Aliwardi Khan,Nawob of Bengal),India. www. indianetzone.com |
Bengal Nawob durbar and the British. credit: www.colombia.edu |
In 1733, the Nawob of Bengal complained about the English traders and their untrustworthy British company. It was something like this:
...When they first came into the country, they petitioned the then government in a humble manner for liberty to purchase a spot of ground to build a factory house upon, which no sooner granted than they built a strong fort, dug a ditch around it to have communication with the nearby river and mounted a great number of guns upon the walls. They enticed several merchants and others to go along with them and take protection under them and collected a revenue which ran into Rs 10,00,000.00 ... ..... they robbed, plundered and carried great number of the king’s subjects of both sexes into slavery in their own country …...A total breach of trust and confidence on the part of East India Company.
Map of early Bengal credit www. leics.gov.uk |
The recent devastation caused by the unexpected invasion, plundering and looting of vast treasures by Nadir Shaw from Persia left the Mogul ruler Mohamed Shah bewildered and exasperated. It took a beating on Mogul's power and prosperity. Cracks developed in their powerful hold on the Indian subcontinent. While elsewhere, particularly, in many north Indian kingdom a chaotic situation was prevailing, Bengal under Alivardi Khan, had been prosperous, peaceful and paradise; well progressed in agriculture, industry and banking as was illustrated by Jagat Seth, banker's banker; a haven for wheeling and dealing.
At last, the British reached the final stage of putting the noose around the Nawob' neck and his country after the battles at Plassey (June, 1757) and Buxar (October,1764). All they had to do was to tighten the rope around the neck. By being dishonest and cheat, the British company made a sucker out of the Nawob of Bengal whose business dealings with them were honest and without any blemish.
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_Presidency