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Indian Freedom Struggle (1707–1947 A.D.)

Notes • The second round of the conflict also proved inconclusive. On land the superior English
generalship had been demonstrated when their candidate Mohammed Ali was installed the
Nawab of Karnatic.
• The outbreak of the Seven Years’ War in Europe ended the short peace between the European
Companies in India. In April 1757, the French Government sent Count de Lally who reached
India after a voyage of twelve months in April 1758. In the meantime the English had defeated
Siraj-ud-duala and captured Bengal in 1757. The conquest of Bengal placed at the disposal of
the English the immense riches of Bengal and with that financial stick they could beat the French
effectively in Southern India.
• A staggering blow was struck at the French at Wandiwash (1760) by Sir Eyre Coote. Bussy was
taken prisoner. The French in January 1761 ignominiously retreated to Pondicherry. Pondicherry
after a blockade of eight months capitulated to the English. Mahe and Jinji were lost by the
French in quick succession. Thus was rung down the curtain to the drama of Anglo-French
rivalry in the south. Undoubtedly the French position in India was lost beyond redemption.
• The first English factory in Bengal was established at Hugli in 1651 under permission from
Sultan Shuja, second son of Emperor Shahjehan and then Subahdar of Bengal.
• Soon after English factories sprang up at Kassimbazar, Patna and other places in the province.
In 1698 the English obtained from Subahdar Azim-us-Shan the zamindari of the villages of
Sutanuti, Kalikata and Govindapur, the present site of Calcutta, on payment of Rs. 1,200 to the
previous proprietors. In 1717 Emperor Farrukhsiyar confirmed the trade privileges granted by
earlier Subahdars of Bengal, besides according permission to the Company to rent additional
territory around Calcutta.
• Philip Woodruff’s argument that plunder was the main motive behind the Nawab’s attack on
Fort William hardly stands the test of careful scrutiny. Fort William was besieged on 15 June
1756 and surrendered after a feeble resistance of five days. Governor Roger Drake and other
important citizens escaped through the back door down the river Hooghly. The Nawab placed
Calcutta under the charge of Manik Chand and returned to Murshidabad.
• In February 1757, the Nawab made peace with Clive by the Treaty of Alinagar (Calcutta renamed
so after Siraj-ud-daula captured it) restoring to the English their former privileges of trade,
granting permission to fortify Calcutta and promising compensation for the losses suffered by
the English.
• The wheel had gone a full circle. Now the English were on the offensive. Taking advantage of
the disaffection among the Nawab’s officers, Clive arranged a conspiracy in which Mir Jaffar
(the Commander-in-Chief of the Nawab’s army), Rai Durlabh, Jagat Seth (an influential banker
of Bengal) and Omi Chand, an intermediary, joined. It was planned to make Mir Jaffar the
Nawab who in turn was to reward the services of the Company and pay compensation for the
losses suffered by them earlier.
• The English had given great offence to the Nawab by capturing the French settlement of
Chandernagore in March 1757. At a time when the Nawab feared an Afghan invasion from the
north and a Maratha invasion from the west, the English force under Clive proceeded towards
Murshidabad to fight against the Nawab. On 23 June 1757 the rival forces faced each other on
the battlefield of Plassey, a mango grove 22 miles south of Murshidabad. The English army
consisted of 950 European infantry, 100 European artillery, 50 English sailors and 2,100 Indian
sepoys. The Nawab’s large army of 50,000 was commanded by the treacherous General Mir
Jaffar. An advance party of the Nawab’s troops led by Mir Mudan and Mohan Lal got the better
of the English troops and forced Clive to withdraw his forces behind the trees. A stray shot
from the English side, however, killed Mir Mudan. Siraj-ud-daula summoned his army officers
and sought their advice. Mir Jaffar played upon the fears of the Nawab and counselled a
withdrawal of the army behind the entrenchment. Further, the Nawab was advised to retire
from the battlefield leaving the control of operations to his Generals. The card was well played.
The Nawab retired to Murshidabad followed by 2,000 horsemen. The little band of Frenchmen

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