Robert Clive

Robert Clive was born in England on September 29, 1725. He joined the British East India Company in 1744 and served as a clerk at Fort St. George in Madras for the following two years. Clive eventually quit his clerical job and enlisted in the British army. He established British sovereignty in India by defeating the united troops of the Mughal emperor, Nawab of Awadh, and Nawab of Bengal in the Battle of Buxar.  Following his victory at the Battle of Buxar, Robert Clive was named Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the British territories in Bengal by London officials.

The Bengal Settlement of Robert Clive

• The Mughal emperor awarded the English Diwani authority over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. Their Nizamat privileges, on the other hand, remained with the Nawab.
• Consequently, the English agreed to pay the Nawab a certain sum each year to cover his expenses. This arrangement is known as the “Dual Government in Bengal.”
• Clive’s political manoeuvrings demonstrated his insight.
• The Battle of Buxar had put the English in a position to seize control of a large area of northern India rapidly.
• However, the Company lacked the necessary financial and military means to take on that responsibility.
• Consequently, Clive took no chances, avoided all potential complications, and secured agreements that provided the full company advantages with no risk or additional obligation.

Settlement Between Robert Clive and the Nawab of Awadh

On August 16, 1765, Robert Clive met with the then-Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-Daula, and signed the Treaty of Allahabad with him.

• Shuja-ud-possessions Daula’s were guaranteed under specified terms and circumstances under this treaty. They were as follows:

1. The Nawab was ordered to hand up the regions of Allahabad and Kara to Mughal ruler Shah Alam II.
2. The firm was to get an Rs. 50 lakh war indemnity.
3.  Balwant Singh, the Zamindar of Banaras, was to be awarded complete ownership of his estate.

The Nawab of Awadh, Shuja-ud-Daula, consented to the Treaty of Allahabad’s stipulations.

• Nawab decided to pay the Company for troop maintenance. He also entered into an arrangement with the British East India Company. The Nawab agreed to offer military support to the Company in times of need, and the Company decided to send troops to the Nawab to protect its borders.
• The Company and the Nawab formed a good connection due to this deal.
• Awadh was designated as the company’s buffer state.

Administrative Reforms of Robert Clive

Reforms in the Civil Service

Bribery and corruption were common among the British East India Company personnel in the middle of the 18th century.  After realizing this, Robert Clive instituted several administrative changes. The following are some of the most significant civic reforms.

• The Company’s servants were requested to sign a contract prohibiting them from taking presents.
• He made the payment of internal duties obligatory and prohibited the Company’s servants from engaging in private trade practices.
• Robert Clive founded the Society of Commerce in August 1765, and it was awarded the monopoly of trade in salt, betel nut, and tobacco. The earnings from these deals were divided among the Company’s servants according to their grades.
•  However, this resulted in a spike in the price of necessities, making life harder for Bengalis. In 1767, the organization was terminated by Clive.

Reforms in the Military

• Military officers in Bengal were paid twice as much in Bhatta, or field allowances, as their Madras counterparts. As a result, in 1763, the Court of Directors issued an order reducing the double Bhatta that Bengal military commanders were receiving. The order, however, was not carried out.
• In 1765, Clive stated that only military officers serving outside the borders of Bengal and Bihar would be paid double: Bhatta. This was put into effect on January 1, 1766. Despite protests from the White Brigades, he carried out the command.

Robert Clive’s Legacy

• Robert’s legacy in India was British hegemony for nearly 200 years. India and the United Kingdom developed cultural relations during this time that had lasted when colonial rule ended.
• Clive had a considerable influence. He had almost single-handedly ensured the beginnings of the British Empire and the current distinctive combination of British and Indian traditions.

Importance of Robert Clive’s Rule

Throughout the second Carnatic war, Clive commanded British forces against a joint force of the Nawab of Carnatic and the French East India Company, blockading Arcot from September 23 to November 14, 1751.

In the Battle of Plassey in Bengal in 1757, he defeated the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula.

 The Battles of Buxar and Chinsura were won by the British under his reign.

The majority of Robert Clive’s administrative innovations were a fiasco. Most of his expedients were blamed for adding to the chaos in India rather than bringing peace. During Robert Clive’s rule, taxation changes were a fundamental cause of the Bengal famine of 1770.

Conclusion

Clive’s political manoeuvrings revealed his foresight. He arranged agreements that gave the Company full benefits with no risk or additional obligations. On August 16, 1765, Clive signed the Treaty of Allahabad with Shuja-ud-Daula, the then-Nawab of Awadh. The Mughal emperor gave the English Diwani control over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. The Nawab, on the other hand, kept their Nizamat rights. For over 200 years, Robert Clive’s legacy in India was British control. He made internal duties mandatory to pay and forbade the Company’s servants from engaging in private trade practices. Only military officers working outside the frontiers of Bengal and Bihar would be paid double: Bhatta, according to Clive in 1765. Despite the White Brigades’ complaints, he carried out the instruction. In 1745, the British East India Company was established, and in 1749, Robert Clive was appointed as its first captain. On June 23, 1757, he fought against the soldiers of Siraj-ud-Daulah, the founder of Bengal, at the Battle of Plassey in north-eastern India.