The East India Company was established in London in 1600 AD. On 31 December 1600 AD, the East India Company received the monopoly of trade in the Orient for 15 years from Queen Elizabeth. In 1608, the East India Company ventured to establish a trading post in Surat, India. In 1651 AD, their trading huts were established in Patna, Hooghly, and Kashim Bazar. Apart from the conflict of the East India Company with the Nawabs of Bengal for various reasons during the establishment of trading posts in Bengal. This conflict reached a climax with Siraj-ud-Daulah and later Nawabs.
Causes of East India Company’s Conflict with the Nawabs
1. Misuse of Dastak
- In 1717, the emperor of Delhi, Farrukhsiyar gave the right of duty-free trade or clearance to the East India Company in Bengal.
2. Conflict over Building Fort
- On the pretext of the Deccan war, both the French and English wanted to build a fort in Bangal. Although both sides stopped construction of forts during the reign of Murshid Quli Khan and Alivardi Khan, but the East India Company was angry with the Nawabs of Bengal.
- During the reign of Siraj-ud-daula, both the French and the English again started building forts in Bengal under the pretext of war in the Deccan. When Sirajuddaula ordered them to stop the construction of the fort, the French complied, but the English did not heed his repeated orders and even insulted his messenger Narayan Das. This resulted in increased bitterness between the Nawab and the East India Company.
3. Conspiracy
- To dethroned Siraj-ud-daula, company joined with Ghaseti Begum, the elder daughter of Alivardi Khan and the governor of Purnia, Shaukat Jung.
- Mir Jafar was dethroned by the East India Company because there was a rumour that Mir Jafar conspired with the Dutch against the East India Company.
- The East India Company installed Mir Qasim on the throne on the pretext that Mir Qasim was in conspiracy with his rivals.
4. Other reasons
- The Company’s servants misused the concessions.Thereby, on the one hand, Nawabs were deprived of his legitimate revenue. On the other hand, Indian merchants suffered from this unequal competition.
- The Company wanted to use the mint coin of Murshidabad. But Nawab refused it.
- The Nawabs of Bengal brought charges of fraud against the company. They claim that the company is depriving the Bengal government of a huge amount of revenue. The company also undermined the authority of the Nawabs and disrespected them.
- The employees of the company monopolized the Nawab’s trade in essential commodities such as salt, sugar, bamboo etc. They intimidated the local artisans and merchants and forced them to sell their goods cheaply to the East India Company.
- The employees of the company began to collect extortion and tribute from the Nawab’s servants and zamindars in various ways. As a result, the Nawab suffered a lot.
All these factors were responsible for the conflicts between the Bengal Nawabs and the East India Company.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What were the causes of conflict between nawabs and East India Company?
Ans: There were many reasons such as misuse of Dastak, conflict about building Fort, conspiracy, extortion by the company’s servants etc.
2. In which century did the conflict between the company and the nawabs of Bengal intensified?
Ans: In early 18th century or after getting Forman from Faruksear the conflict between the company and the nawabs of Bengal intensified.
3. How the employees of the East India Company misused Dastak?
Ans: Dastak or compensation was given to the company only. But the employees of the company used it for their personal business.
4. How Indian merchants were suffered due to the missus of Dastak ?
Ans: The Company’s servants misused the concessions. Thereby on the one hand Nawabs deprived of his legitimate revenue. On the other hand, Indian merchants suffered from this unequal competition.