Expansion of British Rule

in India-II
 Battle of Plassey

On 23rd June, 1757, they met at Plassey

near Murshidabad.

Nawab's force was commanded by Mir Jafar.

Only a small group of Nawab's soldiers fought bravely.

The battle was a mere skirmish resulting in the

defeat of the Nawab.
It was the treachery of the Nawab's confidants
that decided the fate of the Battle of Plassey.
Post- Plassey Bengal
 Immediate Consequences
Mir Jafar was British resident at British officials would
It marginalized the
completely Murshidabad began no longer need to
other European
dependent to wield considerable pay any taxes on
companies.
on English. influence. their private trade.

The company A large amount was

Mir Jafar paid out a
received the Robert Clive was paid as a personal
sum of 50 lakh as
zamindari of 24 confirmed as the present to Clive and
gift or bribe to the
parganas near Governor of Bengal. compensation for the
company's officials.
Calcutta. company's losses.

French settlements in
Bengal were
surrendered to the
English.
 The Rule of Mir Jafar
Mir Jafar faced some serious problems at his court:
• Some zamindars refused to accept him as the ruler.

• New Concessions
• The personal trade of company employees was free of tolls and duties through dastak.
• Local traders were unable to compete
• Company employees used the British name to exploit the countryside.
• The duty-free dastak was sold to friendly locals.
• Acceptance of gifts from locals, gave rise to corruption
• Clive himself obtained a Mughal title and claimed a jagir worth a large sum.

• As a result, the Nawab had went bankrupt.


He entered into a conspiracy
with the Dutch at Chinsurah.
Mir Jafar was deposed
on the grounds of old
age and incompetence
and Mir Qasim
ascended to power.

Mir Jafar was increasingly The Dutch were defeated

irritated by the by the English at
dominance of Clive. Bedara in November 1759.
 Mir Qasim
Mir Qasim ascended to power under the following agreement with the
English:

• He agreed to cede districts of Burdwan, Midnapur and Chittagong.

• Give half of the share in chunam (lime) trade of Sylhet.
• Pay off the outstanding dues to the Company.
• Pay a sum of rupees five lakh towards financing the Company’s war efforts
in southern India.
• Mir Qasim’s enemies were the Company’s enemies, and his friends, the
Company’s friends.
 Qasim’s Frustration

Mir Qasim began to take measures to stop

the British influence.
Misuse of Dastak, corruption and coercive methods of
Shifted the capital from Murshidabad to
1 the English undermined the sovereignty of Mir
Monghyr in Bihar. Qasim.

He tried peaceful means by writing and pleading

2
Overhauled the bureaucracy by men of his choice, with the British but failed.
to improve the finances of the state.
Ultimately, he abolished all inland duties to bring
3 the Indian merchants on the same footing as the
Sought to modernise his army along European English.
lines
 The Build-up to Buxar
• Hostilities between Mir Qasim and the British started in 1763.

• The Nawab was defeated in a series of battles and fled to Awadh.

• He formed an alliance with the Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-Daula and

the Mughal emperor, Shah Alam II.

• The Allies' strength outnumbered the British.

• British army was commanded by Thomas Munro.

 The Battle of Buxar (22 October, 1764)

• The joint armies of Mir Qasim were defeated by the British.

• Mir Qasim absconded from the battle.

• Shuja-Ud-Daula and Shah Alam II surrendered to the English army.

 Consequences

Treaty of Allahabad (August 1765) was signed between the British & Shuja-ud-daula & Shah Alam II.

The districts of He and his successors

Midnapore, Burdwan had to pay to the
and Chittagong were Mir Jafar was English company on
transferred to the brought back to a regular basis
English. the throne of
Bengal but at
much harsher
The English were Allow the company's
terms.
permitted duty-free intervention in
trade in Bengal. appointments.
• Shuja-ud-Daula was confirmed in his possessions on the following
conditions:
• Nawab surrendered Allahabad & Kara to Shah Alam II.
• Pay 50 lakh to company as war indemnity.
• Forced to maintain English forces.
• Shah Alam was taken into company’s protection
• To reside in Allahabad.
• Granted the company the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa.
• Provision of Rs. 53 lakh to the Company in return for ‘nizamat functions’.

