North South University

Project on Bengal History

Battle of Palashi
Submitted to: Masood Imran, PhD

Department of History and Philosophy

Course: Bangladesh: History and Culture

Course Code: HIS 101

Section: 18

Submitted by: Atae Rabby

Student ID: 1512385030

Course Instructor
Professor Dr. Masood Imran
Department of History and Philosophy
North South University

Dear Sir,
I am very pleased to submit the report on ‘battle of Palashi’. On this report I
will cover the battle of Palasi that took place on 23 June 1757 between Nawab
Sirajuddaula and the East India Company.
I consider myself extremely fortune to prepare this report; but my effort will
be successful if the report is satisfactory to you.

Sincerely

Atae Rabby

ID- 1512385030
 Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Background

3. Bengal Subah under Mughal Empire

4. How did Siraj-ud-daulah became the Nawab of Bengal?

5. British settlements in Bengal: Duty free trade and abuse of

dastak

6. Conflicts between the Nawab Siraj and the East India

Company

7. The consequences

8. Battle of Palashi

9. Finally

10. Various reasons stated by historians for the battle and

takeover by the Company

11. Conclusion

12. Bibliography
 Synopsis

The Battle of palashi was a decisive victory of the British East India Company over the
Nawab of Bengal and his French allies on 23 June 1757. The battle consolidated the
Company's presence in Bengal, which later expanded to cover much of India over the next
hundred years. The battle took place at Palashi on the banks of the Bhagirathi River,
about 150 kilometres (93 mi) north of Calcutta and south of Murshidabad, then capital of
Bengal (now in Nadia district in West Bengal). The belligerents were the Nawab Siraj-ud-
daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, and the British East India Company. Siraj-
ud-daulah had become the Nawab of Bengal the year before, and he ordered the English
to stop the extension of their fortification. Robert Clive bribed Mir Jafar, the commander
in chief of the nawab's army, and also promised him to make him Nawab of Bengal. He
defeated the Nawab at Plassey in 1757 and captured Calcutta. The battle was preceded by
the attack on British-controlled Calcutta by Nawab Siraj-ud-daulah and the Black Hole
tragedy. The British sent reinforcements under Colonel Robert Clive and Admiral Charles
Watson from Madras to Bengal and recaptured Calcutta. Clive then seized the initiative
to capture the French fort of Chandernagar. Tensions and suspicions between Siraj-ud-
daulah and the British culminated in the Battle of Palasi. The battle was waged during the
Seven Years' War (1756–63), and, in a mirror of their European rivalry, the French East
India Company sent a small contingent to fight against the British. Siraj-ud-Daulah had a
numerically superior force and made his stand at Palashi. The British, worried about
being outnumbered, formed a conspiracy with Siraj-ud-Daulah's demoted army chief Mir
Jafar, along with others such as Yar Lutuf Khan, Jagat Seths, Omichundand Rai Durlabh.
Mir Jafar, Rai Durlabh and Yar Lutuf Khan thus assembled their troops near the
battlefield but made no move to actually join the battle. Siraj-udDaulah's army with
18,000 soldiers was defeated by 3,000 soldiers of Col. Robert Clive, owing to the flight of
Siraj-ud-daulah from the battlefield and the inactivity of the conspirators. The battle was
ended in 40 minutes. This is judged to be one of the pivotal battles in the control of
Indian subcontinent by the colonial powers. The British now wielded enormous influence
over the Nawab and consequently acquired large amounts of concession for previous
losses and revenue from trade. The British further used this revenue to increase their
military might and push the other European colonial powers such as the Dutch and the
French out of South Asia, thus expanding the British Empire in Asia.
Battle of Palashi
Introduction

