Farrukh Siyar’s firman.
3. All British goods that passed through Bengal would be exempt from duties.
4. British would not be hindered from fortifying Calcutta, as well as mint coins in Calcutta.
The Nawab withdrew his army back to his capital, Murshidabad. The signing of the treaty was
one of the events leading up to the famous Battle of Plassey.
For the moment there was peace, but it wasn’t to last. Clive had come to Bengal not just with
the objective of retaking Calcutta. Even before setting sail for Bengal, he had written, “this
expedition will not end with the retaking of Calcutta only – and that the Company’s estate in
these parts will be settled in a better and more lasting conditions than ever.”
After displaying extraordinary skills on the battlefield, Clive was now going to employ his other
talent – trickery. In the coming months, he set about plotting the demise of all the potential
rivals to the British power in Bengal. The intention was to secure Company’s profits, not to rule
Bengal. But inadvertently, it will set about a chain reaction of events resulting in British as
masters of one of wealthiest parts of the world, oceans away from their homeland.
Sacking Chandranagore

Concerned by the approach of Bussy to Bengal and the Seven Years’ War in Europe, the
Company turned its attention to the French threat in Bengal. Clive planned to capture the
French town of Chandernagar, 32 km north of Calcutta. Clive needed to know whose side the
 Nawab would intervene on if he attacked Chandernagar. The Nawab sent evasive replies and
Clive construed this to be assent to the attack.
Clive commenced hostilities on the town and fort of Chandernagar on 14 March. The French
expected assistance from the Nawab’s forces from Hooghly, but the governor of Hooghly, Nand
Kumar had been bribed to remain inactive and prevent the Nawab’s reinforcement of
Chandernagar. The fort was well-defended, but Admiral Watson’s squadron forced the blockade
in the channel on 23 March, On 24 March, a flag of truce was shown by the French.
After plundering Chandernagar, Clive decided to ignore his orders to return to Madras and
remain in Bengal. He moved his army to the north of the town of Hooghly.
The Nawab was infuriated on learning of the attack on Chandernagar. His former hatred of the
British returned, but he now felt the need to strengthen himself by alliances against the British.
The Nawab was plagued by fear of attack from the north by the Afghans under Ahmad Shah
Durrani and from the west by the Marathas. Therefore, he could not deploy his entire force
against the British.
Siraj started secret negotiations with Jean Law, chief of the French factory at Cossimbazar, and
Bussy. The Nawab also moved a large division of his army under Rai Durlabh to Plassey, on the
island of Cossimbazar.
Conspiracy

In Europe, the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763) was on between France and England and in a
mirror of their European rivalry, the French East India Company sent a small contingent to fight
against the British in favor of Nawab. Siraj-ud-Daulah had a numerically superior force. The
British, worried about being outnumbered and also French help to Nawab, formed a conspiracy
with Siraj-ud-Daulah’s demoted army chief Mir Jafar, along with others such as Yar Lutuf Khan,
Jagat Seths (Mahtab Chand and Swarup Chand), Omichund and Rai Durlabh.
Popular discontent against the Nawab flourished in his own court. The Seths, the traders of
Bengal, were in perpetual fear for their wealth under the reign of Siraj, contrary to the situation
under Alivardi’s reign.
William Watts, the Company representative at the court of Siraj, informed Clive about a
conspiracy at the court to overthrow the ruler. The conspirators included Mir Jafar, Rai Durlabh,
Yar Lutuf Khan Jagat Seths and Omichund, a merchant and several officers in the army.
When communicated in this regard by Mir Jafar, Clive referred it to the select committee in
Calcutta on 1 May. The committee passed a resolution in support of the alliance. A treaty was
drawn between the British and Mir Jafar to raise him to the throne of the Nawab in return for
support to the British in the field of battle and the bestowal of large sums of money upon them
as compensation for the attack on Calcutta.
Mir Jafar and the Seths desired that the confederacy between the British and himself be kept
secret from Omichund, but when he found out about it, he threatened to betray the conspiracy
if his share was not increased to three million rupees. Hearing of this, Clive suggested an
expedient to the Committee. He suggested that two treaties be drawn – the real one on white
 paper, containing no reference to Omichund and the other on red paper, containing
Omichund’s desired stipulation, to deceive him.
Battle of Plassey