• Clive was appointed the Ist governor of Bengal & signed a new treaty
(Nawab had to disband his army & administer Bengal through a ‘Deputy
Subedar’ who was nominated by British)
 British Territories in 1765

Buxar
Murshidabad
Plassey
Dacca

Chandranagore Hughli

Northern Circars

Arabian Sea Bay of Bengal

 Settlement with the Mughals
• Clive realised that Delhi was easier to have than to hold.
• Regarding India's political situation, Clive had to decide where to stop.
• The Mughal emperor still had much influence in the country though little power.
• The Emperor’s disfavour might do more harm than good to the company.
• Shah Alam II was taken into company's protection and given the districts of Kora and
Allahabad.
• Shah Alam II remained a virtual prisoner of the company in the Fort of Allahabad.
• Farman in 1765 - Granted the company the right of Diwani in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa.
• An annual payment of rupees 26 lakh was paid by the British for the Diwani.
 Significance
• Defeat of both Nawab of Bengal as well as the Mughal emperor.

• Seeds of British imperialism flowered.

• Established British sovereignty in Bengal.

• Battle of Buxar confirmed the verdict of Battle of Plassey.

• British won Battle of Plassey and Buxar through diplomatic skills and
strength of their arms respectively.
 The Dual Administration

Civil
Defence and administration/ Diwani Functions
foreign affairs Nizamat function

Exercised by the Granted to the

Handed over
Nawab through company by the
to the company
Naib Subedar emperor

Indirect control of
Direct control company through Direct control
of the company Naib Subedar– of the company
Riza Khan
 Why?
Directors of the company were more interested in financial and
commercial gains rather than territorial acquisitions.

Open assumption of authority might result in uniting Indian princes

against it.

Political authority would have resulted in interference of the British

parliament.

The company did not have adequate personnel to run the

administration of Bengal.
 Timeline
War Year Results

The British won

Battle of Plassey 1757 by treachery and signed an agreement with
Mir Jafar

The British won and signed the Treaty of

Battle of Buxar 1764
Allahabad (August 1765)

Ruin of Bengal economy.

Dual System 1765-72 This system was ended by
Warren Hastings
Anglo- Maratha Wars
• Most important challenger to the decaying
Mughal power.

• Number of brilliant commanders. Lacked unity

• Lacked the outlook & programme which were

necessary for founding a pan-India empire.

• They did however succeed in waging continuous

war against the Mughal Empire, till they
destroyed it.
 Evolution of Peshwaship
Soon, a civil war broke out
Arising out of the conflict between
between Shahuji (Satara) & his
Shahuji, grandson of Chattrapati Shahuji & his rival, a new system
aunt Tara Bai (Kolhapur), who had
Shivaji, had been a prisoner of of Maratha government was
carried out an anti-Mughal struggle
Aurangzeb since 1689. Released in evolved under the leadership of
since 1700 in the name of her son
1707 Balaji Vishwanath, the Peshwa of
Shivaji II after the death of her
King Shahuji. (1713)
husband Raja Ram.

With this change began the period

He & his son Baji Rao I made the
of Peshwa domination in Maratha
Peshwa the functional head of the
history in which the Maratha state
Marathas.
was transformed into an empire.
 Balaji Vishwanath (1713-1720)
Balaji Vishwanath, a
Brahmin, started his career After Shahuji’s (1707-48) In 1713, he was raised to the
as a small revenue official. coronation as Chatrapathi at post of Peshwa, this marked
He played a crucial role in Satara, Balaji was made his the domination of Peshwa
the victory of Sahu over Sena karte (organizer of supremacy in Maratha
Tarabai in the Battle of Khed forces) politics.
in 1707

Office of Peshwa become

He is rightly called as
hereditary. From now
‘Second founder of Maratha
onward Chatrapati become
state’.
just a figure-head.
Balaji Vishwanath (1713-1720)

He was the Ist Maratha official

to reach Delhi & involve in the In 1719 C.E, he got certain
internal matters of the rights from Farruk Siyar.
Mughal rulers.

