Robert Clive

Robert Clive was largely responsible for the East India Company getting control of Bengal thus leading to the whole of India later on. So, it can be said that Clive laid the foundations of the British Raj in India.

Background

Born in 1725 in England.
Arrived in Fort St. George (Madras) in 1744 to work for the East India Company as a ‘factor’ or company agent.
He enlisted in the company army where he was able to prove his ability.
He earned great fame and praise for his role in the Siege of Arcot which saw a British victory against the larger forces of Chanda Sahib, the Nawab of the Carnatic and French East India Company’s forces.
Also known as “Clive of India”.

Clive in India

Clive’s initial stay in India lasted from 1744 to 1753.
He was called back to India in 1755 to ensure British supremacy in the subcontinent against the French.
He became the deputy governor of Fort St. David at Cuddalore.
In 1757, Clive along with Admiral Watson was able to recapture Calcutta from the Nawab of Bengal Siraj Ud Daulah.
In the Battle of Plassey, the Nawab was defeated by the British despite having a larger force.
Clive ensured an English victory by bribing the Nawab’s army commander Mir Jaffar, who was installed as Bengal’s Nawab after the battle.
Clive was also able to capture some French forts in Bengal.
For these exploits, Robert Clive was made Lord Clive, Baron of Plassey.
As a result of this battle, the British became the paramount power in the Indian subcontinent.
Bengal became theirs and this greatly increased the company’s fortunes. (Bengal was richer than Britain at that time).
This also opened up other parts of India to the British and finally led to the rise of the British Raj in India. For this reason, Robert Clive is also known as “Conqueror of India”.

Clive’s rule of Bengal

Robert Clive was the Governor of Bengal from 1757-60 and from 1765-67.
During his first tenure as Bengal’s governor, under the Nawab Mir Jaffar, corruption was rampant.
The company’s sole aim was maximising revenue at the expense of the peasants.
He amassed a great personal fortune in India and returned to Britain in 1760.
He returned to India in 1765 as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bengal.
At this time, there was widespread corruption in the company.
So Clive forbade the company’s employees from engaging in private trade. He also barred them from accepting gifts.
He started a ‘Society of Trade’ in 1765 but it was later abolished.
Mir Jaffar’s son-in-law Mir Qasim had ascended the throne of Bengal.
He wanted to wrest himself from English influence.
The Battle of Buxar was fought between the British and the combined forces of Mir Qasim, Shuja Ud Daulah (the Nawab of Awadh) and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. The British won this battle.
As a result of this battle, the Diwani (right to collect revenue) of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha was granted to the British by the Mughal Emperor in return for an annual sum of money and Allahabad and Kora districts.
Robert Clive, who could have had Awadh as well, refrained from annexing it. He intended to use it as a ‘buffer’ state between the British and the Marathas.
The Nizamat (territorial jurisdiction) of Bengal remained with the Nawab. In reality, the English held this power.
This was Clive’s Dual System where the company was the Diwan and the Nawab held the Nizamat.

Robert Clive’s legacy

He has been vilified by many in India especially for atrocities committed on Indian peasants, high taxes and also the forced cultivation of cash crops which led eventually to famines.
He also faced trial in England because of the enormous personal fortune he earned in India.