The Rise of British Power in Indian Colonial Era with English devised two instruments to annex the Indian territories. These were Doctrine of Lapse, and Subsidiary Alliance
Doctrine of Lapse
It was devised by Lord Dalhousie, according to which if the ruler of a protected state died without leaving a natural heir, his adopted son was not allowed to rule. His state was to be annexed by the British.
States annexed under Doctrine of Lapse
- Satara (1848)
- Udaipur (1852)
- Jhansi (1853)
- Nagpur (1854)
Subsidiary Alliance
It was used by Lord Wellesley (1798-1805). Under this system, the allying Indian ruler was provided with military security. The princely states used to remain independent in their internal matters but it was not possible in their external matters. A British resident was kept in the court of the Indian king and the states had to pay an annual amount to the English.
Acquisitions under Subsidiary Alliance
- Hyderabad (1798),
- Mysore (1799),
- Peshwa Baji Rao-II (1802),
- Bhonsle and Schindia (1803),
- Jodhpur, Jaipur (1818)
The Rise of British Power Indian Colonial Era
Bengal
The Mughal suba of Bengal comprised Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. Being richest northern province of Mughal empire, a great centre of trade, industry, commerce and producer of commercial crops, on account of which leading European companies Dutch, English and French established their trading stations in Bengal.
Murshid Quli Khan who was the subedar of Bengal, founded the city of Murshidabad and transferred his capital from Dhaka to Murshidabad. In 1717, he declared his independence and became the founder Nawab of Bengal.
The Company enjoyed great privileges in Bengal on the basis of a farman (1717) granted by Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar. This enabled them to export and import goods from Bengal without paying any taxes and they also issued passes (dastaks) for the movement of such goods. The power to issue dastaks was misused to evade taxes on their own private trade. The nawabs of Bengal- Murshid Quil Khan, Alivardi Khan–objected and suppressed the misuse of dastaks by the company officials.
Alivardi Khan (1740-56)
During his reign, Bengal was invaded five times under the leadership of Raghunath Rao, causing great economic losses. To buy peace with Marathas, he surrendered the revenues of Orissa to marathas.
It was during this time that the English fortified the Fort Williams in Calcutta.
Siraj-ud-Daulah(1756-57)
Siraj-ud-daulah tried to assert his authority and served an ultimatum to the English company demanding
(i) the fortification of the Fort Williams should be demolished,
(ii) misuse of dastak should be stopped, and
(iii) the English company should not provide protection and shelter to the enemies of Nawab.
Nawab’s attack on Calcutta
When the English did not respond to the above ultimatum, Nawab seized the factory at Kasimbazar and then Fort Williams (headquarters of English company).
Black Hole Tragedy: 20 June,1756
It is alleged that Siraj-ud-daulah imprisoned 146 Britishers in a room of 18’x14′, most of them were found dead the next morning and only 23 survived.
This incident provided the pretext to the English to retaliate against the Nawab, leading to Robert Clive and Admiral Charles Watson’s expedition to recapture Calcutta and beginning the rise of British power Indian Colonial Era.
The defeat of Nawab was followed by the Treaty of Alinagar (February7,1757), by which Siraj-ud-daulah recognized the English position
- permitted the fortification of Fort Williams allowed
- minting of coins by the company and
- he agreed to compensate the English for the capture of Calcutta.
- The treaty of Alinagar greatly weakened the Nawab.
Conspiracy of 1757
The English hatched a conspiracy against Siraj-ud-daulah, alongwith Mir Jafar (commander-in-chief of Nawab), Raja Durlabh Rai (Diwan of Nawab), Jagat Seth (a banker) and Manik Chand (officer in charge of Calcutta). This ultimately led to the Battle of Plassey and further extending the rise of British power Indian Colonial Era.
Battle of Plassey (June 23,1757)
Plassey is located on the left bank of river Bhagirathi in the Nadia district of present West Bengal.
The English army was led by Robert Clive and Siraj-ud daulah’s army was led by traitors such as Mir Jafar, Raja Durlabh Rai.
During the peak of the battle, Mir Jafar ordered the retreat of Bengal army and was completely routed. Siraj-ud-daulah was captured and executed by Mohammad Beg at the instance of Mir Jafar’s son, Miran. Alamgir-II was the Mughal emperor at the time of the battle.
Mir Jafar (1757-60; 1763-65)
After the battle of Plassey, Mir Jafar was appointed as the Nawab of Bengal. He granted free trade to the British in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa and 24 Parganas. However, after the departure of Clive in 1760, the English deposed Mir Jafar on account of his inability to pay the promised sum to the company. His son-in-law Mir Qasim was now made the Nawab of Bengal.
Mir Jafar was reinstated in 1763 on the outbreak of war between English and Mir Qasim, he now made concessions to the English that led to his financial and political downfall.