For instance, Shahuji was

recognized as the ruler of
He initiated the northward
Chattrapati Shivaji’s home
extension of Maratha
dominions & allowed to
kingdom, which was taken
collect Chauth &
further by his son Baji Rao.
Sardeshmukhi from 6
provinces of Deccan.
 Baji Rao I (1720-1740)
• Succeeded by his 20-year old son Baji Rao I. The Maratha power reached its zenith under him.

• Bold & brilliant commander & an ambitious & clever statesman.

• He initiated a ‘system of confederacy’ among the Maratha chiefs – under this system, each
Maratha chief was assigned a territory which would be administered autonomously.

• 1737-38: he attacked Delhi & defeated the Mughal forces. Muhammed Shah signed the
‘treaty of Sironj’, which gave Marathas complete sovereignty over the whole of Malwa & the
entire territory between Narmada & Chambal.

• 1739: He defeated the Portuguese & occupied the parts of Salsette & Bassein.
 Maratha Chiefs Balaji Baji Rao (1740-1761)
Peshwa of Poona
1 • His18-year old son Balaji Baji Rao (Nana Saheb) was
Bhonsles of Nagpur
new Peshwa.
2

• He continued with the policy of northward expansion.

The five
3 Sindhia of Gwalior
major chiefs • He was as able as his father.

4 Holkars of Indore
5
Gaikwad of Baroda
• Shahuji died in 1749 & by his will left all management
of state affairs in the Peshwa's hands.
• The office of the Peshwa had already become hereditary
& the Peshwa was the de facto ruler of the state.

• Balaji Baji Rao, though conquered lot of territories,

Balaji Baji Rao, made Ram Raja (1749-77 lacked his father’s diplomatic skills.
C.E.) a do-nothing king after Shahuji’s death.
• He had cultivated animosity of all neighboring rulers.
This virtually seized the Maratha monarchy as
a symbol of political authority.

As a symbol of this fact, shifted the

government to Poona, his headquarters.
 The Abdali Issue
• 1752: An agreement was made between Mughal & Marathas, that, in lieu
of chauth of North-west province, Marathas will have to defend the Mughal
from any threat internal or external.

• Brought the Marathas in direct conflict with Abdali.

• Peshwa dispatched a powerful army under the nominal command of his

minor son Vishwas Rao (son of Nana Saheb), the actual command being in
the hands of his cousin Sadashiv Rao Bhau (Cousin of Nana Saheb).
 The Third Battle of Panipat (14 January 1761)

• Peshwa's son Vishwas Rao , Sadashiv Rao Bhau & numerous other Maratha
commanders perished on the battle field as did nearly 28,000 soldiers.

• Those who fled were pursued by the Afghan cavalry & robbed & plundered
by the Jats, Ahirs, & Gujars of the Panipat region.

• The Peshwa, who was marching north to render help, was stunned by the
tragic news. Already seriously ill, Balaji Baji Rao end was hastened & he died
in June 1761.
Madhav Rao I (1761-72) Successors-
• 1761: The 17 year old Madhav Rao
became the Peshwa in after the death • Narain Rao (1772-74)
of his father Balaji Bajirao.
• Raghunath Rao became his regent & the • Madhav Rao (1774-95)
de facto ruler of the state.
• He was a talented soldier & statesman. • Baji Rao II (1796-1818)
• Within short period of 11 years, he
restored the lost fortunes of the • This period shows rapid decline of
Maratha Empire. Maratha kingdom, due to internal
feuds & prolonged war with the
• 1771: The Marathas brought back to
English.
Delhi Emperor Shah Alam, who
now became their pensioner.
• He died in 1772.
The Anglo-Maratha Wars
 First Anglo-Maratha War
There were two major causes:
1.A succession dispute between Raghunath
Rao and Narayan Rao after the death of
Peshwa Madhav Rao.
2. Control over Western Coast
and trade.
Madhavrao
§ Second son of Nanasaheb Peshwa.
§ Ascended the throne during after the Battle of Panipat.
§ His style of administration was not liked by his uncle
Raghunathrao.
Raghunathrao
§ Younger brother of Nanasaheb Peshwa.
§ Murdered Narayan Rao and became the next Peshwa.
 After the death of Madhavrao in 1772, his brother
1
Narayanrao succeeded him as the fifth peshwa.

