What was the subsidiary Alliance?
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Answer:
Subsidiary Alliance was basically a treaty between the British East India Company and the Indian princely states, by virtue of which the Indian kingdoms lost their sovereignty to the English. It also was a major process that led to the building of the British Empire in India. It was framed by Lord Wellesley, the Governor-General of India from 1798 to 1805. It was actually used for the first time by the French Governor-General Marquis Dupleix.
The Nawab of Awadh was the first ruler to enter into the subsidiary alliance with the British after the Battle of Buxar. However, The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to accept a well-framed subsidiary alliance.
Subsidiary Alliance
The Subsidiary Alliance was devised by Lord Wellesley. Under the Subsidiary Alliance, the ruler of a state was provided with military security. Once provided with military security, the princely states could remain independent so far as internal matters were concerned but they could not exert their independence outside of the state. The British Company's Resident was kept in the court of the Indian king and the princely states had to pay an annual amount towards the cost of the Resident. The Indian ruler could not employ any European for his service without prior approval of the British. The Indian ruler also could not negotiate with any other Indian ruler without consulting the Governor-General. Under the Subsidiary Alliance, Hyderabad (1798), Mysore (1799), Peshwa (1802), Bhonsle and Scindia (1803), Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaipur (1818) came under the British.