After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the English East India Company came up with the idea that Bengal had inexhaustible property and wealth.
The Company wanted to bring the Nawabs of Bengal under its control so as to drain their wealth. Mir Jafar, the new Nawab of Bengal, realized that it was impossible to meet the demands of the East India Company and its officials.
They forced Mir Jafar to renounce the throne for his son-in-law Mir Qasim. Mir Qasim was enthroned with the help of Englishmen and he rewarded them satisfactorily. He, however, negated English hopes and soon emerged as a threat to their position.
Mir Qasim took measures to stop the illegal selling of dastans or free trading passes to the friendly Indian businessmen, who by virtue of dastans, were able to avoid the customs duties and taxes and thus, earned money through unfair means of trading.
While Mir Qasim wanted to see himself in the role of an independent ruler, the English wanted to use him as a mere tool in their hands as they put him in his power. In this situation, war was inevitable between Mir Qasim and the English.
The Battle of Buxar was fought in 1764, between the British and the Armies of Mir Qasim, Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, and Shuja-ud-Daulah, Nawab of Awadh in Buxar (in Bihar). The battle was won by the forces of the British East India Company. The British won this battle under the command of Major Hector Munro. After this battle, Shah Alam II submitted to the British.
The Battle of Buxar also placed Awadh under the company. It also enhanced. the British ascendancy in Bengal. The Nawab depended on the British for internal and external security.
The Nawab of Bengal signed a treaty with the company on 20th February 1765. According to the treaty, the Nawab would dissolve most of his army and administer Bengal through a Deputy Subedar, who was to be nominated by the company.
The Deputy Subedar could not be dismissed without the approval of the company. After the victory of Buxar, the English Armies advanced towards Awadh and established their control over Banaras and Allahabad. Nawab Shuja-ud-Daulah tried to oust the English with the help of Marathas and Rohillas, but he could not succeed and had to surrender before the English Army in 1765.
A treaty was concluded between the two with the intervention of Maharaja Sitab Rai. The following were the significant terms of this treaty
Shuja-ud-Daulah would pay 50 lakh immediately to the company as war expenses and 25 lakh in
instalments, later. Ghazipur and its adjacent areas were handed over to the company.
A vakil of the English would remain in the court of Shuja-ud-Daulah, but he was not authorized to intervene in the administration of the country.
In the future, both parties would regard the friend or enemy of each other to be one’s own friend or enemy respectively.
The Battle of Buxar heralded the establishment of the rule of the East India Company in the Eastern part of the Indian subcontinent.
THE TREATY OF ALLAHABAD
The Treaty of Allahabad was concluded by Clive with Shuja-ud-Daulah and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam 11, according to which the British got the right of free trade in Awadh and they were allowed to keep a British Army at the expense of the Nawab of Awadh.
Shah Alam II got the districts of Kara and Allahabad and was also given an annual pension of 26 lahks. In return for his favor, Shah Alam gave the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the British. The Company, by another treaty, also agreed to pay a sum of 53 lahks per annum in lieu of the right of Nizamat to the minor Nawab. Thus, the company acquired both the Diwani as well as Nizamat rights over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
IMPORTANCE OF THE BATTLE OF BUXAR (1764)
The Battle of Plassey secured a foothold for the British East India Company in India. while the Battle of Buxar made them the dominant force in India. The company. after the Battle of Buxar, gained supreme control over the administration or Nizamat of Bengal.
Shah Alam II was now the titular ruler of the Mughal empire. The company got Diwani, by which it was able to collect the revenue. of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. As the Diwan, the company was able to collect taxes while on the other hand they had the power to nominate the Subedar on behalf of the Nawab. Thus, they also gained administrative power.
They controlled the army and finances directly and its administration indirectly. As a consequence, the British had power without responsibility, while the Nawabs had only the responsibility of administration but no power responsibilities. to perform the responsibilities.
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.
DUAL SYSTEM OF ADMINISTRATION IN BENGAL (1765-72)
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 t 1765 to 1772 Under this system. Clive gave the responsibility of collecting Diwani to the Indians and appointed two Deputy Disons (Mohammad Raza Khan for Bengal and Raja Shitab Roy for Bihar) for the same. For Nizamat’s functions (police and judicial), the British gave the additional responsibility of Deputy Nizam to Mohammad Raza Khan. The Deputy Nizam could not be removed without the consent of the company.
Thus, although the responsibility for the administration of Diwani as well as Nizamat was exercised through Indian agencies, the company acquired real power. Under a dual system, the administration was theoretically divided between the Company and the Nawab but the whole power was actually concentrated in the hands of the Company. Thus, the system was very advantageous for the company, it had power without any responsibility. In 1772, Warren Hastings put an end to this dual system.
THE BRITISH CONQUEST OF THE MYSORE STATE
Mysore was earlier part of the Vijayanagara Empire. After the decline of the Vijayanagara Empire in 1565, the Wodeyar dynasty was founded. The two brothers Devaraja and Nanjaraja controlled real power in the state and became the de facto rulers. Devaraja and Nanjaraja failed to control the situation and it paved the way for the rise of Haider Ali, a man of superior military talent, sound diplomatic skill, and unquestioned qualities.
Haider’s policy of expansion in the Southern states alarmed the British. They initiated efforts to counterbalance Haider Ali, which led to the Anglo-Mysore conflict.