Narayanrao was succeeded by Raghunathrao by Raghunathrao signed the Treaty of

2
murdering him. Surat (1775) and joined forces with
the Company.

Soon Raghunathrao was deposed by Nana Phadnis and 11

3
other administrators (known as Baarbhai conspiracy).
The Maratha forces were defeated
initially but they held control over
Madhav Rao’s son was installed as the Peshwa. Poona.
4

The Treaty of Purandar (1776).

Treaty of Purandar (1776)- Raghunathrao was pensioned & his cause abandoned,
but the revenues of districts were retained by the British.

• In 1777, Nana Phadnis granted the French a port on the west coast.

• The English retaliated by sending a force towards Pune.

• The English faced a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Talegaon.

• The English surrendered by mid-January 1779.

• Treaty of Wadgaon - The territories conquered by the British after 1773 were
returned and the revenue of Bombay was to be shared with the Marathas.
 1
Treaty of Salbai (1782)
Warren Hastings
captured 1 Madhav Rao II was recognised as the Peshwa.
Ahmedabad (1779)
and Bassein (1780)
with a large force.
3
2 Salsette will be under the possession of the
English.
A new Treaty of Salbai
(May, 1782) was
signed between the
2 Territories, conquered after Treaty of Purandhar,
British and Nana
Phadnis.
3 including Bassein should be restored to the
Marathas.
Gwalior fell into
British hands in
August 1780.
4 The English should not offer any further support
to Raghunathrao.

5 The English should enjoy the privileges in trade

as before.

6 The Peshwa should not support any other

European nation.

Advantage Disadvantage
Both sides ensured each
No support to Ragunatharao
other’s strength, mutual
by British.
respect and peace.
Reduced British possessions
No molestation of each
and Maratha supremacy
other’s allies.
was proved
Negligible gains for British
Significant for Britishers in
and high expenditure in the
their expansionist interest.
war.
 Second Anglo Maratha War(1803-05)
• Sawai Madhav Rao died in 1795.

• Succeeded by the Baji Rao II, son of Raghunath Rao.

• Marathas were the only major Indian power left outside the sphere of British control.

• The British had by now decided to put an end to the Maratha challenge.

• Wellesley now turned his attention towards them & began aggressive interference in
their internal affairs.
• British divided, the warring Maratha sardars through clever diplomacy & then
overpowered them in separate battles during the second Maratha War.

• October 1802: Baji Rao II & Sindhias were defeated by Yashwantrao Holkar, at
the Battle of Hadapsar near Poona.

• Peshwa fled to British protection & in December concluded the Treaty of

Bassein with the Company ceding territory for the maintenance of a subsidiary
force & agreeing to treaty with no other power.

• This act on the part of the Peshwa, their nominal overlord, horrified &
disgusted the Maratha chieftains; in particular, the Sindhias & the Bhonsles
contested the agreement.
 Treaty of Bassein
It was a Subsidiary alliance treaty signed by Baji
Rao II with the British.
British troops were permanently
The Peshwa accepted the company's protection kept in Maratha territory.
and had to pay a large annual subsidy.

English Army will be stationed at Pune. End to the Maratha independence

and British paramountcy in Indian
subcontinent was increased.
Foreign relations with other states will go under
British control . Acceptance of British arbitration in
all differences between Peshwa
The Peshwa surrendered the city of Surat. and other states increased
influence of Company.
The Peshwa gave up all claims for chauth on the
Nizam's dominions
December 17
Wellesley turned to
1803:Raghoji II Bhonsle 30 December 1803;
Holkar, but Yeshwant
signed the Treaty of Daulat Scindia signed
Rao Holkar proved more
Deogaon with the British the Treaty of Surji-
than a match for the
after the Battle of Anjangaon
British.
Adagaon/Argaon .

Using traditional Moreover, overcoming

He began hostilities with Maratha tactics of his age-old antagonism
the British by securing mobile warfare & in to the Holkar family,
the alliance of the Raja alliance with the Jats, he Sindhia began to think
of Bharatpur. fought British armies to of joining hands with
a standstill. Holkar.
 Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-19)

• Last bid by Marathas to overthrow the British.

• The lead in organizing a united front of the Maratha chiefs was taken
by the Peshwa who was smarting under the rigid control exercised by
the British Resident.