The Battle of was fought between Nawab Sirajuddaula and the east India
company on 23 June 1757. It lasted about eight hours and the Nawab was
defeated by the agency because of the betrayal of his top general Mir Zafar.
The political consequences of Palashi were far-reaching and devastating, and
so it turned into a war even after a mere conflict. It laid the foundation of the
British rule in Bengal. For the English East India Company, Bengal was the
springboard from which the British expanded their territorial domain and
subsequently built up the empire which gradually encompassed most parts
of India and ultimately many parts of Asia as well.
Background:

The battle had a long background that could be traced from the beginning of
the East India Company's settlement in Bengal in early 1630s where they
came for trade. The EIC had established many factories at Surat, Madras,
Bomby, Calcutta and Dhaka in the 17 th century. In 1717 Mughal emperor
Farrukhsiyar granting the rights to trade within Mughol empire, But this
right was misused by the company officials. When Siraj succeeded as Nawab
of Bengal, he ordered the company to stop interfering in political affair of
Bengal, pay tax and stop fortification But British did not agree with Nawab.
Bengal Subah under Mughal Empire

Bengal was part of Mughal Empire known as Bengal Subah which was
peaceful and prosperous region. Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were merged for
administrative purposes during Mughal regime. In Emperor Aurangazib’s
era, taking advantage of his absence, a group revolted in Bengal. Taking
advantage of the situation, the foreign trading companies built their own
forts around their factories—later had an impact on the political
development. Murshid Kuli Khan was the first Nawab of Bengal under the
Mughal Empire.
How did Siraj-ud-daulah became the Nawab of Bengal?

Sarfaraz Khan was the successor of Murshid Kuli Khan. He gave up power to
his father Shuja-ud-Din to become the Nawab. Mirza Mohammad
Ali/Alvardi Khan was made Mansabdar (general) by Shuja-ud-Din and
served Sarfaraz Khan too. He was politically ambitious and got permission
from Mughal Empire to be the Nawab. He defeated Sarfaraz Khan in the War
of Giria and became the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar & Orissa. He had no male
heirs. He adopted Siraj-ud-daulah, his grandson, as his heir. Alvardi Khan
was the maternal grandfather of Siraj-ud-daulah. Siraj-ud-daulah succeeded
him after his death. He became Nawab officially on 10 April 1756.

British settlements in Bengal: Duty free trade and abuse of

dastak

 The East India Company set its foot in Bengal in 1633 when a factory
was established at Hariharpur on the Mahanadi delta. On 2 February,
the English obtained a farman from Emperor Shahjahan permitting
them to pursue trade and commerce in Bengal and trade free of duty
on payment of an annual sum of three thousand taka.

 It was this unique privilege that led the company to assert political
domination of Bengal in course of time

 In the same year, the English founded their factory at Hugli, one at
Kasim Bazar in 1658 and one in 1668 in Dhaka, the capital of
Bengal. They founded Fort Williams in 1696 and kept on trying to get
zamindari of the nearby moujas. In 1697 they were allowed to have
zamindari of three villages – Sutanoti, Govindapur and Calcutta.
These surrounding areas of Fort Williams turned into city of Calcutta.
From that time onward began the processes of establishing political
dominance of the company in Bengal.

 From the beginning of the 18th Century, the company was having
ever-increasing trade in Bengal. The number of ships coming to
Bengal was increasing every year.
 The company tried to take advantage of the weakness of the center
after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, but Murshid Quli Khan was
resolutely opposed to giving new advantages to the company while
severely restricting the old privileges.

 The Calcutta Council sent an embassy under John Surman to

Emperor Farrukhsiyar with lavish presents. The Surman Embassy was
warmly received by the emperor who was pleased to issue a farman,
popularly known as Farrukh Siyar’s Farman of 1717 (December 30,
1716) which directed the Bengal Subahdar to give the following main
privileges to the company

 that in addition to the existing privileges the company was to be

given zamindari right over the 38 mouzas adjoining the Calcutta
settlement;

 that in case the goods belonging to the company and other

English were stolen, attempts must be made to recover the goods
failing which proper compensation must be given;

 that Madras rupees of Surat quality must pass in Bengal without

any discount

 that the original sanads must not be demanded

 that all persons who might be indebted or accountable to the

company should be delivered up to the Chief of the Factory

 that a dastak given by the chief of the factory should exempt the
goods from being stopped or examined by the chowkis

 that the Subah should allow the company to coin money at the
Murshidabad Mint

 The company knew it very well that the Nawab, as they knew him,
would not be agreeable to abide by this charter of rights which was
 actually purchased from the needy emperor and which had
undermined seriously the sovereign status of the kingdom.