Mir Qasim (1760-63)
Mir Qasim was the last sovereign Nawab of Bengal, who legitimized his position by obtaining a firman from Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. He revived the fortunes of the state by reorganizing administration, army, paying all dues to the company and he granted the zamindari of Burdwan, Chittagong and Midnapore to the British.
He also transferred his capital from Murshidabad to Munger in 1762.
Finally, Mir Qasim decided to assert his authority and called upon the English to stop the misuse of dastaks. This ultimately led to the Battle of Buxar.
Battle of Buxar (October 22,1764)
This was fought between the English army led by Major Munro and an alliance of Shuja-ud-daulah (Nawab of Awadh), Shah Alam-II (Mughal emperor) and Mir Qasim.
The English defeated the alliance led by Shuja-ud-daulah, and imposed two treaties of Allahabad.
1 Treaty of Allahabad (August 12, 1765) This was signed between the English and Shah Alam-II.
- Shah Alam-II got the districts of Kora and Allahabad and an annual pension of Rs 26 lakh.
- In return, British obtained the diwani (revenue collecting power) of Bengal and Bihar.
2″ Treaty of Allahabad (August 16, 1765) It was concluded between the English Company and Shuja-ud-daulah of Awadh, who became an ally of the Britishers.
Dual Government of Bengal
Under this regime established by Clive in 1765, the administration was divided between the company and the Nawab.
The diwani (revenue) rights were given to Mohammad Raza Khan for Bengal, Raja Sitab Roy for Bihar and Raja Durlabh Roy for Orissa.
The nizamat function included the civil administration. This system was put to an end by Warren Hastings in 1772.
The Regulating Act of 1773 provided the administrative guidelines for governance of annexed territories.
After the annexation of Bengal, the last nawab Nazm-ud-Daulah (1765- 71) was pensioned -off by the English. Annexation of Bengal marks the rise of British paramountcy in India.
Mysore
Mysore rose to the power in the middle of the 17th century under the Wodeyar dynasty came into the rise of British Power in Indian Colonial Era
It was a landlocked kingdom, dependent on trade and military supplies brought through the ports in the east.
The Wodeyar ruler was extremely weak and neglectful, while the territories of Mysore were being threatened by Marathas, Nizam and the English.
It was in this background that Haidar Ali, the commander-in-chief of Wodeyars rose to the occasion and usurped power to defeat the enemies of Mysore.
Haidar Ali (1761-82)
Haidar Ali was a faujdar at the fort of Dindigul (1755), and ruled Mysore from 1761 to 1782.
He wanted to drive the British out of India and as a result fought two wars with them.
1st Anglo- Mysore War (1767-69)
The English formed an alliance with the Nizam of Hyderabad and declared war with Haidar Ali.
Haidar Ali decisively defeated the English forces, and forced them to sign Treaty of Madras in 1769.
- Under the terms of the treaty. The British promised to help Haidar Ali if any other power attacked him.
2nd Anglo- Mysore War (1780-84)
When the Marathas attacked Mysore in 1771, instead of helping Haidar Ali, the British captured the French fort of Mahe that was within his kingdom.
This prompted Haidar to declare war. He was initially successful but with the arrival of Sir Eyre Coote he was defeated at Porto Novo in 1782.
Haidar Ali died in December 1782,and his son Tipu Sultan carried on the war till 1784, when the two sides concluded peace by signing Treaty of Manglore (1784).
Tipu Sultan (1782-1799)
Tipu ruled Mysore from 1782 to 1799 and maintained hostility towards the English leading to the 3rd and 4th Anglo-Mysore wars.
3d Anglo- Mysore War (1790-92)
Tipu entered into an alliance with the French who promised to help him in case of a British attack.
Lord Cornwallis retaliated by bringing Travancore under the company rule and formed a military alliance with the Nizam and the Marathas.
Tipu attacked Travancore and the English besieged Seringapatam (capital of Tipu Sultan).
The war ended with the Treaty of Seringapatam (1792) under which
- Tipu ceded half of his territory and
- paid a huge compensation to the English.
4th Anglo- Mysore War (1799)
This war was waged by the Governor General Lord Wellesley against Tipu, whom he accused that he was making an alliance with the French, Nizam and the Marathas against the English. Also Tipu refused to accept subsidiary alliance.
This led to war. The English troops stormed Seringapatam. In 1799 Tipu died defending Seringapatam.
The throne of Mysore was given to a minor Prince Krishna of Wodeyar family and a subsidiary alliance was imposed.
Other Facts
Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan were both secular leaders who inscribed the Hindu deities on their coins and used Hindu calender.
Haidar and Tipu were the only Indian rulers to ally with the French against the English.
Tipu believed in the revolutionary concept of equality and began to call himself citizen Tipu instead of Sultan.