• However, once again the Marathas failed to evolve a concerted & well-
thought out plan of action.
The Peshwa Baji Rao II, attacked the The political and administrative
British Residency at Poona (November conditions of all the Maratha states
1917). were confused and inefficient.

The Bhonsle at Nagpur and the Appa Sahib of Nagpur attacked the
Sindhia at Gwalior had also residency at Nagpur, and the Holkar
become weak. made preparations for war.

The Peshwa was defeated at Khirki, Bhonsle at Sitabuldi,

and Holkar at Mahidpur.

Some important treaties were signed. These were:

§ Peshwa - Treaty of Poona, June 1817.

§ Sindhia - Treaty of Gwalior, November 1817.
§ Holkar - Treaty of Mandsaur, January 1818.
 Significance of the Treaties

The Maratha confederacy was dissolved.

The post of Peshwa was abolished.

Peshwa Bajirao became a British retainer.

A small principality, Satara, was formed and the

descendent of Shivaji, Pratap Singh was made its ruler.
 War Year Results Treaty

First Anglo The Sindhias were 1.Treaty of Wadgaon (1779)

1775 - 1782
Maratha War defeated by the English 2.Treaty of Salbai (1782)

Second Anglo The Peshwa signs

1803 - 1805 Treaty of Bassein (1802)
Maratha War Subsidiary Alliance

War Year Results Treaty

1.Treaty of Poona - with Peshwa (June
1817)
The Peshwa was defeated
Third Anglo 2.Treaty of Gwalior - with Sindhias
1817 - 1819 and the Marathas lost
Maratha War (November 1817)
their dominance forever.
3.Treaty of Mandasor - with Holkars
(January 1818)
Anglo- Mysore Wars
• The Anglo–Mysore Wars were a
series of wars fought in India over
the last four decades of the 18th
century.

• Between the Kingdom of Mysore &

the British East India Company,
represented chiefly by the Madras
Presidency.
 Haidar Ali and the Marathas

Marathas under After

Madhavrao He had to He Madhavrao’s
attacked pay them recovered all death in 1772,
Mysore, huge sums the lost Haidar raided
and defeated
Haidar Ali
of money. territories.. the Marathas
in 1764, 1766, during 1774-
and 1771. 76.
First Anglo-Mysore War (1767-69)
 Triggers

Nawab of Arcot - Ruled the Carnatic kingdom which had parts of Tamil Nadu
and adjacent regions, it was almost a puppet state of the Company.

Haidar Ali's friendship with the French alarmed the British.

The war continued for a year-and-a-half without

any conclusion.
English encroachments and fortifications around Mysore.
The English had to conclude a treaty with Haidar Ali
in April 1769.

Haidar Ali already had territorial disputes with the Nawab

of Arcot and differences with the Marathas.
 Treaty of Madras (April 1769)

• It provided for the exchange of

prisoners and mutual restitution
kopal

Gooty

of conquests.
Dharwar

Kurpa

• Mysore and Madras agreed Seringapatnam

mutual help in case of third-party

aggression.
Dindigul
Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84)
Triggers

British The French provided

When the Marathas the military
encroachments
invaded Mysore in demands like
and trespasses
1771, the British did saltpetre, lead, guns
into Mysore
not help. and other hardware
had increased.
through Male.

American War of
Independence had Immediate cause:
broken out in 1775 The English attacked
and French help and captured Male
made Warren in 1779.
Hastings anxious.
 The War

The English won over the Marathas through the Treaty of

Salbai in 1782. Treaty of Mangalore (1784)
La
w
In 1781, English army under Eyre Coote defeated Haider Ali i th s t B
at Porto Novo. an riti
s

tru es
eq o Ind h t

.
ce
it sid
ua n ia rea
l f a n n r ty

d o
l l e tw
a
oo ul
The English also bribed the Nizam with the cession of Guntur er

ca he
ti n
g.

