History of Asia

Establishment of English Power in Bengal

The seed of British imperialism in India came from Bengal itself. The British defeated Siraj-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Bengal, in the Battle of Plassey on June 23, 1757, and made Mir Jafar the Nawab of Bengal.

Bengal was the most prosperous of the provinces of the Mughal Empire. Jahangir gave the right to trade in India to the British in 1618 AD. The first British colony in Bengal was built in Hooghly in 1651 AD with the permission of the then Subedar of Bengal Shah Shuja (Shah Jahan's second son). After treating a woman of the Mughal dynasty by Dr. Bouton, Shah Shuja gave permission to the British for free-trade in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa for 3,000 rupees annually. The British started the trade of Shore, silk and sugar from Bengal. Soon the British established their factories (kothis) at Qasim Bazar, Patna and Rajmahal. The second decree was approved in 1656 AD.

Aurangzeb made Mir Jumla the Subedar of Bengal in 1658 AD. Mir Jumla imposed harsh restrictions on the trade of the British, due to which the British suffered great difficulty from 1658 to 1663 AD. In 1672 AD, the company received orders related to trade concessions from Shaista Khan and in 1680 AD from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. After this the British started interfering in Mughal politics. The British had to pay tax forcibly in Bengal even after the decree of Subedar Shah Shuja, so the company took control of the Mughal forts of Thana. After the looting of Hooghly in 1686 AD, there was a conflict between the British and the Mughals. The Mughal army forced the British to flee from Hooghly to take refuge on the tidal Fulta island and the Company lost its rights with factories in Surat, Masulipatnam, Visakhapatnam etc.

The Company's agent in February, 1690 Job Charnack He apologized to Emperor Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb gave the British the right to trade again with a compensation of Rs 1,50,000. Aurangzeb issued a farman in 1691 AD, in which the Company got exemption from customs duty in Bengal in exchange for a fixed annual tax of Rs 3,000. In 1698 AD, Subedar Ajimushshan of Bengal gave the company three villages - Sutanati, Calicut and Govindpur Gave zamindari of Jab Charnak developed the Sutanati, Calicut and Govindpur areas to form Calcutta and established Fort William. Charles Ayer, first governor of Fort William made.

Farrukhsiyar's Decree

A trading mission under the leadership of John Sarman met the Mughal emperor Farrukhsiyar in 1715 AD. John Sarman Edward Stephenson, William Hamilton (surgeon) and Khwaja Sehurd (Armenian bilingual) Were. Dr. William Hamilton had saved Emperor Farrukhsiyar from a fatal abscess. Pleased with Hamilton's service, Farrukhsiyar gave the East India Company the right to free trade in Bengal in 1717 by paying an annual tax of Rs 3,000. The company also got the right to rent other areas around Calcutta. The coins issued by the Bombay Mint were recognized by the Company in the Mughal Empire. In Surat, the company got the right to trade free of charge on paying an annual tax of Rs 10,000. This order issued by Farrukhsiyar has been called 'authority letter of the company' called.

In the early phase of 18th century the Subedars of Bengal became independent as 'Nawab began to bear the title of '. In 1717, Murshid Quli Khan became the independent Nawab of Bengal. Murshidkuli Khan shifted the capital of Bengal from Dhaka to Murshidabad Took it Murshidkuli Khan made a large part of the jagir land as Khalsa land for the new land revenue settlement in Bengal and 'Izara system ’ (arrangement to collect land revenue on contract) started.

The Nawab of Bengal made Alivardi Khan the Subedar of Bihar in 1732 AD. Alivardi Khan defeated Sarfaraz Khan, the son of Nawab Shujauddin of Bengal, in 1740 AD in the battle of Gheria and obtained the Subedari of Bengal. Alivardi Khan also received a letter of acceptance by paying 2 crore rupees to the Mughal emperor Muhammad Shah. Alivardi Khan fought with the Marathas for about 15 years. To avoid Maratha invasions, the British built a deep moat around Fort William with the permission of Nawab Alivardi Khan. Alivardi Khan compared Europeans to bees, saying that 'if they are not teased, they will give honey and if they are teased, they will bite to death.

Fall of Calcutta

After the death of Alivardi Khan, in 1756 AD, Dauhitra Siraj-ud-Daulah succeeded him. Nawab Siraj-ud-daula had to deal with the British besides Nawab Shaukatjung of Purnia (the son of Siraj-ud-daula's aunt), Aunt Ghasiti Begum. Siraj-ud-daula's biggest enemy was the general of Bengal and the brother-in-law of Alivardi Khan, Mir Jafar. Fearing the French, the British fortified the Fort William Kothi of Calcutta and mounted artillery on its wall. When Siraj tried to stop this heinous act of the British, Siraj-ud-Daula besieged Fort William on June 15, 1756 AD. Siraj-ud-daula forced the British to surrender within 5 days. Nawab Sirajuddaula himself returned to Murshidabad by handing over Calcutta to Manikchandra.

