Open In App

Battle of Plassey

Improve
Improve
Like Article
Like
Save
Share
Report

The battle of Plassey is often referred to as a major turning point in modern Indian history, which led to the consolidation of British rule in India. The battle of Plassey was fought between the East India Company, which was headed by Robert Clive, and the Nawab of Bengal, who were Siraj-Ud-Daulah and his French troops.

Battle of Plassey

Battle of Plassey

What is the Battle of Plassey?

The battle of Plassey was fought between the East India Company which was headed by Robert Clive and Siraj-ud-Daulah. The high misuse by EIC officials for trade privileges has come to infuriate Siraj. The continued misconduct on the part of EIC against Siraj-ud-Daulah led to the Battle of Plassey in 1857.

The battle of Plassey is often referred to as a “decisive event” which became a major source for the ultimate rule of the British in India. The Battle was fought during the reign of the Mughal empire and the ruler was Alamgir- II.

Battle of Plassey

Battle of Plassey

Causes of the Battle of Plassey

The Battle of Plassey, which befell on June 23, 1757, became a vast occasion in the history of British colonialism in India. It marked a turning point in British management over the Indian subcontinent. The causes of the Battle of Plassey may be attributed to several elements:

1. Economic Interests: The British East India Company had hooked up a widespread presence in India and sought to make bigger its economic hobbies. The business enterprise become worried in exchange and desired to secure a dominant function inside the moneymaking Indian markets. The Battle of Plassey became seen as a way to gain manipulate over Bengal and its wealthy resources, in particular the thriving textile industry.

2. Political Instability: Bengal, beneath the rule of thumb of the Nawabs, become experiencing political instability and internal conflicts. The death of Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, in 1756 led to a power war for the throne. The British took gain of this turmoil and supported one of the contenders, Siraj-ud-Daulah, to turn out to be the Nawab.

3. Expansionist Ambitions: The British East India Company had objectives of territorial enlargement and sought to set up its political control in India. The Battle of Plassey supplied an opportunity to say their authority and give a boost to their foothold inside the area.

4. Trade Disputes: There had been disputes between the British and the Nawab of Bengal regarding exchange privileges and taxes. The British East India Company faced economic challenges because of these conflicts, which further fueled their desire for political management.

5. Alliances and Betrayal: The British controlled to form alliances with disgruntled local nobles and factions who had been opposed to the rule of Siraj-ud-Daulah. They gained the support of Mir Jafar, a navy commander and one of the contenders for the Nawab’s throne. Mir Jafar and his forces betrayed Siraj-ud-Daulah at some point in the struggle, which notably weakened Nawab’s function.

The fruits of those elements caused the Battle of Plassey, in which the British East India Company, led by Robert Clive, decisively defeated the forces of Siraj-ud-Daulah. The struggle resulted in British management over Bengal and laid the foundation for their subsequent dominance in India.

Who Fought the Battle of Plassey?

The table given below explains the participants of the Battle of Plassey and their significance in the battle:

Participants of the Battle of Plassey Role in the Battle of Plassey
Siraj-Ud-Daulah (Nawab of Bengal)
  1. He was involved in Black Hole Tragedy.
  2. Adversely affected by the rampant misuse of trade privileges by EIC.
  3. Attacked and also seized the English fort in Calcutta.
Robert Clive
  1. He gave asylum to political fugitive Krishna Das, which disappointed Siraj-ud-Daulah.
  2. There was a misuse of trade privileges.
  3. Fortified Calcutta without taking permission from Nawab.
Mir Jafar (Commander-in-Chief of Nawab’s Army)
  1. Was bribed by the East India Company.
  2. Was also made the Nawab by EIC for conspiration against Siraj-ud- Daulah
  3. Cheating Siraj-ud-daulah during the battle.
Rai Durlabh ( one commander of Nawab’s army) Had joined the army with Siraj-ud-Daulah but had not participated in the battle and betrayed Siraj.
Jagat Seth (Influential Banker) He was involved in the conspiracy which was of imprisonment and the ultimate killing of the Nawab Siraj-Ud- Daulah.
Omi Chand (Bengal Merchant) One of the main people behind the conspiracy against Nawab and also associated with the treaty negotiated by Robert Clive before the Battle of Plassey.

