Battle of Buxar
The Battle of Buxar on October 22, 1764, sealed the outcome of the Battle of Plassey.
In the Battle of Buxar, the British defeated the joint alliance of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Bengal, Shuja-ud-daula of Awadh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, and established their dominance over almost the whole of North India.
Background Of The Battle Of Buxar
- Mir Jafar, though a puppet of Clive, was not able to meet the ever-increasing demand of the company, so he had to with draw.By 1760, Mir Jafar was in arrears of 25 lakh rupees, which he was unable to pay. This was the main reason but still Halleball (official governor) accused him of indulging in anti-British activities in association with the Dutch and Mughal prince Ali Gauhar.
- Mir Qasim took advantage of this opportunity. An agreement was reached between Mir Qasim and the Calcutta Council, under which Mir Qasim was to be made the Nawab of Bengal, in return the British would get half of the lime trade of Vardhaman, Midnapore, Chittagong district and Sylhet. Apart from this, the British would have got many more concessions.
- This agreement was implemented in Murshidabad in October 1760.Seeing the unfavorable situation, Mir Jafar gave up power in favor of Mir Qasim.
- As soon as he became the Nawab, Mir Qasim implemented all the terms of the treaty and rewarded the chief officers as well. But he was the most qualified person among the Nawabs of Ali Khan and this became the cause of the problem because he was not ready to become a puppet of the British.
- Mir Qasim again tried to establish an efficient governance system in Bengal. He took some major steps, such as shifting the capital to Munger, formation of the army according to the European method, efforts to improve the economic condition of the state, etc. These steps were not in favor of the English interests as the Company wanted a sensible but puppet Nawab.Further, the misuse of Dastak written order to transport goods by the British in internal trade made the situation extremely complicated. Attempts were made by Mir Qasim to solve the problem but he was unsuccessful.
Major Events
- The exemption given to the company in the form of dataka in internal trade was being heavily misused by the officials of the company. Not only did they use it for their private business but they also sold these rights to their Indian gomashtas (agents). Due to this not only the income of the Nawab was greatly reduced, but the condition of the people and merchants of Bengal had also become very pathetic.
- When no agreement could be reached in this regard, Mir Qasim finally took strict action and removed all internal taxes. Now the Indian merchants and the British merchants had come on an equal footing and this was unbearable for the British. As a result of this the struggle started.
- The war between the Company and Nawab Mir Qasim had started in 1763. There were many minor skirmishes, in which Mir Qasim was defeated but he reached Awadh escaping.
- Shuja-ud-daula, the Nawab of Awadh and the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II who was in Awadh at that time together with Mir Qasim.Formed a joint coalition against the British.
- In October 1764, the battle between the two factions near Buxar and the British won the battle. It was not a war won by conspiracy and the Battle of Plassey, but a victory for a more skilled army on the battlefield.
Outcomes Of The Battle Of Buxar
- Buxar confirmed the decisions of Plassey.
- After Buxar,almost the whole of North India was under the control of the British. The Nawab of Awadh, who was the most important of the then North India
- Considered a powerful ruler, he was in debted to the British and the Mughal emperor who was still considered the least symbolic emperor of India had become a British pensioner.
- After the Battle of Buxar, the British received the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from the Mughal Emperor in a legal form through the Treaty of Allahabad.
- After this these areas could never again come out of the control of the British.The Battle of Buxar had clearly exposed India's enslavement and after that it was only a matter of time.
