MODERN INDIA - MAINS

Bahadur Shah (AD1837- 1862)

1. He was the son of Akbar II and Rajput princess Lal Bai and also was the last ruler Mughal Empire.

2. During his reign, 1857 revolt took place; he was behaved to Rangoon as captive where he was died in 1862.

3. He was very good Urdu poet and his pen name was Zafar.

Causes of Mughal’s Decline

The decline of Mughal Empire was not sudden but gradual process of fused administrative action. The following were the main
causes of decline:
1. The Vastness of the Empire: It was not possible to rule over area without any cooperative federalism.
Hence, the Empire began to sink due to its own reason.
2. Centralized Administration: The vast Empire cannot be rule without decentralization and their coordination.
3. Responsibility of Aurangzeb: His religious policy, Rajput Policy, and Deccan Policy led disappointments
to his subjects who made way of disintegration.
4. Wars of Succession: Prolong war of succession fractured the administrative unit of Mughal’s.
5. Weakness of the Nobility: Mughal’s noble were well known for their loyalty but war of successor
degenerated the nobility.

The mighty Mughal Empire began to decline after the death of Aurangzeb. The declining prospect of Mughal rule was knelled
by quick succession and also war of succession.

PORTUGUESE

Portuguese were the first European who discovered a direct sea route to India. Portuguese sailor Vasco da Gama arrived at
Calicut an important sea port located on the South-West India on May 20, 1498 AD. King Zamorin, the local rule received him
and bestowed on him certain privileges. After staying in India for a period of three months Vasco da Gama returned with a rich
cargo which he sold in the European market at an exorbitant price- 60 times the cost of his voyage.

But soon Vasco da Gama came back to India for the second time in 1501 AD. He set up a trading factory at Cannanore. With
establishment of trade links, Calicut, Cannanore and Cochin emerged the significant Portuguese centres in India. Arab traders
became jealous of the rise and success of the Portuguese and hence caused enmity bred between the Portuguese and the
local king Zamorin. The hostilities grew and led to full- fledged military face- off between them. King Zamorin was defeated by
the Portuguese. With the victory over Zamorin, the military superiority of the Portuguese was established.

Rise of Portuguese power in India

In 1505 AD, Francisco de Almeida was appointed as the first Portuguese governor in India. His policy being centric to
controlling the Indian Ocean was known as the Blue Water Policy. Alfonso de Albuquerque who replaced Almeida as the
governor in 1509 AD, and captured Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur in 1510 AD is considered the real founder of the Portuguese
power in India. Goa subsequently became the headquarters of the Portuguese settlements in India. Portuguese hold over the
coastal areas and superiority in naval power helped them significantly. By the end of the 16th century, the Portuguese captured
not only Goa, Daman, Diu, and Salsette but also a vast stretches along the Indian coast.

Decline of Portuguese Power

 But the Portuguese rise in Indian had a short life as the new rival trading communities from Europe posed a big challenge to
them. Struggle among various rival trading blocs ensued in which Portuguese had to give way to the more powerful and
enterprising competitors gradually rendering them an atrophied entity.

Major Reasons of Decline of Portuguese power

Among the many reasons for the decline of Portuguese power in India include Portugal being too small a country to maintain
the huge burden of a trading colony located in a far off land, their image as notorious sea pirates created enmity in the minds
of the native rulers and last but not the least Portuguese rigid religious policy made them the unpopular among the Muslims as
well as Hindus of India. Besides the arrival of the Dutch and the British in India finally became nemesis of the Portuguese.
Ironically, the Portuguese, who were the first arrived India, were the last to withdraw from here in 1961 AD when the
Government of India recaptured Goa, Daman and Diu from them.

Portuguese contribution to India

 They brought tobacco cultivation in India.
 They spread Catholicism in western and eastern coast of India.
 They established first printing press in India at Goa in AD 1556. ‘The Indian Medicinal Plants’ was the first scientific work which
was published at Goa in 1563.
 They were the first who define ‘How to established maritime trade and supremacy over Sea’ through Cartaze System (i.e.
under this system anyone who passes through the Portugal territories must buy permits otherwise they suppose to be
captured.)
 They were the first Europeans who were responsible to spread Christianity in India and Asia.