T
in the Northern Circars.

g ed of

Ea ck t ta the
e
ed cas ith

ba ha the

ch he ke r.
French help under Suffren arrived in 1782, skirmishes l
p n w

it
s

pa ter n fr
s h i r d
continued. iti lity wa an

rty rit om
d o
r
B tra 's ic s.

ga orie
e u ore nat tha

ve s
n ys ar ra
M C Ma
Mysore had two setbacks - Death of Haidar Ali (1782) and
Recall of Suffren (1783).
 Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790-92)
The Treaty of Cornwallis Tipu Sultan sought
Mangalore was became the help from the
only a temporary Governor General Turks, the Arabs
respite and both in 1786, brought and the France
sides were the Marathas and through
convinced the Nizam to his ambassadors.
of inevitability side through
of war. diplomacy.

Triggers
Since Cochin
The English
Travancore was a
In 1790, Tipu sided with
had purchased feudatory of
Travancore
Jalkottal and Mysore, Tipu Sultan declared
along with the
Cannanore Sultan war against
Marathas
from the Dutch considered it a Travancore.
and Carnatic.
in Cochin. breach of his
sovereign
rights.
 The War
In 1790, Tipu In 1791, With the support Tipu Sultan
Sultan defeated Cornwallis took of the Marathas offered serious
the English the leadership, and the Nizam, opposition, but
under General marched the English lost.
Meadows. through Ambur attacked
and Vellore to Seringapatam.
Bangalore.
 Treaty of Seringapatam

Nizam acquired the A war damage of His two sons were

areas from the three crore rupees taken as hostages by
Krishna to was also taken the English.
beyond the Pennar. from Tipu Sultan.

Marathas got the

Nearly half of the Baramahal, Dindigul
regions surrounding
Mysorean territory and Malabar went
the Tungabhadra
was taken. to the English.
and its tributaries.
 Fourth Anglo Mysore War (1799)
• The English as well as Tipu Sultan used the period 1790 to 1799 to recoup
their losses.

• Wellesley became Governor General in 1797 when Britain was broiled in

the Napoleonic wars. Napoleon landed in Egypt in 1798, plotted with Russia
to capture the British possessions in India.

• There was communication between Tipu Sultan and Napoleon.

• Wellesley decided to prevent any alliance between Tipu Sultan and France.
 The War

The war began on Tipu Sultan was 1799: The British won a decisive victory at
April 17, 1799 and defeated first by the Battle of Seringapatam under the
ended on. May 4, English General leadership of Arthur Wellesley.
1799 with the fall of Stuart and then
Seringapatam by General Harris.

The Nizam was given the districts of Gooty

Tipu Sultan was
The English were killed before French and Gurramkonda.
again helped by the help could reach him,
Marathas and the his family members English took possession of Kanara,
Nizam. were interned at
Wynand, Coimbatore,Dwaraporam and
Vellore.
Seringapatam.
 War Year Results Treaty

First Anglo Mysore Haidar Ali forced the English to

1767 - 1769 Treaty of Madras
War conclude Treaty

Second Anglo Long drawn, both sides did not

1780 - 1784 Treaty of Mangalore
Mysore War gain anything significant

Third Anglo Mysore Tipu Sultan lost almost half of Treaty of

1789 - 1792
War his territories Seringapatam

Fourth Anglo
1799 Tipu Sultan defeated and killed Annexation
Mysore War
Anglo-Silk War
 Sikhs
• Punjab is a rebel state from Mughal Empire.

• The Sikh community united politically, culturally and economically under the Dal
Khalsa.

• Then the Sikhs further consolidated in misls.

Misl-Military brotherhoods with a democratic set-up.

