An Introduction to the Battle Of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey took place in the year 1757. The British East India Company headed by Robert Clive found their first victory against the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies. From the Battle of Plassey, British rule started in India for the next two centuries. For the next hundred years, the British controlled most of the places in the Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, and Afghanistan. The battle of Plassey was fought in Palashi, a place on the bank of River Hoogly and 150km north of Calcutta.
Nawab Siraj-Ud-Daula, a Nawab of Bengal found controversy with the British East India Company while making trade and results with the Battle of Plassey. This article describes the complete information with cause and effect of the Battle of Plassey.
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Origin of British East India Company
People from Britain initially set up the British East India Company in India for making a trade. In 1600, the British East India Company gained its royal character to trade in the East Indies, also they had fully strengthened army forces. The French East India Company also had a similar set-up in India. Both the companies took advantage of India after taking part in the Carnatic wars. Later, they started maintaining the trade posts and got influences over the local rulers.
Causes of Battle of Plassey
In 1755, Siraj ud-Daulah became the Nawab of Bengal. Meanwhile, he started adopting a pro-french policy. But he stood against the British trading posts including Calcutta. He imprisoned some British people and they died in the prison. This incident was named as "black hole of Calcutta". To control this, the British East India company sent Lieutenant Colonel Robert Clive from Madras to Calcutta to defeat the Nawab. That time Mir Jafar, one of the Nawab rulers secretly promised the British to give back his throne. But other Bengali Nawabs stood against British rule.
How The Battle of Plassey Took Place
The Battle of Plassey was fought between the East India Company and Nawabs of Bengal. The Bengali capital Murshidabad turned favour to Robert Clive. So, they started to fight against the Nawab’s army. The battle of Plassey took place in Plassey, which is located near the Bhagirathi River. While compared to the Nawab’s army, the size of the British army was very less. Meanwhile, the French also sent artillerymen to bolster the Bengali with fifty guns. After watching the setup of nawab and French, the head of the British East India Company arranged the sepoy troops, which contained more than 3000 people and with a small force of artillery. Even though the British East India Company had unimpressive military forces, they stood strong against the Nawab of Bengal and defeated them.
Initially, the French artillery started to fire against the British followed by the Bengali guns. The British also fired them back. As there was the close proximity of the Bengali cavalry to the French guns, Robert Clive missed the bombardment artillery by causing huge damage to the opponent’s cavalry. This forced the nawabs to pull them back from the protest for their protection. While the nawab’s army moved forward, Clive started opening the fire with grapeshot along with volleys of infantry musket fire. So, Bengali troops held back. As Mir Jafar joined with the British, one-third of the Bengali army failed to join the battle. Even though Bengali requested many times, the troops of Mir Jafar remained isolated.
Finally, the battle appeared to come to an end with a stalemate as the rain started. Robert Clive was got ready with the set of clothes for his army people to stay isolated from the rain. But the Bengalis do not have such protections. As British guns remained unaffected by the Cavalry of nawabs, they ordered his cavalry to charge them. Meanwhile, the British guns opened fire and slaughtered against the cavalry of nawabs and French. This made confusion among the nawabs and created panic among them. So, the British took over this opportunity to capture the nawabs. At the same time, the French set backed from the nawab.
Effect of Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey was fought in Calcutta near the holy river Bhagirathi. As the Nawabs of Bengal lost in the Battle of Plassey. The Nawabs escaped from the battlefield with the help of a camel. The British East India Company installed Mit Jafar in power as the puppet ruler, who should act according to the British. At the end of the battle, the British lost only twenty-two soldiers and achieved a great victory for them. But Bengal and French East India companies lost more than 1500 casualties out of 50000 casualties. But the British East India company lost less than 100 casualties out of 3,000.
At the end of the Battle of Plassey, the French East India Company lost its control over the Bengal region. In 1759, the British East India Company defeated the French at Masulipatam and secured the Northern Circars. In 1759, the puppet ruler, Mir Jafar, started encouraging the Dutch to fight against the British. During late 1759, the Dutch sent about seven large ships and 1400 men from Java to Bengal to stand against the British but not for official war. On 25th November 1759, Clive took immediate action to set back the Dutch force in the Battle of Chinsura.