The Accident of the Dungeon, 23 June 1756 AD (Blackhole Tragedy)

The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula, is said to have confined 146 English prisoners, including women and children, in a small room on the night of June 20, 1756. Which was 18 feet long and 14 feet 10 inches wide. When the cell was opened on June 23, only 23 people were alive in it. meet. One of the survivors was Hallwell and he is believed to be the mastermind of this incident. There is no mention of this incident in historian Ghulam Hussain's book Siyar-ul-Mutkhairin. The only significance of this event is that the British made it the cause of further aggressive war.

After receiving information about the fall of Calcutta, the British officers from Madras sent troops to Calcutta under the leadership of Robert Clive. Admiral Watson was Clive's assistant in this campaign. This army left from Madras on 16 October and reached Bengal on 14 December. Manikchandra, the officer-in-charge of the Nawab, took a bribe and gave Calcutta to the British. The British declared war on the Nawab by capturing Calcutta on January 2, 1757.

In February, 1757, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula made the Treaty of Alinagar with Clive. According to the Treaty of Alinagar, the British regained their old trade rights, including the fortifications of Calcutta. The British also got a compensation of three lakh rupees. Robert Clive, with the help of diplomacy, joined the dissatisfied general Mir Jafar, moneylender Jagatseth, businessman Rayudurlabh, Manikchandra and Aminchandra on his side.

India in the Eighteenth Century

Battle of Plassey, June 23, 1757 (Battle of Plassey, June 23, 1757)

The company uses the Dastak passport found in 1717 AD was doing illegal business. Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah was made smart before his maternal grandfather Alivardi Khan died. Nawab Siraj-ud-daula had forced the treaty of 1756 AD. Mir Jafar, Aminchandra, Jagatseth etc. were conspiring with the company to fulfill their interests. Meanwhile, in March, 1757 AD, the British conquered Chandranagar from the French. Against the Nawab, Clive marched with the army towards Murshidabad.

Armys of the British and the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah, face off in a mango orchard in the village of Plassey on the banks of the Bhagirathi river in Nadia district, 22 miles south of Murshidabad, on June 23, 1757. - In front. The British army consisted of 9,50 European soldiers, 1,00 European artillerymen, 50 sailors and 2,100 Indian soldiers. The Nawab's army of 50,000 was led by the treacherous Mir Jafar. The battle began at 9 a.m. on 23 June. A forward contingent of Siraj-ud-Daulah's army was led by Mirmdan and Mohanlal. After the death of Mirmadan, Mir Jafar asked the Nawab to retreat and suggested that he should leave the battlefield. Siraj returned to Murshidabad with 2,000 horsemen. Mir Jafar and Raidurlabh stood with their armies and Robert Clive won without fighting. Soon after the battle, Mir Jafar's son Miran killed Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah.

Mir Jafar returned to Murshidabad on 25 June and declared himself the Nawab of Bengal. Mir Jafar rewarded the zamindari of 24 parganas for his services to the British and presented Clive 2,34,000 pounds. Mir Jafar gave 150 lakh rupees to the army and the sailors. All the French settlements of Bengal were annexed to the British and in future British officials and merchants were exempted from paying octroi on private trade.

The Battle of Plassey was a minor skirmish in which 65 of the Company's soldiers and 5,000 of the Nawab's soldiers were killed. Slavery started in India after the Battle of Plassey. A trading company became the king. The expulsion of money from the country started which led to the Industrial Revolution in England. Bengal became under the British and could never become independent again. After the Battle of Plassey, Luke Schraftron was appointed the English Resident in the court of the Nawab in Bengal.

Mir Jafar The East India was dependent on the Company for its defense and position. Mir Jafar was arrested by a courtier of Murshidabad as 'colon clive's donkey ' was given the title. Mirjafar could not quench Clive's growing craving for wealth. Hallwell alleges that Mir Jafar was indulging in anti-British activities. He was planning an anti-British conspiracy with the Dutch people and the Mughal prince Ali Gauhar (later Emperor Shah Alam II). Clive defeated the Dutch in the Battle of Bedra.

Year of the Peaceful Revolution, 1760 A.D.

Mir Jafar's son-in-law Mirkasim promised to help the British in financial difficulties. On September 27, 1760, a treaty was signed between the British and Jafar's son-in-law Mirkasim. Mirkasim gave 5 lakh rupees and the districts of Burdwan, Midnapore, Chittagong to the company. There was also talk of giving 5 lakh rupees to the company in the military campaign of the South. The company promised that it would not interfere in the internal affairs of the Nawab. Kelad and Vensitart reached Murshidabad on October 14, 1760. Mir Jafar himself withdrew from power and agreed to live in Calcutta on a monthly pension of Rs 15,000. Due to this incident, 1760 AD was called 'Year of Peaceful Revolution ' is called.

Turk Invasion of India:Mahmud Ghaznavi (Turk Invasion of India:Mahmud Ghaznavi)

mirkasim

Meerkasim rewarded the executives of the company as soon as he became the Nawab. 5 lakhs to Vensitart and 2,70,000 to Hallwell, 2 lakhs to Colonel Kellod and about 7 lakhs to other officers. The officials took about 17 lakh rupees from the new Nawab in the name of improving the condition of the company.