On 14 June, Clive sent a declaration of war to Siraj. On 15 June, after ordering an attack on Mir
Jafar’s palace in suspicion of his alliance with the British, Siraj obtained a promise from Mir
 Jafar to not join the British in the field of battle. He then ordered his entire army to move to
Plassey, but the troops refused to quit the city until the arrears of their pay were released. The
delay caused the army to reach Plassey only by 21 June.
On 23rd June 1757 was the Battle of Plassey fought between the armies of Siraj-ud-daula (with
French help also) and Clive. The confrontation came on a cloudy morning north of the village of
Plassey on the bank of the Bhagirathi River. There could be no comparison between the
respective forces of the enemies. The Nawab’s army contained 50,000 infantry, 28,000 Cavalry
and Clive’s army consisted only 3,000 men including English Soldiers. Out of three division of
Nawab, One division was commanded by Mir Jafar. From the beginning of the battle, Mir Jafar,
Rai Durlabh and Yar Lutuf Khan assembled their troops near the battlefield but made no move
to actually join the battle.
Only two generals Mohan Lai and Mir Madan were fighting desperately on behalf of the Nawab.
Mir Madan fell dead on the field and thus the Nawab lost courage. For hours the course of the
war remained undecided and uncertain. Mir Zafar advised the Nawab to send order to Mohan
Lai to stop war and return back. Siraj, who distrusted his generals and had already been warned
of impending defeat by his astrologer (who had possibly been bribed), lost his nerve when Mir
Jafar advised retreat. Siraj fled on a fast camel. His demoralized army followed suit.
Siraj-ud-daula fled from the battle field for life but was killed by Miran the son of Mirzafar.
Mir Jafar now entered Murshidabad as the new Nawab.
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Q. “The battle of Plasssey was not a great battle but a great betrayal.” Comment.

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Aftermath

According to the treaty drawn between the British and Mir Jafar, the British acquired all the
land within the Maratha Ditch and 600 yards beyond it and the Zamindari of 24 Parganas of
Bengal.
Besides confirming the firman of 1717, the treaty also required the restitution, including
donations to the navy squadron, army and committee, of 22 million rupees to the British for
their losses.
However, since the wealth of Siraj-ud-daulah proved to be far less than expected, a council held
with the Seths and Rai Durlabh on 29 June decided that one half of the amount was to be paid
immediately – two-thirds in coin and one third in jewels and other valuables.
As the council ended, it was revealed to Omichand that he would receive nothing with regard to
the treaty, hearing which he went insane.
In 1760 Clive returned home. His fame had spread all over England as the Victor of Plassey and
the founder of British rule in India. The British Government honoured him with the title of Lord.
 It must be recognized that at this point the British were neither in control of Bengal, nor did
they have desire to do so. All they wanted were more trading rights. While British had played an
important role, it was a coup in which Mir Jafar had taken power from Siraj-uddaula. Jafar still
remained the man with the largest army in Bengal. Moreover, Clive had no intention of ruling
Bengal, which made no sense for a company to do. “So large a sovereignty may possibly be an
object too extensive for a mercantile company,” Clive wrote.
Effects and Significance of Battle of Plassey

(Political, Economic, Military impact)

Significance of Battle of Plassey lies in the fact that Bengal came under the oppression of the
British. The battle was not important from the military view-point. It was a mere conflict. No
military superiority was shown by the English army. The Nawab’s camp was deserted that lead
to victory of Lord Clive. Lord Clive’s diplomacy excelled. He won the battle almost without
fighting. According to some historians: it was a transaction in which the bankers of Bengal and
Mir Jafar sold out Nawab to the English.”
The battle of Plassey followed the subsequent plunder of Bengal as Bengal was placed at the
disposal of the English vast resources. After Plassey a huge sum was given to the Company.
Bengal was considered as the most prosperous province, industrially and commercially. The
vast resources of Bengal helped the Britishers to conquer the Deccan and extend their influence
over North India.
Before the Battle of Plassey English Company was just one of the European Companies trading
in Bengal and huge taxes were imposed by the Nawabs of Bengal. The tax and wealth earned
from here helped the British to balance all of their trade liabilities. After Plassey the English
virtually monopolised Bengal’s trade and commerce. The French was unable to recover their
lost position. In 1759, the British defeated a larger French garrison at Masulipatam, securing the
Northern Circars. The Dutch was also defeated. From commerce the English managed to exert
an exclusive control on the administration too. Plassey proved as a battle that had far-reaching
consequences in the fate of India.
The Bengal plunder began to arrive in London and the effects appears to have been
instantaneous, for all authorities agree that the the ‘Industrial Revolution’ began with the year
1770 after Plassey was fought in 1757.
The condition of the common of Bengal gradually deteriorated due to the weakness of the
Nawab. Lawlessness and continuous economic exploitation of the servants of the company
broke the backbone of Bengalis who once upon a time used to lead a prosperous life.
British built and trained an army with native Indian Sepoys who then fulfilled the ambition of
further colonization. The British East India company also wanted to protect the rich colony of
India for which it acquired buffer colonies in Singapore, Penang, Burma, Nepal, Malacca etc.
The British advancement in Asia was also aided by superior military and modern artillery and
Navy.
 The Battle of Plessey ushered in a new era in the history of India. It was a turning point not only
in the history of Bengal but also in the history of whole of India. It has, therefore, been rightly
remarked that the Battle of Plessey marked the end of one epoch and the beginning of another.
The conflict at Plassey was also crucial to the East India Company’s triumph over its French
rivals.
Mir Jafar (1757-1760)

