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Module - III Colonial Era and the Indian Sepoy

Military History of the
purposes. The Company slowly consolidated its foothold by being friendly with all the
Colonial Era
local rulers and cleverly exploited their weaknesses. As was the case with other
Europeans, the British East India Company also had a few troops, which were later
supported by locally recruited sepoys. The Company won a major victory in the
Battle of Plassey in 1757, which became the remarkable beginning of its foothold in
Eastern India. The Strength of the East India Company increased after its victory in
1764 at the Battle of Buxar in which it defeated the combined Mughal armies of
Note Nawab of Bengal, Nawab of Awadh and King Shah Alam II and expanded its territory
around its bases in Bombay and Madras. The Anglo-Mysore Wars (1766 -1799) and
the Anglo-Maratha Wars (1772-1818) gave way to the control of the vast region of
India south of Narmada River. Indians in almost all the regions of the country contested
the Company's rule. They could not stop the rebellions and therefore in order to
suppress the rebellions, the British Parliament passed a bill to take over the administration
of India from the East India Company by the British Crown on 2nd August 1858,
immediately after the First Indian War of Independence in 1857. The East India
Company was condemned by the British Government for their lack of control and
allowing this event to take place.

Map 9.3- European Settlement in India
To avoid further disaster in future the company surrendered all their powers to the
Crown. The title of Viceroy was introduced who was the representative of the British
Crush in India. A complete picture of the presence of various colonies is given in the
map given above (Map 9.3).

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MILITARY HISTORY