The Battle of Plassey is one of the most decisive battles in the history of India

1. Dr. Monica Sharma

2. When ,Where and Between Whom?
 The Battle of Plassey was fought in north-eastern India at
Plassey
 on 23 June 1757.
 Troops of the British East India Company, led by Robert
Clive,
 came up against the forces of Siraj-ud-Daulah, the last
Nawab of Bengal, and his French allies.

3. Causes
 Disputed Succession of Siraj-ud- Daula
 Disrespect of nawab by the British
 British help to Nawab’s Rivals
 Support to Shaukat Jang

4. Siraj-ud Daula
 Siraj was born to Zain ud-Din Ahmed Khan and
Amina Begum in 1733,[7] and soon after his
birth, Siraj's maternal grandfather, was
appointed the Deputy Governor of Bihar.
Accordingly, he was raised at the Nawab's
palace with all necessary education and
training suitable for a future Nawab. Young
Siraj also accompanied Alivardi on his military
ventures against the Marathas in 1746. Siraj
was regarded as the "fortune child" of the
family. Since birth Siraj, had special affection
from his grandfather. In May 1752, Alivardi
Khan declared Siraj as his successor.[7] Alivardi
Khan died on 10 April 1756 at the age of
eighty.[7]

5. Disputed Succession
 Siraj-ud-Daulah's nomination to the Nawab ship aroused the jealousy and enmity
of his maternal aunt, Ghaseti Begum (Mehar-un-nisa Begum),
 Mir Jafar, Jagat Seth, Mehtab Chand and Shaukat Jung (Siraj's cousin). Ghaseti
Begum possessed huge wealth, which was the source of her influence and
strength.
 Apprehending serious opposition from her, Siraj ud-Daulah seized her wealth
from Motijheel Palace and placed her under confinement.
 The Nawab also made changes in high government positions giving them his own
favourites.
 Eventually, Siraj suppressed Shaukat Jang, governor of Purnia, who was killed in
a clash.

6. Misuse of Commercial privileges
 The servants of the East India Company misused their
Commercial privileges acquired from the Mughal Emperor
through 'Royal Farman(Firman) of 1717’,
 According to which the English Company could carry on trade in
Bengal duty-free.
 This privileges was misused by the Company's Servants for their
private trade and not only that, they sometimes even sold these
Passes or Dastaks to their friendly native traders which cost the
Nawab's treasury so dear.

7. Fortification Of Fort William
 By the time when Siraj-ud-Daulah
became the new Nawab of Bengal ,
both French and English were
strengthening their respective
fortifications in an expectation of war
that may likely occur between them
due to the seven years war(1756-
1763) that broke out between them in
Europe.
 When Siraj-ud-Daulah forbade them
to fortify their settlements, the French
readily obeyed while the English flatly
refused.s

8. Supported the Rebels
 The English fully exploited the discontentment of the Hindus
against the tyrannical rule of the Muslim and instigated them
against the Nawab and had even given shelter to them.
 Once, Siraj demanded the surrender of one of his bitterest
enemy, Krishna Das to him, the latter flatly refused.
 Thus, being provoked Siraj marched to Calcutta and seized the
English Factory at Kasimbazaar
 and then occupied Fort William on 20th June,1756. Siraj then
returned back to Murshidabad, leaving Calcutta under the
charge of one of his Officer, Manikchand.

9. The treaty of Alinagar
 When the news of the fall of Calcutta reached Madras,
 A large Naval and Military Expedition was sent under Admiral
Watson and Colonel Robert Clive who reached Calcutta in
December,1756 and recovered back Calcutta on January, 1757 without
any serious fighting.
 Finding himself in a difficult condition, Siraj then concluded a treaty
with the English on 9th February, 1757, known as "The treaty of
Alinagar"
 which conceded all the demands of the English. But the Treaty of
Alinagar failed to restore the friendly relation between the two.

10. Black Hole Incident
 Siraj retaliated and captured Kolkata (for a short while
renamed Alinagar) from the British in June 1756.
 The Nawab gathered his forces together and took
Fort William.
 The captives were placed in the prison cell as a
temporary holding by a local commander,
 but there was confusion in the Indian chain of
command, and the captives were left there overnight,
and many died.

12. Conspiracy
 To further weaken the position of the Nawab, they contacted Mir
Jafar, the Commander-in-Chief the Nawab's army through Amin
Chand and entered into conspiracy for overthrowing Siraj-ud-Daulah
with a promise of the Nawabship of Bengal.
 Though the conspiracy got leaked out, but unfortunately Siraj
showed lamentable lack of decision and energy, so failed to act
accordingly.
 Had he acted with promptness and arrested Mir Jafar, the bid for
'Coup' would have been failed.
 Instead, he foolishly rely on the assurances of the traitor, Mir Jafar by
making a hastly decision for war against the English, with Mir Jafar as
the Commander of his forces.

13. March by Clive
 When all conspiracy got ready, Clive charged Siraj-ud-Daulah
of violating the Treaty of Alinagar (9th Feb,1756) by entering
into conspiracy with the French
 and without waiting reply, marched towards Murhidabad with a
troops of 3000 strong (800 European and 2200 Indian Sepoys).
 The Nawab was then forced to come out of his Capital to give
battle to the English with his motley and disaffected army of
50,000.
 Thus, both armies confronted each other at Plassey, on the
bank of Bhagirathi River.

14. Events
 After Siraj-ud-Daulah's conquest of Calcutta, the British sent fresh troops
from Madras to recapture the fort and avenge the attack.
 A retreating Siraj-ud-Daulah met the British at Plassey. He had to make camp 27
miles away from Murshidabad.
 On 23 June 1757 Siraj-ud-Daulah called on Mir Jafar because he was saddened by
the sudden fall of Mir Mardan who was a very dear companion of Siraj in battles.
 The Nawab asked for help from Mir Jafar. Mir Jafar advised Siraj to retreat for that
day.
 The Nawab made the blunder in giving the order to stop the fight. Following his
command, the soldiers of the Nawab were returning to their camps.
 At that time, Robert Clive attacked the soldiers with his army. At such a sudden
attack, the army of Siraj became in disciplined and could think of no way to fight.
 So all fled away in such a situation.

15. End of Siraj ud daula
 Betrayed by a conspiracy plotted by Jagat Seth, Mir Jafar, Krishna Chandra,
Omichund etc., he lost the battle and had to escape.
 He went first to Murshidabad and then to Patna by boat, but was eventually
arrested by Mir Jafar's soldiers.
 Siraj-ud-Daulah was executed on 2 July 1757 by Mohammad Ali Beg under
orders from Mir Meerun, son of Mir Jafar in Namak Haram Deorhi as part of
the agreement between Mir Jafar and the British East India Company.
 Siraj-ud-Daulah's tomb is located at Khushbagh, Murshidabad. It is marked
with a simple but elegant one-storied mausoleum, surrounded by gardens.[26

17. Effects of Battle of
Plassey

18. Political Effects
• The Battle of Plassey resulted in the end of the French forces.
• Mir Jafar was crowned as the Nawab of Bengal
• Mir Jafar was unhappy with the position and instigated the Dutch
to attack the British in order to consolidate his foundation.
• The British installed Mir Qasim as the Nawab of Bengal.
• The British became the paramount European power in Bengal.
• Robert Clive was titled “Lord Clive”, Baron of Plassey and also
obtained a seat in the British House of Commons

19. .
Economic Effects
• The economy of India was affected severely.
• Post the victory, the British started imposing severe rules and
regulations on the inhabitants of Bengal in the name of tax collection.