After the Battle of Plessey Mir Jafar became the Nawab of Bengal in name only. Mir Jafar was
dependent on the Britishers so as to maintain his position in Bengal as well as protection
against foreign invasions.An English army of 6,000 troops was maintained in Bengal to help the
Nawab. All real powers passed into the hands of the Company.
He was an incompetent person. So through out his reign real power remained in the hands of
the English. He had to face great financial crisis, because the servants of the company began to
extract money from him in various ways. He had also committed to pay a huge amount of
money to Clive as a mark of gratitude.
The English company also pressed him for payment of instalments. Thus, Mir Jafar became
restless under the great financial pressure and growing supremacy of the English. In the
meanwhile Dutch hatched out a conspiracy with Mir Jafar against the English in 1759.
Battle of Chinsura / Bedara (1759)

Mir Jafar felt that his position as a subordinate to the British could not be tolerated. He started
encouraging the Dutch to advance against the British and eject them from Bengal. In late 1759,
the Dutch sent seven large ships and 1400 men from Java to Bengal under the pretext of
reinforcing their Bengal settlement of Chinsura even though Britain and Holland were not
officially at war.
Clive, however, initiated immediate offensive operations and defeated the much larger Dutch
force on 25 November 1759 in the Battle of Chinsura. Clive also repelled the aggression of the
Dutch, and avenged the massacre of Amboyna (The Amboyna massacre was the 1623 torture
and execution on Ambon Island (Maluku, Indonesia), of twenty men, ten of whom were in the
service of the English East India Company, by agents of the Dutch East India Company, on
accusations of treason. It was the result of the intense rivalry between the East India companies
of England and the United Provinces in the spice trade )
In the same year Ali Gohour, the eldest son of the Mughal Emperor, rose in revolt against his
father. On his way to find out a shelter for himself he besieged Patna in Bihar with the help of
Shuja-ud-daula, the Nawab of Oudh. Mir Jafar felt helpless to face Ali Gohour alone. He sought
help from the English. With the help of the English Mir Jafar defeated the Mughal army. For the
help Clive was given the right to realize revenue from South Calcutta, which was popularly
known as Clive’s Jagir. By this arrangement Mir Jafar had to suffer further loss of rupees thirty
thousand per annum.
When Clive returned to England due to ill-health, he was rewarded with an Irish peerage, as
Lord Clive, Baron of Plassey and also obtained a seat in the British House of Commons.
 After Clive’s departure the servants of the company became uncontrollable collectively and
individually they began to acquire wealth by corrupt means. Mir Jafar became tired of payment
and his treasury became empty.
Mir Kasim (1761- 1763)

