INSTITUTE-UILS

DEPARTMENT OF LAW
B.A LLB
History-III (HIT213)

Foundation of the British Rule in Bengal

DISCOVER . LEARN .
EMPOWER
 HISTORY
Course Outcome • Foundation of the British
Rule in Bengal.
CO Number Title Level
1 Students will know the  Understand
policies of the
Britishers in annexing
India and their impact
on India
2 Students will Understand
understand the reasons  
of cultural synthesis in
India
3 Students will be able to Understand
analyze the causes and
events of Revolt of
1857
4 Students will be able to Understand
understand about the
various Socio
Religious reform
movements.

Will be covered in
this lecture
2
 BRITISH RULE IN INDIA
 The rise and consolidation of the British empire in
India between the middle of the eighteenth century and
the early decades of the nineteenth century begin with.
 The defeat of Siraj-ud-Daula in the battle of Plassey,
offering an easy victory to the British without a serious
military engagement.

3
• From time immemorial, India had trade relations with
countries in the West.
• This European trade was carried out by Arab
merchants who bought things in India and sold these
to European countries.
• European merchants were trying to find out a route to
India so that they could trade directly with the country.
• This indirect trade came to an end with the discovery
of a sea- route between Europe and India. Vasco da
Gama of Portugal reached Calicut in 1498.
 The Portuguese Trade

• The Portuguese established their headquarters in Goa,

Daman and Diu on the western coast of India and
established their monopoly over trade with India.
• The success of the Portuguese traders prompted other
European countries to set up trading companies for
trade with India and other parts of Asia and Africa.
• Thus, Holland, England, France and Denmark set up
trading companies. With the arrival of other European
companies, the Portuguese lost their predominance
over Indian trade.
 The Dutch East India Company

• The Dutch East India Company was more

interested in the profitable spice trade with
the islands of the East Indies.
• They were soon pushed out by the other
European companies.
 The English East India Company
• In 1600, a company popularly known as the English
East India Company was established by a small group
of English merchants.
• Queen Elizabeth, by a charter, granted them the
exclusive right to trade with the East.
• The East India Company set up its first factory at Surat.
A factory, in those days, was not a place where goods
were manu­factured. It consisted of a warehouse, an
office and residential quarters. They were so named
as the Company officials, also called ‘factors’, resided
there.
• Madras became an important British trading settlement.
In 1688, Bombay was transferred to the Company by King
Charles II, who had received it as a dowry from the
Portuguese at an annual rent of 10 pounds. The company
also established trading center at Fort William in Calcutta.
By 1700 the East India Company had established three
important factories in Madras, Bombay and Calcutta.
• There was in Europe a demand for Indian goods such as
indigo (a blue dye), saltpeter (used for gunpowder) and
handloom textiles. Indian merchants flocked to the trading
centers and the East India Company carried on profitable
trade.
 The French East India Company

• The French East India Company, which was formed in 1664,

established trade centers at Surat, Pondicherry near
Madras, Chandernagar in Bengal and Mahe near Mysore.
The French East India Company was founded by the French
government and its factories depended on government
support.
• By the 18th century, the British and the French East India
Companies had emerged as the two major European
trading companies in India. So a conflict between the two
companies over trade and power was unavoidable. The
French and the English were equally determined to
monopolize the flourishing trade with India.
 The Carnatic Wars
The First Carnatic War (1742-1748):
• In 1740 war broke out in Europe over the problem of succession to the Austrian
throne. In this war France and England fought on opposite sides. Technically,
therefore, the British and the French in India were also at war with each other.
Events:
• Dupleix, the French Governor in India, captured Madras. The English appealed to
Anwar-ud-din, the Nawab of the Carnatic, to save Madras. The Nawab sent an
army against the French. A small but disciplined and well- equipped French army
completely defeated the large army of the Nawab.