Effects of the Battle of Plassey

Apart from the fact that the British gained control of Northern India but only after the Nawabs, there had been several effects that were due to the Battle of Plassey:

Political Effects

  1. The Battle of Plassey led to the end of French forces in India.
  2. Mir Jafar was unhappy with the crowning of Mir- Ud- Daulah and had instigated the attack by the British for his growth.
  3. The battle of Chinsura was fought between the Dutch and British forces on November 25th of 1759.
  4. The British came to install Mir Qasim as the new nawab of Bengal and the British became the paramount European power in Bengal and Robert Clive came to be tiled as “Lord Clive.

Economic Effects

  1. The economy of India came to be affected adversely by the Battle of Plassey.
  2. Post the win, the British started the imposition of severe and strict rules and regulations on the inhabitants of Bengal in the name of the collection of text.

Importance of the Battle of Plassey

The importance of the Battle of Plassey is as follows:

Political Importance

Consolidation of British Power in India

1757 is an epoch-making year, as Indian history took a new turn in this year. As a result of the battle, not only did the influences of the Britishers in India become dominant but also the foundation of the British Empire was also laid in our country. That is why Royal Navy Officer, Admiral Watson wrote that “the victory of the British in the Battle of Plassey was of importance not only to the Company but also to the British nation in general“.

Increase in The Western Influence

After the victory of the battle, the business facilities of the Britishers were secured and developed. The company and the company’s servants made a lot of money and they became rich. 

Power Over Nawab

  1. This war made the British merchants the rulers and their power increased so much in Bengal that they became the Nawab makers in Bengal. 
  2. They replaced the brave and patriotic Nawab like Siraj-ud-Daulah with Mir Jafar. Mir Jafar was completely under the control of the British. The de facto rulers of Bengal became the British and the Nawabs started acting at their behest.
  3. The political dominance of the British was also evident from the fact that they did not require any bloodshed or war to remove Mir Jafar from the throne later.

Economic Importance

British East India Company’s Control: The victory of the British East India Company inside the Battle of Plassey mounted its political manipulation over Bengal, one of the wealthiest regions in India at that point. This management allowed the company to benefit get admission to Bengal’s full-size assets, including its agricultural produce, fabric enterprise, and trade networks. It supplied the organization with a sturdy financial base for further expansion and alternate dominance.

Trade and Commerce: Bengal, in particular the location around Calcutta (now Kolkata), changed into a thriving center of exchange and trade. The  British East India Company’s manipulation of Bengal unfolded new avenues for change and facilitated the expansion of British commercial hobbies inside the Indian subcontinent. It allowed the enterprise to set up monopolies and favorable change conditions, giving it a good-sized gain inside the Indian marketplace.

Revenue Generation: The Battle of Plassey and the following status quo of British management over Bengal enabled the British East India Company to extract tremendous revenues from the vicinity. The agency imposed taxes and levies on diverse monetary sports, such as change, agriculture, and production. These revenues contributed to the financial achievement of the business enterprise and helped finance its similar expansion in India.

Moral Importance

  • Increase in Unethical Practices: The moral consequences of the Battle of Plassey were extremely disastrous. The greed of the British for the money obtained from loot increased greatly and they repeatedly did many inhuman works to get the money. There was a tremendous moral decline among the British. They started getting money by all means, moral or immoral.
  • Increase in Corruption: Due to this the outbreak of corruption increased significantly. Its effect on the people was inevitable. Both the Nawab and the Company started plundering the subjects, due to which Bengal had to face severe objections.

Conclusion

The importance of the Battle of Plassey was very significant in Indian history. With this war, the influence of the British became dominant in India, but the path of establishment of the empire was not enough after the victory in the battle of Plassey.. However, after a few days, the battle of Buxar took place, as a result of which the establishment of the British state in India was determined.

Related Links

  1. Important Battles of Modern Indian History
  2. How trade led to Battles?
  3. British Control over Bengal

FAQs on the Battle of Plassey

Q 1. What was the reason behind the Battle of Plassey?

Answer-

The Battle of Plassey was fought primarily due to the British East India Company’s desire to expand its economic interests and political control in India, particularly in Bengal, which was a region known for its wealth and trade opportunities.

Q 2. Who fought the Battle of Plassey?

Answer-

The Battle of Plassey was fought between Siraj-ud-Daulah who was the Nawab then and the East India Company forces which was headed by Robert Clive.

Q 3. When did the Battle of Plassey take place?

Answer-

The Battle of Plassey took place on 23rd June 1757.



Last Updated : 14 Jun, 2023
Like Article
Save Article
Previous
Next
Share your thoughts in the comments
Similar Reads