 But they also knew that he had given them some legal basis of their
extortionate trade and commerce in Bengal and fight for the
realization of the privileges on 'legal' grounds. The farman did not
enumerate the articles to be covered by dastak. So the Nawab's
chowkis and the company officials were in confusion and the situation
resulted in frequent conflicts, sometimes skirmishes. While the
company officials saw that the Nawab himself gave many orders to
arrest and confine the violators of law, the company even threatened
reprisal. But Murshid Kuli Khan avoided the direct confrontation

 In era of Shujah-ud-Din Khan, the company to get their demands

realized, especially the zamindari rights over 38 villages. Shujah-ud-
Din followed the footstep of his predecessor and very cautiously
followed a policy of keeping the continuation of export trade
undisturbed and at the same time avoid any confrontation with the
company

 The company would not allow the chowkis to examine the cargo of
boats on the legal ground that the imperial farman of 1717 exempted
them of such examination

 During Shujah-ud-Din Khan's period (1727- 1739) East India Company's

trade increased phenomenally despite very cold relation between the
Nawab and the English. With the expansion of trade and commerce
grew the company's political interest in Bengal. It became the
company's policy to see a Nawab at Murshidabad favorably disposed to
it

 Such a favorable disposition the company got, by default, during the

regime of Alivardi Khan (1740-1756)
  Being constantly harassed by the Maratha raiders, Alivardi found it
prudent not to create another front of harassment by taking strict
measures against abuses and excesses of the East India Company

 After the War of Austrian Succession, both the French and the British
continued fortification of their settlements. Though the French
listened to the warnings from Alivardi Khan, the British disregarded
his orders

Conflicts between the Nawab Siraj and the East India Company

 Maratha incursions withered away at the accession of Siraj to the

masnad

 The relations between Nawab Sirjaj and the Company was bitter from
the beginning as they did not send gifts during Nawab’s coronation. It
is utterly disrespectful to the ruler of the region

 The Nawab directed the English to observe three conditions if they

wanted to continue trade and commerce in Bengal: (i) they must
demolish the unauthorized fortification of Calcutta immediately, (ii)
they must stop abuses of dastak and (iii) they must abide by the law of
the land

 The British ignored all the warnings and furthermore they gave refuge
to Nawab’s enemies and began to form alliance with family members
and officials who were against the young Nawab

The consequences….

 When the Council Chief of Fort William Drake ignored Nawab’s

instruction of returning Krishna Balwav and stop fortification, he
seized a factory at Kasimbazar

 The Nawab seized the Fort Williams and Calcutta on 20 June 1756
 The Nawab didn’t have powerful navy to oust the English company
completely from Bengal

 The British Company concocted the Black Hole Tragedy propaganda

against the Nawab

 The English army captured Calcutta back January 1757 . They asked for
compensation. When the Nawab wanted to mitigate peacefully, they
destroyed Hugli port

 The Nawab made Alinagar Treaty with them with the condition that
Drake would return to Britain and return the 38 villages to the
Company

 Robert Clive came to Bengal with two purposes:

 To oust Nawab Siraj from Masnad and to have a puppet Nawab

who would be in favor of them

 To eliminate French competition from Bengal

 With those intentions in mind, he further captured the French

settlement at Chandannagar

 He also conspired with Nawab’s local enemies including ambitious

courtiers like Mir Jafar, Rai Durlov and influential businessmen

 He played a role in palace politics involving Nawab’s aunt Ghoseti

Begum and Shawkat Jung

 The documents show that Robert Clive and the Company consciously
decided to take arms against the Nawab