Afonso de Albuquerque was the second governor of the Portuguese India and is known as founder of Portuguese colonial empire in
India. We all know that first part of India that was colonized by the Europeans was Goa. It was eventually the last part of India to be
liberated from the Europeans. Afonso de Albuquerque attacked Goa in 1510. The ruler of Goa was the Sultan of Bijapur Ismail Adil
Shah. Adil Shah was initially able to repeal him but three months later, Afonso de Albuquerque returned and there was a fierce battle in
the streets of Goa, claiming the lives of the thousands of Muslim defenders. Thus Afonso de Albuquerque was able to take possession
of Goa in December 1510. The battle was known as Battle of Goa (1510) Afonso de Albuquerque is known to have started the first
Portuguese Mint in the east. He was able to issue the Gold, Silver and bronze coins which were based upon the local designs but were
engraved with the badge of the Portuguese kings. After Goa, more mints were established at Malacca (Today a city of Malaysia).
Afonso de Albuquerque made Goa is base and from here he conquered Malacca in 1511 and Hormuz in 1515. Albuquerque was the
first Portuguese who was able to suppress the Arab merchandise in Malaysia by winning Malacca in 1511. After becoming undisputed
King of Goa, he concluded a peace treaty with Zamorin and received embassies from other Indians. At that time, there was superstition
of the Portuguese naval officers not to take their wives to the ships. The Portuguese, when established themselves in Goa, started
marrying the local ladies and thus from the times of Albuquerque, mixed marriages started in Goa, combining the culture of the east with
west. Albuquerque is also known to have abolished the practice of Sati in Goa. This wonderful second Governor of Portuguese India
was able to conquest Ormuz in 1515, but when he returned after this conquest, he was informed that he has been superseded by
Soares de Albergaria, his number 1 enemy at Portugal. He was not able to absorb this shock and died soon afterwards.

DUTCH RISE

The people of Holland (present Netherlands) are called the Dutch. Next to the Portuguese, the Dutch set their feet in India.
Historically the Dutch have been experts in sea trade. In 1602, the United East India Company of the Netherlands was formed
and given permission by the Dutch government to trade in the East Indies including India.

RISE OF THE DUTCH

The Dutch founded their first factory in Masaulipatam in Andhra Pradesh in 1605. Subsequently they also established trading
centres in various parts of India. Dutch Suratte and Dutch Bengal were established in 1616 AD and 1627 AD respectively. The
Dutch conquered Ceylon from the Portuguese in 1656 AD. They also took the Portuguese forts on the Malabar Coast in 1671
AD. The Dutch gradually became a potent force capturing Nagapatam near Madras (Chennai) from the Portuguese thereby
establishing their foothold in South India. In economic terms, they earned huge profit through business monopolizing in black
pepper and spices. The major Indian commodities traded by the Dutch were cotton, indigo, silk, rice and opium.

DUTCH COINAGE

The Dutch, during their stay in India, tried their hands on the minting of coinages. As their trade flourished they established
mints at Cochin, Masulipattam, Nagapatam Pondicherry and Pulicat. Even more, Gold pagoda with an image of Lord
Venkateswara, (god Vishnu) was issued at Pulicat mint. The coins issued by the Dutch were all modelled on the local coinages.

Decline of Dutch Power

Dutch presence on the Indian subcontinent lasted from 1605 AD to 1825 AD. The rise of the British power in the Eastern trade
posed serious challenge to the commercial interest of the Dutch leading to bloody warfare between them in which Britishers
were the clear winners owing to huge resources at their disposal. The brutal killing of some English traders by the Dutch in
Amboyna in 1623 further aggravated the situation. The Britishers one after another captured Dutch strongholds.

Rout of Dutch power in Malabar region

Amidst the saga of Dutch -Anglo -rivalry Travancore king Marthanda Varma gave a fatal blow to the Dutch East India Company
in the battle of Colachel in 1741 AD leading to complete rout of Dutch power in Malabar region.

Treaties and compromise with the British

Although the Anglo-Dutch Treaty was signed in 1814 AD which facilitated restoration of Dutch Coromandel and Dutch Bengal
to Dutch rule but they again were returned to British regime as per the clause and the provisions of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of
1824 AD which made it binding on the Dutch to ensure all transfers of property and establishments till/on March 1, 1825 AD. By
the middle of 1825 AD, therefore, the Dutch had forfeited their all trading posts in India.In the ensuing compromise the obvious
happened. Both the parties came to a compromise in 1667 AD by which the Britishers, on the basis of give and take formula,
agreed to completely withdraw from Indonesia for the Dutch who, in return, retired from India to trade in Indonesia.

