On this day Robert Clive, who had defeated Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula in the Battle of Plassey (1757) and laid the foundation of British rule in Bengal, left Calcutta for England, wanting a political career back home. He was 34. He had also taken Chandernagore from the French and defeated the Dutch in Bengal.
But he left Bengal and the British East India Company in turmoil. Because of tax exemptions obtained for the private trade of the company’s employees, individual employees prospered at the expense of the company. Corruption became the order of the day and the company was almost bankrupt.
The Nawabs’ Murshi-dabad coffers bled, unable to satisfy the company’s demands. Mir Jafar was replaced by Mir Qasim as Nawab, who was defeated by the British in the Battle of Buxar (1764). This victory established British rule in Bengal firmly.
Clive came back to Bengal in 1765 and succeeded in putting the company’s affairs in order to a great extent.
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