Q2. Write an article on Plassey's fight.
Answers
The Battle of Plassey was a war fought between the British East India Company and the Nawab of Bengal and his close allies who were mainly the French troops. The battle was won on June 23, 1757, leading to the consolidation of the British in Bengal and later expanding other territories of India. The Battle of Plassey was fought at Palashi, on the banks of the Bhagirathi River near Calcutta and Murshidabad which was the public capital of Bengal. The Battle of Plassey was more of skirmishes than a battle according to some historians who were part of the seven years' war fought in India by the British.
Background Of The Battle Of Plassey
The Company had a strong presence in India and were located in three main stations; Fort St. George, Fort William, and Bombay Castle. The stations or camps were under the stewardship of the president and a council which was appointed by the directors in England. The British allied themselves with the Nawabs and princes in exchange for security against rebels and any form of external and internal attack. The Nawabs would give concession in return for their safety and protection. The French also established the French East Indian Company with two central stations; one in Bengal and the other in Carnatic both under the leadership of the presidency. The French became a threat to the British and poised to overtake them in India. The eruption of the War of the Austrian Succession which took place from 1740 to 1748 marked the start of a struggle for supremacy between the British and the French in the Indian subcontinent. However, the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 stopped the direct hostility between the British and the French powers.
The treaty did not last long before the two powers were again involved in indirect hostilities. The feud between the powers was for the succession of the position of Nawab and Nazam with both powers nominating their candidates for both posts. In both cases, the French candidates usurped the position through manipulations and assassinations. When Alvardi Khan who was the Nawab of Bengali died in April 1756, his son Siraj-Ud-daula succeeded him. The young Nawab immediately laid siege to Calcutta capturing it and imprisoning several British officials in June 1756. The news of the fallen Calcutta reached Madras in August 1756 with the council quickly sending the expedition of forces under the command of Colonel Clive to confirm the report and try and salvage the city. Clive managed to drive out Siraj and his army by early January 1757.