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Nawab Sirajuddaulah

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The Battle of Plassey
Nawab Sirajuddaulah, the young ruler of Bengal in the mid fifties of the eighteenth century was the first from amongst the local rulers of India, who apprehended the real designs of the Britishers. They in the guise of traders were planning to be ultimate rulers of India. He took over the reign of Bengal at an approximate age of twenty four years after the death of his maternal grandfather Nawab Ali Wardi Khan in 1756 AD. He refused to grant permission to the Britishers of East India Company to build more forts in Bengal. When they tried to avoid the orders on one pretext or the other, Nawab Sirajuddaulah took them to the task and brought the English factory in Qasim Bazar under his control. Soon after that he captured Calcutta. As the news reached Madras, East India Company sent a contingent of its soldiers under the command of colonel Clive through sea route.

The clash that took place between Sirajuddaulah's army and Clive's soldiers resulted in no body's win. Consequently a pact was reached between the Nawab of Bengal and the British War Lord. Taking advantage of the peace time situation Clive, on one hand took the Hindu trading community of Bengal in confidence which had flourished on the business of imported cloth supplied to them by the business houses of East India Company. Quiet a few of them were agency holders/wholesale agents of the Company. On the other hand he purchased the loyality of Mir Jaffer, commander of Nawab Sirajuddaula's army. Having made his position firm with these two measures, Clive launched an attack on the Nawab's army on June 23rd 1757. Historic battle of Plassey was fought fiercely but lost by the Nawab who had been betrayed by his next in command and a powerful section of the native people, the Hindu traders. Nawab Sirajuddaula fled to Murshidabad but was apprehended on the way and mercilessly killed by the son of Mir Jaffer.

Battle of Plassey had a far reaching impact on the history of the such continent. It paved the way for nearly 200 years long British rule over India. In the annals of history Sirajuddaula is however, remembered as a courageous national hero who had the ability to see through the ultimate designs of the Britishers operating on Indian soil in the guise of traders but was unable to defeat them owing to the betrayal of some of his own confidants.

However, the worthless traitor, Mir Jaffar could not rule for more than three years as a protege of Clive. He was thrown out of power in 1760 AD and his son-in-law Mir Qasim was installed as ruler of Bengal in his place. Mir Qasim turned out to be a strong willed and independent man, much against the expectations of his patrons. The East India Company had been given the right to carry on the internal trade in Bengal, without paying any duties but when the company's employees asked for the same privilege for their private business, Mir Qasim declined to accept the demand. This led to war between the company and the Nawab of Bengal who fought bravely but was defeated in one battle after the other. His allies asked for peace but Mir refused to surrender and died a fugitive in 1777 AD.