Mir Jafar felt restless by the exacting attitude of the English in Bengal. He failed to meet further
demands of the English with an empty treasury. As he was running short of fund his interest in
the Government began to decline. The people of Bengal began to despise him for his
inefficiency to maintain the administration smoothly. Under these circumstances the English
planned to look for an alternative successor who was none but Mir Kasim, the son-in-law of Mir
Jafar. He promised to pay the British more than Mir Jafar.
In the meanwhile, Clive had left for England in 1760 and Vansittart had become the governor of
Bengal. He compelled Mir Jafar to abdicate in favor of his son-in-law of Mir Kasim, who was very
much eager to become the Nawab of Bengal. As a mark of gratitude; he ceded Burdwan,
Chittagaon and Midnapur districts to the members of the Council.
Mir Kasim was more talented, vigorous and ambitious than his father-in-law Mir Jafar. He ruled
from 1761 to 1763. He did not appreciate the idea of being a mere puppet in the hands of the
British. He always tried to remain away from their undue authority. It was for this reason that he
shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Monghyr.
In order to fortify his position against the English, he reorganized his troops and set up factories
for the manufacture of arms.
He trained his army in the western fashion and realized the arrears of the state in order to
replenish his empty coffer.
In spite of several complaints of Vansittart, he did not reduce his military forces. All these
measures of Mir Kasim gradually incurred displeasure of the English.
Dastak Abuse

Dastak was the trade permit sanctioned to the east india company by the Mughal government.
Under the terms and conditions of farrukh siyar’s farman of 1717 the East India Company was
entitled to trade in Bengal without paying the normal customs duty. Based on the right derived
from the imperial farman, the company used to issue dastaks authorising their agents to trade
customs-free within the province of Bengal.
According to the farman of 1717, this right of free trade covered by the dastaks was restricted to
the company alone. This right, according to the farman, was not to be exercised by the
company’s private traders. But in practice, the private traders of the company generally abused
the free trade right by producing the dastak to the chowkies of the government. But the
chowkidars had reasons to believe that most of the dastaks produced by company traders were
produced just to cover their own private trade. The company sold dastaks at high price not only
to European private traders but also to native merchants. Many corrupt British used there
dastak for Indian traders in lieu of money which impacted revenue of nawab.
 Consequently, the government was losing revenue on the one hand, and the native merchants
were losing their business due to unequal competition with the company and private traders,
on the other. Sirajuddaula’s policy against the abuse of dastak was also one of the important
causes of his conflict with the company.
Mir Kasim opposed dastak and its misuse as other local merchants were required to pay up to
40% of their revenue as tax.
Being unable to persuade the company to behave as regards abusing dastak, Mir qasim finally
abolished the inland duties altogether in order to save the local merchants from ruin. This
upset the advantage that the British traders had been enjoying so far, and hostilities built up.
Mir Qasim overran the Company offices in Patna in 1763, killing several Europeans including the
Resident.
In 1758 Warren Hastings was made the British Resident in the Bengali capital of
Murshidabad. Hastings was personally angered when he conducted an investigation into
trading abuses in Bengal. He alleged some European and British-allied Indian merchants were
taking advantage of the situation to enrich themselves personally. Widespread fraud was
practised and illegal trading took place by figures who travelled under the unauthorised
protection of the British flag, knowing that local custom officials would therefore be cowed into
not interfering with them. Hastings felt this was bringing shame on Britain’s reputation, and he
urged the ruling authorities in Calcutta to put an end to it. The Council considered his report
but ultimately rejected Hastings’ proposals and he was fiercely criticised by other members,
many of whom had themselves profited from the trade. Ultimately, little was done to stem the
abuses and Hastings began to consider quitting his post and returning to Britain. His
resignation was only delayed by the outbreak of fresh fighting in Bengal. Hastings resigned in
December 1764 and sailed for Britain.
Battle of Buxar