Mirkasim was the most qualified of the Nawabs of Bengal after Alivardi Khan. Mirkasim shifted his capital from Murshidabad to Munger. Mirkasim, who was conspiring against him, got the Deputy Subedar of Bihar, Ramnarayan, who had the support of the British, removed from service and got him killed.

Mirkasim decided to organize his army in a European manner. He established gun and cannon factories in Munger and increased the number of soldiers in his army under the control of an Armenian named Gurgin Khan. Mirkasim imposed heavy fines on the embezzling officials, some new taxes were imposed and 3/32 part of the old taxes were levied as additional tax. Mirkasim also collected another tax, the khijri deposit, which had hitherto been hidden by the authorities. Seeing the work of Mirkasim, it was natural for the British to be furious.

Mirkasim and company feud

Henry Verlst divides the causes of the feud between Mirkasim and the company into two parts - immediate and real. The immediate reason was internal trade, but the real reason was the political ambition of the Nawab. Mirkasim was not making any effort for political independence. He was only trying to prevent the British from increasing in power or decreasing their power too much. He followed the treaties literally. The British and their agents and gomastes were becoming a threat to Mirkasim's monarchy. The Company's servants used to hold courts under the trees and inflicted arbitrary punishments. Mirkasim's fight was not on the question of independence, but on the abuse of the British's own political and legal rights.

In 1717 AD Farrukhsiyar had granted exemption from import and export tax to the company by a decree and there was no dispute over it. Nawab only 'Dastak ', with the help of which the employees of the company used to do their private business and did not pay taxes to the Nawab. कंपनी के अधिकारी नवाब के कानूनों का पालन नहीं करते थे और जनता को लूटते थे।

एक बार एक अर्मीनियन ने नवाब के लिए कुछ शोरा खरीदा, तो पटना के एजेंट एलिस ने उसे बंदी बना लिया था क्योंकि शोरा के व्यापार पर कंपनी का एकाधिकार था। वेंसिटार्ट, वारेन हेस्टिंग्स तथा परिषद् के एक सदस्य ने मुंगेर में नवाब से भेंट की और एक समझौता किया, किंतु कलकत्ता परिषद् ने इस समझौते को अस्वीकार कर दिया।

मीरकासिम ने देखा कि अंग्रेज गुमाश्ते दश्तक का दुरुपयोग कर रहे हैं, और चुंगी देने की व्यवस्था का उल्लंघन कर रहे हैं तो उसने चुंगी ही हटा दी और यही निर्णय बाद में बक्सर के युद्ध का कारण बना। कलकत्ता परिषद् चाहती थी कि नवाब अपनी प्रजा पर चुंगी लगाये। मार्च, 1763 ई. मं कंपनी ने इसे अपने विशेषाधिकार का हनन माना और पटना के अधिकारी एलिस ने पटना पर आक्रमण कर दिया।

बक्सर का युद्ध, 22 अक्टूबर, 1764 ई. (Battle of Buxar, 22 October, 1764 AD.)

कंपनी तथा नवाब के बीच युद्ध 1763 ई. में ही आरंभ हो गया था। नवाब ने अवध के नवाब शुजाउदौला से सहायता मांगी और जनवरी, 1764 ई. में मुगल सम्राट से मिलकर अंग्रेजों को बंगाल से निकालने की योजना बनाई।

बंगाल के नबाब मीरकासिम, अवध के नबाब शुजाउद्दौला, तथा मुगल बादशाह शाहआलम द्वितीय की संयुक्त सेना की टक्कर कंपनी की सेना से 22 अक्टूबर, 1764 ई. को बक्सर के निकट हुई। कंपनी की सेना में 7,027 सैनिक थे जिसकी कमान मेजर मुनरो के हाथ में थी। बक्सर के युद्ध में अंग्रेजों के 8,47 सैनिक मारे गये और दूसरी ओर लगभग 2,000 घायल हुए। बंगाल के नवाब मीरकासिम तथा मुगल सम्राट शाहआलम पराजित हुए। बक्सर का युद्ध ने प्लासी के निर्णयों पर मुहर लगा दी। नवाब शुजाउदौला ने मई, 1765 ई. में कंपनी के सामने आत्म-समर्पण कर दिया। पूरा अवध कंपनी को मिल गया। शाहआलम भी कंपनी की शरण मे आ गया।

इलाहाबाद की संधियों के द्वारा 1765 ई. अंग्रेजों ने मुगल सम्राट शाहआलम के साथ संधि करके बंगाल, बिहार तथा उड़ीसा में दीवानी अधिकार प्राप्त कर लिया। बंगाल पर दीवानी का अधिकार कंपनी द्वारा प्रादेशिक सत्ता की ओर प्रथम महान् कदम था।’ शाहआलम को इलाहाबाद तथा कड़ा के जिले तथा 26 लाख रुपये वार्षिक पेंशन दी गई।

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