Later, the British threw Mir Jafar from power and kept Mir Qasim as the Nawab of Bengal. Later, the British employed the paramount of Europeans into the power in Bengal. After a few days, Robert Clive returned to England for treatment, that time the British government awarded him as Baron Clive of Plassey. Also, he got a seat in the British House of Commons.
The same struggle continued in many other areas of Hyderabad and Deccan, such as Wandewash, Arcot, Tanjore, and Cuddalore. The British defeated the French and acquired a lot of places. Later, In 1765, the French returned to Pondicherry after signing the Treaty of Paris. Later, the British emerged as the superpower in India.
This article explained, when the Battle of Plassey was fought, what was the reason behind the Battle of Plassey with the cause and effect of the Battle of Plassey described in detail.
FAQs on Battle Of Plassey
1. What was the Battle of Plassey in simple terms?
The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory on 23rd June 1757 for the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, over the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah. This event is considered a pivotal moment that marked the beginning of British political dominance and colonial rule in India.
2. Who were the main opposing sides in the Battle of Plassey?
The two main opposing sides in the Battle of Plassey were:
- The army of the British East India Company, commanded by Robert Clive.
- The army of the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daulah, who was the last independent ruler of Bengal.
3. What were the primary causes that led to the Battle of Plassey?
The primary causes leading to the Battle of Plassey included:
- Misuse of Trade Privileges: The rampant misuse of royal trade permits (dastaks) by Company officials for private trade, which caused huge financial losses to the Bengal treasury.
- Fortification of Calcutta: The British fortified Calcutta without the Nawab's permission, which was seen as a direct challenge to his sovereignty.
- Asylum to Nawab's Enemies: The Company gave shelter to Krishna Das, an enemy of the Nawab, and refused to hand him over.
4. Why did Siraj-ud-Daulah lose the Battle of Plassey despite having a much larger army?
Siraj-ud-Daulah lost the Battle of Plassey mainly due to a widespread conspiracy and betrayal from within his own camp. Robert Clive had made a secret agreement with key figures in the Nawab's army, including Mir Jafar, the commander-in-chief, and Rai Durlabh. As a result, a significant portion of the Nawab's army did not participate in the fighting, turning the battle into a skirmish that the British easily won.
5. What were the immediate consequences of the Battle of Plassey?
The immediate consequences of the battle were transformative for the British in India:
- Political Power: The British East India Company became the de facto ruler of Bengal, with Mir Jafar installed as a puppet Nawab.
- Economic Drain: The British gained access to the immense wealth of Bengal. They demanded huge sums of money and trade concessions from Mir Jafar, beginning the economic exploitation of the region.
- Military Supremacy: The victory established the military supremacy of the British, boosting their prestige and confidence to expand their empire across India.
6. How is the Battle of Plassey often described as a 'betrayal' rather than a true battle?
The Battle of Plassey is often described as a betrayal because its outcome was largely pre-decided by conspiracy, not military prowess. The British victory was secured through deception and treachery. Robert Clive's secret pact with Mir Jafar and other key commanders ensured that the Nawab's large army would not effectively fight. Therefore, the British 'conquest' was achieved through political intrigue rather than a genuine military contest.
7. How did the Battle of Plassey differ in importance from the Battle of Buxar?
While both battles were crucial, their importance differs. The Battle of Plassey (1757) was the foundation of British political power, gained largely through conspiracy, which gave them control over Bengal. In contrast, the Battle of Buxar (1764) was a true military victory where the British defeated the combined forces of the Mughal Emperor, the Nawab of Awadh, and the deposed Nawab of Bengal. Buxar legitimised and solidified British rule, granting them the legal right (Diwani) to collect revenue from a large part of India, thereby cementing the foundation laid by Plassey.