DENMARK
Danish Colonial Possessions in India

Danish refers to something from or related to Denmark .Denmark held colonial possessions in India for 225 years. The Danish
colonies in India included the towns of Tranquebar (Tamil Nadu) Serampore (West Bengal) and the Nicobar Islands.

Establishment of Danish Trade Monopoly

It was the Dutch adventurer Marcelis de Boshouwer who provided the impetus for Danish involvement in the Indian sub-
continent. He wanted military assistance against the Portuguese with a promise of monopoly on all trades to the assisting party.
His appeal convinced Christian IV, the King of Denmark-Norway who subsequently issued a charter in 1616 granting the
Danish East India Company a monopoly on trade between Denmark and Asia for twelve years.

Danish Chartered Companies

There were two Danish chartered companies. The first company -Danish East India Company -operated between 1616 AD and
1650 AD. Danish East India Company along with Swedish East India Company imported more tea than the British East India
Company and smuggled most of it into England, where it sold at a huge profit. The company was dissolved in 1650 AD. The
second company existed between 1670 AD and 1729 AD, and in 1730 AD it was re-founded as the Asiatic Company. It was
granted a 40-year monopoly by a royal license on all Danish trade east of the Cape of Good Hope in 1732 AD. Till 1750 AD, 27
ships from India were sent, with 22 of them survived the journey to Copenhagen. But the company lost its monopoly in 1772
AD.

Serampore Mission Press

It is worth -mentioning that Serampore Mission Press – a historical landmark-was established at Serampore by the Danish
missionaries in 1799 AD. Between 1801 AD and 1832 AD the Serampore Mission Press printed 212,000 copies of books in 40
different languages.

End of Danish colonies in India

During the Napoleonic Wars (1803 AD–1815 AD) the British invaded Danish shipping, and devastated the Danish East India
Company's India trade and ultimately captured Danish colonies, making them part of British India. The last Danish colonial post
Serampore was ceded to Britain by Denmark in 1845 AD.

ARRIVAL OF THE FRENCH

The last European people to arrive in India were the French. The French East India Company was formed in 1664 AD during
the reign of King Louis XIV to trade with India. In 1668 AD the French established their first factory at Surat and in 1669 AD
established another French factory at Masaulipatam. In 1673 AD the Mughal Subedar of Bengal allowed the French to set up a
township at Chandernagore.

Pondicherry and French Commercial Growth: In 1674 AD, the French obtained a village called Pondicherry from the Sultan
of Bijapur and founded a thriving city on it which later became the main stronghold of the French in India. The French East India
Company with the passage of time developed its trade bastians at Mahe, Karaikal, Balasor, and Qasim Bazar. The French
came to India mainly with a purpose of trade and commerce. From their arrival until 1741 AD, the objectives of the French, like
those of the British, were purely commercial. The French East India Company took hold of Yanam in 1723 AD, Mahe on
Malabar Coast in 1725 AD and Karaikal in 1739 AD.

French Political Motives and Ambition: As the time passed, there came a change in their motives and they began to
consider India as their colony .The appointment of Joseph Francois Dupleix as the Governor of the French East India Company
in 1741 AD was the first step towards this realization and goal during whose tenure political motives began to clearly surface
and even overshadow their commercial objectives. Dupleix was extremely talented took advantage of the rivalries among local
rulers and saw it as god send opportunity to establish French empire in India. He was diplomatic and intriguing par excellence,
which earned him respectable position in the Indian political scenario. But it was the British who challenged French under
Dupleix and subsequently both powers had a face-off. Dupleix's army under the Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau captured the
areas between Hyderabad and Cape Comorin. Robert Clivea -a British officer -arrived in India in 1744 AD, and decisively
defeated Dupleix. After this defeat, Dupleix was recalled to France in 1754 AD.

French Restricted to Certain Areas: Lally-Tollendal who was sent by the French government to drive the British out of India
got some initial success particularly when he pulled down Fort St. David in Cuddalore District in 1758 AD, but the Battle of
Wandiwash between French and the British broke the back of the French as they had to lose Hyderabad region leading to the
siege of Pondicherry by British in 1760 AD. In 1761 AD the British, destroyed Pondicherry. Thus the French lost their hold in
South India. Later on, as per the provisions of 1763 AD peace treaty with Britain, Pondicherry was returned to France in 1765
AD. The de jure union of French India with India was firmed up in 1962 AD, when the French Parliament ratified the treaty with
India to this effect.

ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH

Arrival of the British and the establishment of British East India Company was the outcome of the Portuguese traders who
earn enormous profit by selling their merchandise in India. Being motivated by the successful business stories of the
 Portuguese a group of English merchants -‘Merchant Adventurers’ formed a company- the East India Company in 1599 AD.
The Company received a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600 AD authorizing it to trade in the East.
Queen was herself a share holder in the East India Company.
EXPANSION IN WEST & SOUTH

Subsequently in 1608 AD, the East India Company sent Captain William Hawkins to the court of the Mughal emperor Jahangir
to secure royal patronage. He succeeded in getting royal permit for the Company to establish its factories at various places on
the Western coast of India. Then in 1615 AD, Sir Thomas Roe was sent by Emperor James I of England to Jahangir’s court,
with a plea for more concession for the Company. Roe was very diplomatic and thus successfully secured a royal charter giving
the Company freedom to trade in the whole of the Mughal territory. In the ensuing years the East India Company further
expanded its base and flourished though it also faced challenges from the Portuguese, the Dutch and the French. The decisive
moment came in 1662 AD, when Charles II of England married a Portuguese princess Katherine, and received the island of
Bombay as dowry which he immediately gave to the East India Company in 1668 AD for 10 pounds per year. The Company on
the West coast shifted its business headquarters from Surat to Bombay (Mumbai). In 1639 AD, the East India Company
obtained the lease of the city of Madras from the local king where it built Fort St. George to protect its factory. Later Madras
was made the South Indian headquarters of the Company.

Expansion in the East

After establishing its factories in south and west India, the company started to focus on east India particularly Bengal a
significant province Mughal empire. The governor of Bengal Sujauddaula in 1651 AD, allowed the English Company to carry
out its trade activities in Bengal. A factory in Hugli was established and three villages -Sutanati, Govindapur and Kolkata- were
purchased in 1698 AD by the Company to build a factory over there. Subsequently Fort William was raised in order to provide
protection around the factory. The present day Kolkata grew and developed on this very site.

Royal Farman by Emperor Farrukhsiyar

It was Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar which in 1717 AD, issued royal Farman (charter) granting the company important trading
facilities in Bengal which included the permission of export and import British goods in Bengal without paying taxes. Under the
Farman the company was authorized the to issue Dastaks (passes) for the transportation of goods.

The Company after establishing firmly on the front of commerce and trade started dreaming of becoming a ruling power in
gradual manner.

Factors Responsible for the British to Emerge as Ruling Power in India

The major reasons that helped the British to be established as ruling power during next two hundred years in India can be- inter
alia -described as-
 the loss of central authority in India after the decline of the Mughal empire with the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 AD and
 the prevailing political disunity among the Indian rulers, for instance, they often sought assistance from the British for their own
security, which gave a golden opportunity to the foreigners to increasingly meddle in their internal affairs and take advantage of
their weaknesses

Conflicts among the European Powers

Major European Powers in India: The Portuguese, the Dutch, the British and the French were the four major European
powers who arrived in India to establish their trade links and subsequently held colonial possessions. Major well as minor
conflicts among them often took place from time to time for commercial and political supremacy but in the end it were the British
who proved themselves most powerful after thrashing the other three and remained in India for more than 200 years as ruling
power. The Portuguese, who were the first to come to India, set up their factories and colonial posts here and faced stiff
competition from the Dutch but the Dutch proved weak before them as they could not withstand the stiff competition of the
Portuguese and the British and thus retired from India.
Main Rivals: Ever since the British came to India they faced challenges from the Europeans powers like the Dutch, the
Portuguese and the French. The Portuguese and the Dutch were not serious and potent rivals to the British. The only strong
rival of the British were the French who were also the last Europeans to come to India. The British efforts to establish a
complete monopoly over trade and commerce in India again and again brought them into conflict with the French.
Consequently three long battles were fought between these two European powers during a period of 20 years (1744 AD-1763
AD) with the aim of capturing commercial as well as territorial control. The final decisive battle was fought on 22 January, 1763
AD at Wandiwash.