Results:
• The War of Austrian Succession ended in 1748. Peace came to India as well. The
treaty restored Madras to the English. Thus ended the First Carnatic War without
any territorial gain on either side. The war, however, had raised the prestige of
the French. It had also demonstrated the superiority of western method of
warfare over that of the Indian. Anwar-ud- din’s huge army was defeated by a
small French force.
 The Second Carnatic War
The Second Carnatic War was the result of English and
French interference in local politics with a view to
making substantial gains. Dupleix had decided to use
the army to establish French predominance in the
Deccan.
Causes:
• In 1748, the rulers of both Hyderabad and Carnatic
died. In Hyderabad, a bitter contest for throne
ensued between Nasir Jang and Muzaffar Jang. In the
Carnatic, Chanda Sahib contested the claim of
Anwar-ud-din to the throne.
 Continued
Events:

• French support to Muzzafarn Jung and Chanda Sahib in Hyderabad and Carnatic
respectively
• English support to their opponents in the two states (Nasir Jung in Hyderabad and
Anwar-ud-din and later his son Muhammad Ali in the Carnatic)
• Success of the French in both states in defeating and murdering their opponents
and placing their supporters on the throne in 1749
• Capture of Arcot by the English under the Clive (1751) and successive defeats of
the French by the English
• Capture and execution of Chanda Sahib (he was killed by a general of Tanjore, an
ally of the British during the war-1752) and placement of Muhammad Ali on the
throne of the Carnatic
• Futile efforts of Dupliex to reverse the trend (1753-54), and his recall by the
French government (1754)
• Retention of French position at Hyderabad through their agent Bussy
 The Third Carnatic War
Causes:
• In the year 1756, Seven Years War broke out in Europe. With the outbreak of
hostilities between England and France in Europe, the Third Carnatic War started
in India. The French Government sent Count de Lally to replace Dupleix. Clive was
replaced by Eyre Coote.
Events:
• In order to strengthen himself, Lally recalled Bussy from Hyderabad. The English at
once secured Northern Sarkars from the Nizam of Hyderabad. Lally was finally
defeated by Sir Eyre Coote in the Battle of Wandiwash in 1760.
Results:
• The war in India ended with the end of the war in Europe. The French possessions
were restored by the treaty but they were not allowed to fortify them. The French
dream of establishing an empire in India was shattered. The Northern Sarkars
passed into the hands of the English. The English East India Company emerged as
the strongest power in South India. They could now derive political and economic
advantages without being challenged by any other foreign power.
 Reasons for English Success
• The English East India Company was a private
enterprise owned by British merchants capable of
taking risks. The British Government did not interfere
in the affairs of the Company. The French East India
Company, on the other hand, was a Government
concern. The French Government was not willing to
finance the Company’s heavy war expenses.
• The English Company was financially much stronger
than the French. After the conquest of Bengal, it had
huge resources at its command. The French
Company suffered from lack of resources.
 Continued
• The superior naval strength of the English contributed
enormously to their success. A strong English navy helped the
Company to bring reinforcement from home. Moreover, their
supplies landed at their naval base in Bombay. The French naval
base in distant Mauritius caused considerable delay and put
them at a disadvantage.
• The French generals quarreled among themselves. But the
English generals offered united resistance to the French. There
was hardly any coordination between the French army and the
navy.
• The recall of Dupleix proved disastrous to the French. Possibly,
he alone could have given the leadership which the French
Company urgently needed.
 Assessment Pattern

1. Explain the First Carnatic War.

2. Write down the causes and events of the Second Carnatic War.

3. Evaluate the Result of Carnatic War.

4. Mention the reasons behind English success.

16
 REFERENCES
• Reference Books:
• Sarkar Sumit, Modern India 1885-1947, Macmillan, New Delhi, 2001.
• Pandey Gynendra,Remembering Partition, Cambridge University Press, New Delhi, 2003
• Pal Bipin Chandra, India’s Struggle for Independence, Penguin Books India, New Delhi, 2002

• Reference Website:
• https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/152829/9/09_%20chapter%20ii.pdf

• Reference Journal for advance study

• Crimmigration and the prison: Comparing trends in prison policy and practice in England &
Wales and Norway

17
THANK YOU

For queries
Email: sneh.e9797@cumail.in