Question

Who were the Residents? What purpose did they serve?

Answer 1

They were commercial agents serving organisation's interests.

• The individual was a senior British diplomat stationed Princely States capital, assuring ruler's allegiance to the alliance while simultaneously working as a diplomat.
• This was viewed as a system of indirect governance that the British resident constantly monitored.
• After the Battle of Buxar in 1764, the East India Company hired residents in several princely realms in India, including Gwalior, Lucknow, and Hyderabad.
• They were expected to promote the Company's importance and were renowned for their implied control over the Indian states.