Carnatic Wars: It was the succession disputes in both the Carnatic and Hyderabad that opened the gates for Europeans- the
British and the French- to play the roles of middlemen and thus in order to grind their axe both European powers had a
golden opportunity for intervention in support of various rival Indian claimants. At first the French, under Dupleix who was a
governor of Pondicherry emerged victorious both in the Carnatic and in Hyderabad. The French were rewarded with Northern
Sarkars by their claimant to throne which the French officer Bussy controlled for seven years. However the French success
turned out to be short lived. They were checked by British forces under Robert Clive in 1751 AD. Robert Clive changed the
course of the war. The French claimant was defeated the next year. The French had to sign the treaty of Tirucirapally with the
British. In the next Seven Years’ War (1756 AD– 1763 AD)-third Carnatic War-both the French and British Armies renewed their
rivalry. The war began when French General Count De Lally invaded Madras but was defeated by the British General Sir Eyre
Coote. The British captured Pondicherry (1761 AD) and Count De Lally was forced to surrender Karaikal and Jinji to them.
Hence, the French lost third Carnatic War at Wandiwash (1760 AD) and subsequently signed treaty of Paris with the British in
Europe.

Establishment of British Supremacy: The victory in Carnatic war prepared the ground for the British to establish their
supremacy in India and the French dream of an Indian empire disappeared for ever. With the victory of Wandiwash the British
East India Company had no European rival left in India.The British became the master of this great country. Besides having
skilled leaders like Sir Eyre Coote, Major Stringer Lawrence, Robert Clive on their side the British was also a strong naval
power which was a decisive factor with them to become credible rulers of India.

CARNATIC WARS

The Carnatic Wars

The downfall of the Mughal Empire led to the independence of Deccan under Nizam-ul-Mulk. The Carnatic region also formed
part of the Nizam's dominion. The ruler of the Carnatic accepted the suzerainty of the Nizam. In 1740, the Austrian War of
Succession broke out in Europe. In that war England and France were in the opposite camps. They came into conflict in India
also. The French governor of Pondicherry, Dupleix opened attack on the English in 1746 and thus began the First Carnatic
War DUPLEIX (1746-1748). The English sought help from the Nawab of Carnatic, Anwar Uddin. But the French concluded a
treaty with his rival Chanda Sahib. The English army crushed a defeat on the French in the Battle of Adyar, near Madras. In the
meantime, the Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle was concluded in 1748 to end the Austrian Succession War. Thus the First Carnatic
War came to an end.

But the English and French continued to take opposite sides in the internal politics of India. This had resulted in the
Second Carnatic War (1749-1754). Dupleix supported the cause of Muzafar Jang, who wanted to become the Nizam of
Hyderabad and Chanda Sahib, an aspirant for the throne of Arcot. The troops of these three defeated Anwar Uddin, who was
with the British in the First Carnatic War, and killed him in the Battle of Ambur in 1749. After this victory, Muzafar Jung became
the Nizam and Chanda Sahib the Nawab of Arcot. Muhammad Ali, son of Anwar Uddin escaped to Tiruchirappalli. The English
sent troops in support of him. In the meantime, the British commander Robert Clive captured Arcot. He also inflicted a severe
defeat on the French at Kaveripakkam. Chanda Sahib was captured and beheaded in Tanjore. Meanwhile Dupleix was
replaced by Godeheu as the French governor. The war came to an end by the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754.

The outbreak of the Seven Years War (1756-1763) in Europe led to the Third Carnatic War (1758-1763). Count de
Lally was the commander of the French troops. The British General Sir Eyre Coote defeated him at Wandiwash in 1760. In the
next year, Pondicherry was captured and destroyed by the British troops. The Seven Years War came to an end by the Treaty
of Paris in1763. The Third Carnatic War also ended. The French agreed to confine its activities in Pondicherry, Karaikkal, Mahe
and Yenam. Thus the Anglo-French rivalry came to a close with British success and French failure.

The causes for the French failure can be summed up as follows:

 Commercial and naval superiority of the English.
Lack of support from the French government.
French had support only in the Deccan but the English had a strong base in Bengal.
English had three important ports - Calcutta, Bombay and Madras but French had only Pondicherry.
Difference of opinion between the French Generals.
England's victory in the European wars decided the destiny of the French in India.
BATTLE OF PLASSEY

 Fought between: Siraj-ud-daulah, the Nawab of Bengal and the British East India Company
 People involved: Siraj-ud-daulah, Colonel Robert Clive, Mir Jaffar, Mohan Lal, Small French Forces
 Mir Jafar, who was Siraj-ud-daulah’s army commander-in-chief was bribed by Clive and promised to be made the Nawab of
Bengal if the British won.
 The French had supported the Nawab.
 When: 23 June 1757
 Where: Plassey (Palasi/Palashi), 150 km north of Calcutta.
 Result: Decisive victory for the British and the instalment of Mir Jaffar as Bengal’s Nawab by Clive.