The seeds of the Battle of Buxar were sown after the Battle of Plassey, when Mir Qasim became
the Nawab of Bengal. The primary cause was the conflict between the English and Mir Qasim.
As we have seen, Mir Qasim was an able Nawab. The English wanted Mir to remain as a puppet
in their hands. But, he always wanted to keep himself away from the British influence. He
undertook some reformation, under which there was a reduction in expenditure on
administration and palaces; fire locks and guns were manufactured, there was regular payment
of salaries, new taxes were imposed and the capital was shifted from Monghyar to
Murshidabad, which annoyed the British nobles and officers. He abolished taxes altogether de
to abuse of dastak by British which infuriated British.
These situation led to a number of conflicts between him and the English. He was defeated in
three successive battles (between June to September 1763) before the Battle of Buxar, which
eventually compelled him to flee to Allahabad where he met Shuja-ud-Daulah.
In the meantime, after the acquisition of power as the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II also
wanted to combine several states as one physically stronger empire, which included Bengal
(present Bengal+Bihar+Orissa). But, he also could not overpower the British and was under the
 shelter of Oudh Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah who always wanted to destroy the English supremacy
in Bengal.
Thus, one of the main causes of hostility between the English and the three rulers was the share
of Bengal. Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-Daulah and Shah Alam II joined hands to fight against the
English to establish their sovereignty over the whole of Bengal and reduce the power of the
British.
The Battle of Buxar was fought on 23 October 1764 at the battleground Katkauli, 6 kilometres
from Buxar, then within the territory of Bengal, between the forces of the British East India
Company led by Hector Munro and the combined army of Mir Qasim (the Nawab of
Bengal), Shuja-ud-Daulah (the Nawab of Awadh) and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II.
The Mughal camp was internally broken due to a quarrel between the Mughal Emperor Shah
Alam II and Shuja-ud-Daula; Mir Qasim was reluctant to engage the British. The lack of basic co-
ordination among the three desperate allies was responsible for their decisive debacle.
After the war, Mir Kasim fled to the North-West and died. Shah Alam II left Shuja-ud-Daulah and
sought shelter in the British camp. Shuja-ud-Daulah tried to defeat the British till 1765 but was
not successful. He later fled to Rohilkhand.
Clive was in England when Battle of Buxar was fought and won by the British. In 1765, Clive
returned styled Lord Clive as Governor General of Bengal for the second time. By this time, the
British had shown their military supremacy in India for, the Battle of Buxar was tough contested
battle, than the Battle of Plassey which was won by deceit.
Battle of Buxar ended with Treaty of Allahabad.
Treaty of Allahabad (1765)

The important outcome of the Battle of Buxar was the Treaty of Allahabad.
Two separate treaties were signed at Allahabad:
First treaty was signed between East India Company (Lord Clive) and Mughal Emperor Shah
Alam II, who had submitted to the British in the battle. As per this treaty:
1. Mughal Emperor granted Fiscal Rights (Diwani) or right to administer the territory and collect
taxes to the East India Company at Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. These rights allowed the Company
to collect revenue directly from the people of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Nizamat rights (police
and judicial) were given to Nawab of Bengal.
2. In lieu of this Right, the Company gave an annual tribute of 26 Lakh Rupees to the Mughals
3. The districts of Kora and Allahabad were returned to Mughal Emperor.
Second treaty was signed between East India Company (Lord Clive) and Nawab of
Awadh Shuja-ud-Daulah:
1. Awadh was returned to Shuja-ud-Daulah but Allahabad and Kora was taken from him.
2. The Nawab of Awadh paid 53 Lakhs rupees of war indemnity to the British.
3. The Zamindari of Banaras region was given to Balwant Rai.
4. An English Resident would be stationed at Lucknow. Nawab should bare all the expenses of this
person.
5.
 Further, the Nawab entered into an offensive and defensive treaty with the Company binding
him to render gratuitous military help to the Company in time of need and the Company to help
the Nawab with the troops for the defence of his frontier on the latter agreeing to pay the cost
of its maintenance.
Thus Clive, in person settled the fate of almost half of the Northern India.
Effect and Significance of the Battle of Buxar

The seeds of British imperialism sown at Plassey flowered after the Battle of Buxar, a fact that
makes the latter battle historically more important. It finally consolidated British rule in Bengal,
the Nawab was reduced to a mere figure-head, the Company started an unchecked plundering
of the wealth of Bengal, the Nawab of Oudh turned to a submissive ally and the Mughal
emperor was reduced to thriving on an allowance from the Company.
The Battle of Buxar proved to be decisive resulting in the establishment of British sovereignty in
Bengal. This battle brought out the political weaknesses and military shortcomings of the
Indians and the hollowness of the Mughal Empire. Battle of Buxar proved the military
superiority of the English and exposed the inherent weakness of the native force. It was more
important than Battle of Plassey as Battle of Plassey was not won by military might but deceit.
Also If Plassey saw defeat of the Nawab of bengal, Buxar saw defeat of Mughal Emperor and
powerful Oudh.
The Treaty of Allahabad heralded the establishment of the rule of the East India Company in
one-eighth of India with a single stroke.
While the Battle of Plassey secured a foothold for the British East India Company in India, the
Battle of Buxar made them the dominant force in India. Buxar war completed the work of
Plassey.
The East India Company, after the battle of Buxar, gained dominance over entire Bengal. The
Mughal emperor came fully under the control of British. All duties and revenues from the most
prosperous Indian province (Bengal, Bihar and Orissa) went to the company. It also gained
administrative power by controlling the army, finances, and revenues.
With the wealth of Bengal, the British could conquer other regions of India. The supremacy of
the British was established in the Eastern parts of India. Buxar finally riveted the shackles of
company’s rule upon Bengal.
The verdict of Plassey was confirmed by the English victory at Buxar.
Dual System of Administration in Bengal (1765-1772)