 The British Company had a secret treaty with Mir Jafar

 The historical documents show that young Nawab was aware of the
conspiracy
  Nawab dismissed Mir Jafar from the royal court and Mir Jafar was
fearful for his life and fled from the capital, put his aunt under home
arrest and killed Shawkat Jung

 Yet under the persuasion of other courtiers, Nawab made

reconciliation with Mir Jafar who swore over the Quran to serve
faithfully.

 Had the Nawab taken strict action against Mir Jafar, Robert Clive
might not have dared to march towards Murshidabad

Battle of Palashi

 Though reconciliation with Nawab made Mir Jafar a suspect in the eyes
of the British, he very soon reassured them and asked them to march
toward Murshidabad

 Clive wrote to Nawab that he was marching Murshidabad on 13 June as

the latter violated the conditions of the Treaty and the Farman

 The Nawab marched with army and camped at Palasi

 Nawab’s army was larger and stronger than the Company’s one

 Under the Nawab’s leadership, Mir Madan, Mohanlal and others put a
strong fight against the Company troop

 Mir Jafar and other conspirators remained idle and did not participate

 When Mir Madan died from a cannon ball, the Nawab got baffled and
asked for advise from Mir Jafar

 Mir Jafar advised to retreat. Nawab agreed against the advice of others

 The Company attacked the retreating Nawab’s army and won

Finally….

 The battle began around 8 am and was over by 5 pm because of the

local conspirators on 23 June 1757

 The result was decided within only half an hour

 Clive proceed victoriously towards Murshidabad and the capital was

looted

 Nawab Siraj was captured and executed by his adopted brother

Mohammadi Beg

 The British were able to oust their rival the French Company from the
region

 Mir Jafar becoming the Nawab ended the independent Nawabi regime
in Bengal

 The British Company assured smooth trade of opium and other goods
to all over Asia

 It was the foundation of British Empire in Indian sub continent

Various reasons stated by historians for the battle and takeover

by the Company

 Nawab’s cruel , ruthless character encouraged him to get into conflict

with the Company coupled with his disregard of nobles and ministers
made them go against him- proved to be a false claim by Indian
historians later

 Internal crisis of the dominant ruling class and indecisiveness on part

of the young Nawab

 Exploitation of Hindu community’s discontentment against tyrannical

Muslim rule- proved to be wrong

 Accidental conquest by the Company- proved to be false

  To ensure the smooth trade of opium to China and Southeast Asia, the
British Company took the recourse of ‘sub-imperialism’

 Expansion of Company officials’ private trades was assured

 The elimination of French competition from Bengal

Conclusion

It was first of Britisher in Bengal and other sub continent of india Which
control over all political affairs in later. So Historian’s are found that thus the
battle of palashi paved the way for the beginning of Britisher Empire in
Bengal. This is judged to be one of the pivotal battles in the control of Indian
subcontinent by the colonial powers. The British now wielded enormous
influence over the Nawab and consequently acquired large amounts of
concession for previous losses and revenue from trade. The British further
used this revenue to increase their military might and push the other
European colonial powers such as the Dutch and the French out of South
Asia, thus expanding the British Empire in Asia.

Bibliography

Books

BK Gupta, Sirajuddaulah and the East India Company, 1756-1757, Leiden,

1962; JN Sarkar (ed). The History of Bengal, 2, Dhaka 1968; KK Datta, Siraj
ud-daulah, Calcutta, 1971; PJ Marshall, Bengal - the British Bridgehead,
Cambridge, 1987; RK Ray, Palashir Sharajantra O Shekaler Samaj (in Bangla),
Calcutta, 1994; S Chaudhury, The Prelude to Empire, Palashi Revolution of
1757, New Delhi, 2000.