Tipu also founded a branch of Jacobian Club (1797), planted a tree of liberty in Seringapatam and began to proclaim that the state and its people are a trust of god in his hands.
Tipu was a great admirer of Shankaracharya of Sringeri, whom he donated money for the renovation of the temple of goddess Sharda.
He also abandoned the custom of giving jagirs and reduction in the hereditary possessions of poligars.
Tipu carried out military reforms and built two dockyards to modernise the navy.
He was the first ruler to introduce rockets in warfare. Tipu also established embassies at France,Turkey and Iran to develop foregin trade.
| Anglo-Mysore Wars | ||||
| War | Ruler of Mysore | Governor/Governor General | Treaty | Result |
| First 1767-69 | Haidar Ali | Lord Walerst | Treaty of Madras | English army defeated |
| Second 1780-84 | Haidar Ali | Warren Hastings | Treaty of Mangalore | Haidar died in the war |
| Third 1790-92 | Tipu Sultan | Lord Cornwallis | Treaty of Seringapatam | Tipu was defeated |
| Fourth 1799 | Tipu Sultan | Lord Wellesley | Subsidiary Alliance | Tipu died in the war |
Awadh
The Nawab of Awadh, Saadat Ali was forced to accept Subsidiary Alliance in 1801 whereby
- he could not pursue an independent foregin policy, and
- a British resident would be stationed in Awadh.
On account of poor governance, Awadh was annexed by Lord Dalhousie, in 1856. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah was deposed and sent to Calcutta.
The annexation and subsequent loss of rights to the hereditary rulers became one of the causes of the revolt of 1857.
Hyderabad
Sayyid brothers appointed Chin Qilich Khan as Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad. He took the title of Asaf Jah Nizam-ul-Mulk and it was after his name that the dynasty of Nizams of Hyderabad came to be known as Asaf Jahi dynasty. The Nizam of Hyderabad, Nizam Ali Khan was the first Indian ruler to join the subsidiary alliance with the British in 1798.
Punjab
After Guru Gobind Singh’s death, the Sikhs revolted in Punjab under the leadership of Banda Bahadur (Lacchaman Das). He was the first Sikh leader to issue coins. In 1716 Banda was captured and executed by Farrukhsiyar.
Kapoor Singh organized Dal Khalsa. After his death, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, divided Dal Khalsa into 12 independent misls (misls are sikh military brotherhood), of which Bhangi misl was the most influential.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1792-1839)
Ranjit Singh was born on 2nd Novermber, 1780. He belonged to Sukarchakiya misl.
His rise to power was based on superior military force and by strategic location of the territories he had inherited.
He conquered Lahore in 1799 and became Maharaja using Lahore as his capital. He captured Amritsar in 1802. Soon he gained control over Multan (1818), Ladakh and Peshawar.
Ranjit Singh issued silver and copper coins known as the Nanaksahi coins. The government of Ranjit Singh is known as Sarkar-e-Khalsaji.
Ranjit Singh also introduced a new system of salutation to enthuse and unite the Sikhs “Waheguru di Khalsa, wahe guru di fateh“.
He got the dome of temple at Amritsar covered with gold plates, after which it came to be known as Golden Temple.
He got back the Koh-i-Noor diamond (taken by Nadir Shah from India) from Shah Suja of Afghanistan.
The marshal of Sikh army under him was Hari Singh Nalwa.
Ranjit Singh concluded the Treaty of Amritsar (1809) also known as the Treaty of Perpetual Friendship with the English, thereby fixing the Sutlej river as the eastern boundary of his territories.
After death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, he was succeeded by Kharag Singh, Naunihal Singh, Sher Singh and Duleep Singh in that order.
First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46)
After the death of Ranjit Singh in 1839, the Sikh army grew rapidly and declared itself the Khalsa (embodiment of Sikh nation). The English considered the khalsa as a serious threat to its territories along the border. This led to the first Anglo Sikh war.
The English won the first encounter at the Battle of Mudki in December, 1845, and again near Aliwal in January, 1846. The decisive battle was fought at Sobraon on February 10, 1846, in which the Sikhs were routed.
The war ended with the Treaty of Lahore in 1846.
- The Sikhs surrendered Kashmir
- accepted a British resident in Lahore.
- Sir Henry Lawrence was the first resident in Lahore.
Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49)
The immediate cause was the rebellion of Mulraj (the Hindu viceroy of Multan).
The English and the Sikh forces fought at Ramnagar, Chillianwala and Gujarat.
The battle of Gujarat (a town near Chenab (February, 1849) was decisive. Duleep Singh signed away all claims as a ruler of Punjab and was pensioned off along with his mother, Rani Jindan.
This was followed by a proclamation by Lord Dalhousie annexing Punjab in March, 1849.