12 important Misls - Ahluwaliya, Bhangi, Dallewalia, Faizullapuria, Kanhaiya,

Krorasinghia, Nakkai, Nishaniya, Phulakiya, Ramgarhiya Sukharchakiya, and Shaheed.
 Consolidation Under Ranjit Singh
• Towards the end of 18th century, all important misls were in a state of disintegration.
• Ranjit Singh carved out a kingdom in the central Punjab through his policy of ‘blood
and iron’.
• In 1799, he was appointed as the governor of Lahore by Zaman Shah, the ruler of
Afghanistan.
• In 1805, he conquered Jammu and Amritsar
• Treaty of perpetual friendship with English in 1809.
• Built up an army along European line with the help of European instructors.
• It is said that he possessed the second best army in Asia.
• He set up modern foundries to manufacture cannon at Lahore & employed Muslim
gunners to man them.
 Prelude to the War
Ranjit Singh died in June
1839.
Kingdom saw beginning of
process of disintegration when
Kharak Singh, his eldest son &
his only son Naunihal Singh
(grandson of Ranjit Singh)
were killed in 1840.
Followed by political instability
& rapid changes of
government.
Then, Sher Singh, another son
of Ranjit Singh was successful
with help of the Sikh army in
proclaiming himself Maharaja
in 1841 but he too was
assassinated in 1843.
 Prelude to the War
September 1843: Duleep
Singh, youngest son of
Maharaja was proclaimed the Selfish & corrupt leaders came
king with Rani Jindan as to the front.
regent & Hira Singh as Wazir
(who was murdered later).

Ultimately, power fell into the

hands of the brave & patriotic
but utterly indiscipline army.
 The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-46)

1 The Sikhs saw the British moves as an act of aggression.

English military campaigns & annexation of Gwalior and

Sindh in 1841 and Afghanistan in 1842 raised suspicions. 2
The sudden increase of English troops being
3 stationed near the border acted as a trigger.

The Sikh army crossed the River Sutlej on

December 11, 1845 and the English declared war. 4
 War

The treachery
There were five The Sikhs had of Lal Singh and
battles at Mudki, about 50,000 Teja Singh
Ferozeshah, men under the (generals of Sikh
Buddelwal, Aliwal overall army) caused five
and Sobraon. command successive
of Lal Singh. defeats.

Lahore fell to The Sikhs were

the British forced to sign
forces on the humiliating
February 20, Treaty
1846 without of Lahore.
a fight.
 The Treaty of Lahore (March 8, 1846)

War indemnity of more than 1 crore of rupees.

Daleep Singh was recognised as the ruler under
Rani Jindan as regent and Lal Singh as wazir.

Jalandhar Doab was annexed to the Company’s

dominions.
The Sikhs were not able to pay the amount. Kashmir
including Jammu was sold to Gulab Singh by
A British resident at was established at Lahore. the Company.
 The Revolt And Treaty of Bhairowal
• The Sikhs were not satisfied over the issue of Kashmir, so they rebelled
but were defeated and the treaty of Bhairowal was signed.

Rani Jindan's guardianship was ended.

A council of 8 Sikh chiefs under the chairmanship of a

British Resident was appointed for governance.

A permanent British army was placed at Lahore.

The Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49)

1
The defeat and the treaties of
Lahore and Bhairowal were highly
humiliating for the Sikhs.

2 Rani Jindan was sent to Benares

as a pensioner.

3
Dalhousie became the Governor
General in 1848 and started
annexing the kingdoms of India.
 The Trigger

Mulraj (Sikh
governor of He revolted and Lord Dalhousie
Multan) was other Sikh chiefs got a reason to
replaced by British rallied behind annex Punjab
over the issue of him. completely.
increase in annual
revenue.

Mulraj refused
to give charge This led to a mass
to two uprising in Multan.
Englishmen and
murdered them.
 The War
Three battles were fought at :

1. Ramnagar (November 1848): It was indecisive.

2. Chilianwala (January 1849): Sikhs emerged victorious.
3. Gujarat (February 1849): Sikh army was defeated by
Charles Napier.

The Afghan allies of the Sikhs were chased out of India.

01 Surrender of the Sikh army in 1849.

Dalhousie was appreciated by the British Parliament.

02

In 1853, the board was dissolved and Punjab was placed under
03
a chief commissioner.

A three-member board, of the Lawrence brothers

04 (Henry and John) and Charles Mansel was It extended the British frontiers to their natural
01
boundaries.
established.

Annexation of Punjab was extremely beneficial to the

02 British.

03 The threat of invasion via land was removed.

It placed the famous passes of the Northwest under the

04
British protection.
 War Year Results Treaty

1. Treaty of Lahore
The Sikhs were defeated by
First Anglo (1846)
1845-46 the British at five consecutive
Sikh War 2. Treaty of Bhairowal
battles
(1846)

Second Anglo The kingdom was

1848-49 The Sikh army surrendered
Sikh War annexed
Summary
Summary
Summary
Summary