Battle of Plassey, 1757

At a Glance

• What it is The battle in which the Company overthrew the Nawab of Bengal
• Date 23 June 1757, at Plassey, north of Calcutta
• Commander Robert Clive against Siraj-ud-daula
• Key factor The conspiracy with Mir Jafar, Rai Durlabh, Jagat Seth and Omichand
• Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: British Conquest of Bengal

Where Does It Fit?

This is the fourth topic of the category on the British conquest of Bengal. The previous topic described Bengal and the Nawab’s troubles. This topic covers the battle that changed its rulers. The next topic follows Mir Kasim and the Treaty of 1760. Previous topic: Bengal on the Eve of British Conquest: Alivardi Khan and Siraj-ud-daula.

What Led to the Battle?

The officials of the Company misused its trade privileges, which hurt the Nawab’s finances. The English fortified Calcutta without the Nawab’s permission, tried to mislead him, and gave asylum to the political fugitive Krishna Das, son of Raj Ballabh, who had fled with immense treasures against the Nawab’s will. The Company suspected that Siraj would drastically reduce its trade privileges in collusion with the French in Bengal. When Siraj attacked and seized the English fort at Calcutta, it brought their hostility into the open.

Calcutta fell on 20 June 1756. The Black Hole story is told of the following night, but historians question its numbers, as explained in Bengal on the Eve of British Conquest: Alivardi Khan and Siraj-ud-daula.

How Was the Battle Won Before It Was Fought?

A strong force under Robert Clive arrived at Calcutta from Madras and strengthened the English position in Bengal. Clive formed a secret alliance with the Nawab’s traitors: Mir Jafar, Rai Durlabh, Jagat Seth (an influential banker of Bengal) and Omichand. Under the deal Mir Jafar was to be made Nawab, and he would reward the Company for its services. The secret alliance strengthened the English position further.

The English victory in the Battle of Plassey on 23 June 1757 was therefore decided before the battle was even fought. Because of the conspiracy of the Nawab’s officials, Siraj’s force of about 50,000 was defeated by a handful of Clive’s men. Mir Jafar, who commanded part of the Nawab’s army, held his division back, and Rai Durlabh, who commanded the right wing, urged Siraj to withdraw. Siraj left the field and the army dispersed.

What Happened to Siraj-ud-daula?

Siraj-ud-daula fled Murshidabad by boat and was captured at Rajmahal on 2 July 1757. He was betrayed to Mir Jafar’s side, and Mir Jafar’s son Miran had him murdered that night.

What Did the Company Gain?

As a result of the victory, Mir Jafar became the Nawab of Bengal. He gave large sums of money to the English plus the zamindari of the 24 parganas. After Plassey, the English virtually monopolised the trade and commerce of Bengal, and vast resources of Bengal were placed at their disposal.

• Political foundation Plassey laid the foundation of the British empire in India and has been rightly regarded as the starting point of British rule
• Military supremacy It established the military supremacy of the English in Bengal and ousted their main rivals, the French
• Territory for an army They obtained territory for the upkeep of a properly equipped force, and their prestige increased manifold
• Form versus substance There was no apparent change in the form of government, but supreme control passed to Clive, on whose support the new Nawab was fully dependent
• Resident The sovereignty of the English over Calcutta was recognised, and the English posted a Resident at the Nawab’s court

Was Plassey a Great Battle?

As an analytical point, Plassey was small as a battle but large as a turning point. The result was settled mainly by treachery inside the Nawab’s camp and by the Company’s money and organisation, not by a clash of armies. Its importance lies in what followed: control of Bengal gave the Company revenue, trade and a base from which to fight the French and later the Mughal emperor.

Another view, set out in Third Carnatic War and the Treaty of Paris, argues that Wandiwash (1760) was the real turning point because it removed the French. Historians still debate which was more decisive.

Why Is This Topic Important?

• Most asked battle Plassey appears in Prelims and Mains in many forms
• Direct facts The date, the conspirators and the grants to the Company are standard questions
• Link to later topics The next steps in Bengal, Buxar and the Diwani all follow from Plassey

What Came Next?

The next topic covers Mir Kasim and the Treaty of 1760, when the Company replaced Mir Jafar with a more capable Nawab.

Key People and Terms

• Plassey The battlefield of 23 June 1757 north of Calcutta
• Mir Jafar The traitor commander who became Nawab after Plassey
• Miran Mir Jafar’s son who ordered the death of Siraj-ud-daula
• 24 parganas The zamindari Mir Jafar gave the Company
• Resident The Company’s representative at the Nawab’s court
• Conspiracy A secret plan by a group to overthrow a ruler

Exam Corner

Mains Angle

Questions ask about the causes and significance of Plassey. These points add depth.

• Treachery over arms The outcome was shaped by conspiracy within the Nawab’s camp
• Resources Control of Bengal gave the Company money for further wars
• Beginning of rule Plassey shifted the Company from trade to political power