| The
English East India Company: The British in India |
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By 1750 the
Mughal Empire had been weakened by wars and it was breaking
up into smaller states. The company took this as an
opportunity to extend its territory in India.
In 1757 the
Nawab of Bengal captured the company's settlement at
Calcutta because it refused to stop strengthening its
walls against a possible attack by the French. Robert
Clive, one of the company's military officials, recaptured
the settlement at the Battle of Plassey.
From this
time on the East India Company became more of a ruling
power than a trading company in India. Some senior members
of the Company grew very wealthy and returned to London
to build properties.
The British
government became concerned about the Company's ability
to govern its territories and in 1783 it decided to
make Calcutta the centre of government under a new Governor-
General. The first person appointed to this role was
Warren Hastings. Power gradually slipped away from the
Company into the hands of the British government. By
1813 the company's trade was limited to China and this
was abolished in 1833. The company lingered on until
1857 when there was a rebellion in Bengal by the "Sepoys",
who were Indian troops employed by the Company. This
is believed to be India's first war of Independence.
The Company was abolished in 1858.
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