Establishment of British Rule in India: History, Key Events, Policies and Causes of British Success
The establishment of British control over India was a long process which resulted in making the British East India Company from a trading company to a colonial regime. This process occurred for over a hundred years through military successes, political diplomacy, manipulation of rivalries between various rulers in India, and so forth.
Some important incidents like the Battle of Plassey (1757) and the Battle of Buxar (1764) proved to be landmark events in the expansion of British influence. In addition, the Subsidiary Alliance and the Doctrine of Lapse helped the British to extend their influence over many Indian states.
The weakening of the Mughal Empire, political divisions, military superiority and economic superiority all played an important role in helping the British gain a foothold. By the mid-19th century, the British East India Company was able to establish control over much of India.
The British East India Company came into existence on 31 December 1600, when it received a royal charter from Queen Elizabeth I for the formation of the ‘Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies’.
Initially, the East India Company was established not for territorial conquests but for purely commercial reasons, as English businessmen desired to join the flourishing business in Asia in the areas of spices, silk, cotton and tea etc.
The initial operations of the Company in India were mainly related to the establishment of trading factories and gaining privileges from the Indian kings.
Initially, the Company established its first trading factory at Masulipatnam in the southeastern India. Thereafter, the Company improved its hold on the western coast of India following its victory over the Portuguese in the Battle of Suvali (1512).
In 1613, the Company was granted the permission from the Mughal Emperor Jahangir to establish its factory at Surat, an event that marks a significant step towards the growth of English trading influence in India.
Thereafter, the Company established its principal settlements in,
The East India Company was founded on 31 December 1600 via the royal charter granted by Queen Elizabeth I to the Governor and Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies.
The initial aim of the Company was not to conquer territories but engage in profitable business. The English businessmen were eager to be involved in the prosperous commerce in the East involving spices, silk, cotton, tea and other goods.
The early activities of the Company in India were aimed at establishment of trading factories and acquisition of advantageous concessions from Indian rulers.
An early factory of the Company was built at Masulipatnam on the southeastern coast. Later, having defeated the Portuguese in the battle of Suvali (1612), the English secured their position on India’s western coast.
In 1613, the Company received permission from Mughal Emperor Jahangir to set up a permanent factory at Surat. This was an important step in the growth of English commercial influence in India.
Later, the Company built the following major settlements,
These settlements became the three major presidencies of British India in the future.
The development of the Company from a trade organization to a political entity was associated with the decline of the Mughals’ power and growing rivalry of the regional powers.
During the 18th century, there were political divisions in the Indian subcontinent. Regional powers, including the Marathas, Mysore, Hyderabad and Bengal, were gaining more importance.
Meanwhile, the British and French were competing for influence in southern India.
Carnatic Wars refer to the set of wars that involved the British and the French and other local rulers and Indian rulers.
In the end, the British East India Company became the most powerful European empire in India.
The Battle of Wandiwash in 1760 is considered particularly significant in the context that British forces defeated the French forces. This led to the subsequent loss of the political prestige of the French in India.
The knowledge that they gained during Carnatic wars showed how British could use internal disputes between Indian rulers to their benefit.
The Battle of Plassey, which took place on 23 June 1757, became the decisive moment in the development of the history of British power in India.
The army of the East India Company, led by Robert Clive, defeated the forces of the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah. Internal rivalry in Nawab’s camp made an important contribution to this victory.
After the battle, Mir Jafar was made Nawab of Bengal.
Although Plassey did not result in the immediate establishment of total British domination in India, it gave the Company considerable political influence and opportunity to benefit from the riches of Bengal. Therefore, Plassey became an important stage in the development of Company rule in India.
Further strengthening of the Company’s position took place after the Battle of Buxar on 22 October 1764.
British East India Company defeated the forces of the following persons,
As a result of the Battle of Buxar, the Treaty of Allahabad was signed in 1765.
According to the terms of the treaty, the East India Company got Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, i.e., the right to collect taxes from these regions.
This was one of the key stages in the development of the Company rule in India because income from Bengal was necessary to finance future territorial and military expansion.
After acquiring the Diwani rights, the East India Company set up the system of Dual Government of Bengal.
Under this system,
This dual government continued till 1772 when Warren Hastings abolished this system.
After having established its position in Bengal, the Company gradually started expanding into other regions of India through military operations, alliances and annexation.
Anglo-Mysore Wars
Anglo-Maratha Wars
This was another significant instrument of expansion of British power which Lord Wellesley introduced in 1798.
As per this policy, the Indian rulers had to,
Through this policy, the Company expanded its political authority without annexing each and every state.
Hyderabad was one such important Indian state which accepted the policy of subsidiary alliance.
The Lapse Policy is linked with Lord Dalhousie who served as the Governor General of India from 1848 to 1856.
As per this policy, if there were no legal male heir left to the throne of the princes, the British would take over the principality under the pretext of not accepting adopted heir(s) under the doctrine.
Some of the states taken over under the Lapse Policy were,
This policy caused much discontent among the Indian monarchs, and this was one of the many political reasons for the Revolt of 1857.
The other area where the British expanded was in North Western India.
Following the Anglo-Sikh Wars, Punjab came under the rule of the British in 1849.
Sindh, on the other hand, fell to British military and political intervention through the Battle of Miani in 1843.
These conquests enhanced British rule in north western part of the sub-continent.
With increasing territorial acquisitions by the East India Company, there was increasing involvement of the British Parliament in the affairs of the company.
Regulating Act, 1773
Pitt’s India Act, 1784
Charter Act of 1833
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