Page 18 - SST Class 08

By the 1763, Treaty of Paris, though the French The Battle of Plassey, 1757
factories were restored, they could not be forti- The battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the

fied or even garrisoned with troops. British East India Company over the Nawab of
They could only serve as centers of trade. The Bengal and his French allies on 23 June 1757.
battle of Wandiwash ended almost a century old The belligerents were the Nawab Siraj-ud-
conflict between British and the French and Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal,
finally established the supremacy of the English and the British East India Company.
in India. The troubles between Siraj-ud-Daulah and the
Causes for the Failure of the French British led to the Battle of Plassey. The battle was
g The French had no suitable military base in fought during the Seven Years’ War (1756–63).
India, whereas the possession of Bengal, The French East India Company sent a small
besides being a source of wealth to the group to fight against the British. Siraj-ud-Daulah
English, gave them a firm base of operation had more soldiers and chose to fight at Plassey.
on the mainland. The only major power that stood in the way of
the British East India Company from establishing
g The English were financially better off. They
never forgot that they were primarily a their stronghold in Indian colonies was the
trading body and all through the war they Nawab of Bengal and his French allies. The
did not neglect their trade, whereas the Battle of Plassey was the victory of the Company
French Company suffered enormous losses over the Nawab establishing Company rule in
in trade. Bengal.
He defeated the Nawab at Plassey in 1757 and
g The naval superiority of the English was an
captured Calcutta (Kolkata). The battle was
important factor in this contest for supremacy.
preceded by the attack on British-controlled
g The English Company got full support from
Calcutta (Kolkata) by Nawab Siraj-ud-daulah
their government while the French
and the Black Hole massacre. The British sent
Company did not get support from home
reinforcements under Colonel Robert Clive and
country.
Admiral Charles Watson from Madras (Chennai)
WARS WITH INDIAN RULERS AND RISE
to Bengal and recaptured Calcutta (Kolkata).
OF BRITISH POWER

Taking advantage of the confusion that prevailed
after the death of Aurangzeb, one of his gover-
nors, Alivardi Khan of Bengal, asserted his
independence. He was diplomatic enough to
maintains good terms with English, but at the
same time did not allow them to fortify their
settlements. He was succeeded by his grandson
Siraj-ud-Daula.
Siraj-ud-Daula was suspicious of the desings of
the English, so he came into conflict with them.
Clive meeting Mir Jafar in a suitably suppliant
He was however defeated by the English in the mood after the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
Battle of Plassey.

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