Under this system, the administration was divided between the Company and the Nawab but
the whole power was actually concentrated in the hands of the Company. This complex system
remained in practice during the period from 1765 to 1772.
Under this system, after obtaining diwani rights from Mughal Emperor, Clive gave the
responsibility of collecting Diwani to the Indians and appointed two deputy diwans
(Mohammad Raza Khan for Bengal and Raja Shitab Roy for Bihar.)
 Nizamat function (police and judicial) was with Nawab but it was also undertaken by the
Company. For Nizamat functions the British gave the additional responsibility of deputy Nazim
to Mohammad Raza Khan. The deputy Nazim could not be remove without the consent of the
company. Thus, although the administration was theoretically divided between the company
and the Nawab and the responsibility for administration – Diwani as well as Nizamat – was
exercised through Indian agencies, the company acquired real power.
Thus the system was very advantageous for the company: it had power without responsibility.
In 1772, Warren Hastings put an end to this Dual System.
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Q. After 1757 there grew up a state of Bengal which was a ‘sponsored state’ as well as a ‘plundered
state’. Commeent.

Ans:

Bengal as a plundered state

The battle of Plessey (1757) was followed in the words of the Bengali poet Nabin Chandra Sen,
by ‘a night of eternal gloom for India’.
The English proclaimed Mir Jafar the Nawab of Bengal and set out to gather the reward. The
Company was granted undisputed right to free trade in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. It also
received the Zamindari of the 24 Parganas near Calcutta. Mir Jafar paid a sum of Rs. 17,700,000
as compensation for the attack on Calcutta to the company and the traders of the city. In
addition, he paid large sums as ‘gifts’ or bribes to the high officials of the company.
Even though Mir Jafar owed his position to the company, he soon repented the bargain he had
struck. His treasury was soon emptied by the demands of the company’s officials for presents
and bribes, the lead in the matter being given by Clive himself.
Mir Jafar soon discovered that it was impossible to meet the full demands; of the company and
its officials, who on their part, began to criticise the Nawab for his incapacity in fulfilling their
expectations. And so, in October 1760, they forced him to abdicate in favour of his son-in-law,
Mir Qasim, who rewarded his benefactors by granting the company the Zamindari of the
districts of Burdwan, Midnapore, and Chittagong, and giving handsome presents totaling 29
lakhs of rupees to the high English officials.
Mir Qasim, however, belied English hopes, and soon emerged as a, threat to their position and
designs in Bengal. He was defeated in a series of battles in 1763 and fled to Award where he
formed an alliance with Shuja-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Awadh, and Shah Alam II, the fugitive
Mughal Emperor. The three allies clashed with the company’s army to Buxar on 22 October
1764 and were thoroughly defeated. In 1763, the British had restored Mir Jafar as Nawab and
collected huge sums for the company and its high officials.
 On Mir Jafar’s death, they placed his second son Nizam-ud-Daulah on the throne and as a
reward to themselves made him sign a new treaty on 20 February 1765. By this treaty the
Nawab was to disband most of his army and to administer Bengal through a Deputy Subahdar
who was to be nominated by the company and who could not be dismissed without its
approval.
The company thus gained supreme control over the administration (or nizamat) of Bengal. The
company’s authorities on their part set out to gather the rich harvest and drain Bengal of its
wealth. In the years 1766, 1767 and 1768 alone, nearly £5.7 million were drained from Bengal.
The abuses of the ‘Dual government and the drain of wealth led to the impoverishment and
exhaustion of that unlucky province. In 1770 Bengal suffered from a famine which in its effects
proved one of the most terrible famines known in human history.
Bengal as a sponser state

East India Company utilised the money and resources received from Bengal to sponser all the
wars and control complete Sub Continent within 100 yrs. Thus making India the Jewel in the
Crown of British Empire. (more explained in next to next question)