Decline of the Mughal

Empire
The Mughal Empire began to decline in the 18th century, during the reign
of Muḥ ammad Shah (1719–48). Much of its territory fell under the control
of the Marathas and then the British. The last Mughal emperor, Bahādur
Shah II (1837–57), was exiled by the British after his involvement with
the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58.
The dynastic center found itself more and more vulnerable, and the court
was increasingly dependent on revenue and support from its governors.
During the reign of Muḥ ammad Shah (1719–48), the empire began to break
up, a process hastened by dynastic warfare, factional rivalries, and the
Iranian conqueror Nadir Shah’s brief but disruptive invasion of northern
India in 1739. After the death of Muḥ ammad Shah in 1748, the Marathas
overran almost all of northern India. Mughal rule was reduced to only a
small area around Delhi, which passed under Maratha (1785) and then
British (1803) control. The last Mughal, Bahādur Shah II (reigned 1837–
57), was exiled to Yangon, Myanmar (Rangoon, Burma), by the British after
his involvement with the Indian Mutiny of 1857–58.
The Arrival of British in
the Subcontinent!
At first, the British enter in Indian sub-continent as traders seeking spices.
Spices were the primary way of preserving meat in Europe prior to the
modern age. Then, having more modern and effective weapons, the sub-
continent was brought into the Empire at gunpoint.

The British landed on the Indian Subcontinent at the port of Surat

on August 24, 1608 AD for the purpose of trade, but after 7 years British
got royal order to establish a factory at Surat under the leadership of Sir
Thomas Roe (Ambassador of James I). Following this, the East India
Company also got similar permission from the Vijaynagara Empire to set up
their second factory at Massulipatnam. Gradually the British eclipsed the
other European trading company and over the years they saw a massive
expansion of their trading operations in India. Numerous trading posts
were established along the east and west coasts of India and considerable
English communities developed around the three presidency towns of
Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. They majorly traded in Silk, Indigo Dye,
Cotton, Tea, and Opium. 20 years later, the Company spread its presence to
the East of India by setting up a factory in Kolkata.

The rule of the East India Company was brought to an end in 1858 after
the First War Independence in 1857 which is also known as the Revolt of
1857. After the dissolution of the East India Company from India, the British
Crown overtook direct control of India to begin what is known as the British
Raj.
 Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the British East
India Company over the Nawab of Bengal and his French[1] allies
on 23 June 1757, under the leadership of Robert Clive. The
victory was made possible by the defection of Mir Jafar, who was
Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah's commander in chief. The battle helped
the British East India Company take control of Bengal. Over the
next hundred years, they seized control of most of the rest of
the Indian subcontinent, including Burma.
The battle took place at Palashi on the banks of the Hooghly
River, about 150 kilometers north of Calcutta (now Kolkata) and
south of Murshidabad in West Bengal, then capital of Bengal
Subah. The belligerents were the British East India Company, and
the Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of
Bengal. He succeeded Alivardi Khan (his maternal grandfather).
Siraj-ud-Daulah had become the Nawab of Bengal the year
before, and he had ordered the English to stop the extension of
their fortification. Robert Clive bribed Mir Jafar, the commander-
in-chief of the Nawab's army, and also promised to make
him Nawab of Bengal. Clive defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah at Plassey
in 1757 and captured Calcutta.[2]
The battle was preceded by an attack on British-controlled
Calcutta by Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah and the Black Hole massacre.
The British sent reinforcements under Colonel Robert Clive and
Admiral Charles Watson from Madras to Bengal and recaptured
Calcutta. Clive then seized the initiative to capture the French
fort of Chandannagar.[3] Tensions and suspicions between Siraj-
ud-daulah and the British culminated in the Battle of Plassey. The
battle was waged during the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), and,
in a mirror of their European rivalry, the French East India
Company sent a small contingent to fight against the British.
 War of Independence 1857
The War of Independence is an important landmark in the history of Sub-Continent. This
War was fought in 1857 by Indians against the British in order to get rid of their
domination. The main causes of the War were political, social, economic, military and
religious. This war was not spread throughout India but it was limited to few
areas mainly Delhi, Meerut, Lucknow. The main event which became the
immediate cause of the war was the refusal of the Sepoys to use the
grease covered cartridges greased with fat of pig and cow.

Delhi

The revolutionaries reached from Meerut to Delhi on 11th May, 1857 and
the small British garrison at Delhi was not able to resist and consequently
fell into their hands within 2 days. The Mughal Emperor, Bahādur Shah
Zafar, was proclaimed Emperor of India. In order to regain Delhi, Sir John
Lawrence sent a strong British force commanded by John Nicholson. After
a long siege of four months, the British recovered Delhi in September 1857
A.D.

Lucknow

The struggle for independence at Lucknow was led by Nawab Wajid Ali
Shah. The Chief Commissioner Sir Henry Lawrence sought refuge with
English and Indian soldiers. The Indians killed most of the Englishmen,
including Sir Henry Lawrence. At last, the Commander-in-Chief General
Collin Campbell, marched towards Lucknow and captured it after a fierce
battle in March 1858.

Meerut

On 6th May, 1857 A.D. 85 out of 90 Indian soldiers at Meerut refused to

bite the greased cartridges with their teeth. These 85 soldiers were court-
martialed and imprisoned for 10 years. It was too much of a disgrace and
this incident sent a wave of indignation. On 10th May 1857, the Indian
soldiers at Meerut broke into open revolt. They released their companions
and murdered a few European officers. On the night of 10th May the
mutineers marched to Delhi and reached there on 11th May.