Background
 The East India Company had established factories at Surat, Madras, Bombay and Calcutta in the 17thcentury.
 Mughal Emperor Farrukhsiyar had issued a Farman in 1717 granting the Company rights to reside and trade freely within
the Mughal Empire. The Company was also accorded the right to issue dastaks for movement of goods. This right was
misused by the Company officials.
 When Alivardi Khan, grandfather of Siraj-ud-daulah became the Nawab of Bengal, he took a stricter stance against the
Company.
 When Siraj succeeded him as the Nawab, he ordered the company to stop their fortification activities since they didn’t have
the permission to do so. But the company carried on with their fortifications.
 This led the Nawab to attack the British station in Calcutta in which they were beaten by the Nawab’s 3000-strong army.
 Calcutta was occupied by the Nawab’s forces in June 1756 and the prisoners were kept in a dungeon in Fort William. This
incident is called the Black Hole of Calcutta since only a handful of the prisoners survived the captivity where over hundred
people were kept in a cell meant for about 6 people.
 Fort William and other British establishments in Calcutta had fallen into the hands of the Nawab.
 When news of this reached Madras in August, they sent troops under Colonel Robert Clive to win back the Bengal
establishments of the British. Calcutta was recaptured in January 1757.
 On the day of the Battle, in 23rd June, Robert Clive’s forces won against the much larger force of the Nawab since the
Nawab was betrayed by Mir Jaffar and others in his own camp.

Effects of the Battle

 Mir Jaffar became the Nawab of Bengal (Bihar and Odisha) but he was a puppet of the British.
 Siraj-ud-daulah was captured and killed.
 Clive also captured the French forts in Bengal.
 The British became the paramount power in Bengal. They successfully ousted the French and resisted the Dutch.
 The French were constrained to Pondicherry in India.
 Colonel Clive became Lord Clive, Baron of Plassey because of his exploits in the battle.

BATTLE OF BUXAR

The Battle of Buxar was the decisive battle which defined British as a ruler that was fought between English Forces, and
combined army of Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Bengal, Nawab of Oudh and Shah Alam II, Mughal Emperor. The battle was the
outcome of misuse of Farman and Dastak, and also the trade expansionist aspiration of English.

On 22 October 1764, the Battle of Buxar took place and the Indian armies were defeated. The battle of Buxar proved itself to be
a turning point in the history of India. In 1765, Shuja-ud-daulah and Shah Alam signed treaties at Allahabad with Clive who had
become the Governor of the company. Under these treaties, the English company secured the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and
Odisha, which gave the company the right to collect revenue from these territories. The Nawab of Awadh ceded Allahabad and
Kora to the Mughal Emperor who began to reside at Allahabad under the protection of the British troops. The company agreed
to pay Rupees 26lakhs every year to the Mughal Emperor but they stopped making this payment soon after. The company
 promised to send its troops to defend the Nawab against any invaders, for which the Nawab would be required to pay. Thus,
the Nawab of Awadh became dependent on the company. In the meantime, Mir Jafar had again been made the Nawab of
Bengal. After his death his son was installed as the Nawab. The officials of the company made huge personal profits by
extorting money from the Nawab.

Events leading to the Battle Field

 Misuse of Farman and Dastak by British which challenged the Mir Qasim’s authority and sovereignty.
 Abolition of all duties on internal trade of British.
 Misbehaviour of the Company’s servant- They compelled the Indian artisans, peasants and merchant to sell their goods at
cheap price , and also started the tradition of bribes and gifts.
 Plundering attitude of British which not only abuses the trade ethics but also challenges the Nawab authority.

Conclusion

The battle of Buxar proved itself to be a turning point in the history of India. The interest of British was concentrated in the three
coastal areas namely Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. The Anglo-French wars in Carnatic and the battles of Palasi and Buxar
began the period of British conquest of India. By 1765, the British had become the virtual rulers of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.
The Nawab of Awadh had become dependent on them and so was the Nawab of Carnatic who was their creation.