The Ascent of John Company : From Traders to Rulers (1756-1787)

The Ascent of John Company is the story of the founding of the British empire in India. The process of founding empires is rarely, if ever, edifying. It is invariably a sordid story of brutality and violence, tempered to some extent by blatant lies, corruption, skullduggery and intrigue. Robert Clive and Warren Hastings, the two names that come most readily to mind when one thinks of the founders, were no heroes in their times. Still less were Vansittart, Verelst, or Coote ‘Bahadur’. We have a governor who was overthrown and imprisoned by his own Councillors, and a general who had to be bribed to take the field! Many of them were accused of atrocious crimes, of murder and extortion. Bribe taking, peculation and corruption were the least of their ‘high misdemeanours’ and the most egregious were ruined by the judicial processes to which they were subjected on their return. The word nabob, which was applied to them by their own countrymen was anything but complimentary. The romanticization of the empire came much later; it was a phenomenon of the later Victorian period, but in spite of the fact that the empire has long since faded away, nostalgia for the Raj still lingers among some circles. For such people this volume will be a useful corrective; the past always seems better than the contentious present. Even for others, who may not see the past through rose tinted glasses, this book will help to place things in perspective. To paraphrase Dickens, ‘this is the best of times, and the worst of times’ – and it has always been so. "The Ascent of John Company is the story of the founding of the British empire in India. The process of founding empires is rarely, if ever, edifying. It is invariably a sordid story of brutality and violence, tempered to some extent by blatant lies, corruption, skullduggery and intrigue. Robert Clive and Warren Hastings, the two names that come most readily to mind when one thinks of the founders, were no heroes in their times. Still less were Vansittart, Verelst, or Coote'Bahadur'. We have a governor who was overthrown and imprisoned by his own Councillors, and a general who had to be bribed to take the field! Many of them were accused of atrocious crimes, of murder and extortion. Bribe taking, peculation and corruption were the least of their 'high misdemeanours' and the most egregious were ruined by the judicial processes to which they were subjected on their return. The word nabob, which was applied to them by their own countrymen was anything but complimentary. The romanticization of the empire came much later; it was a phenomenon of the later Victorian period, but in spite of the fact that the empire has long since faded away, nostalgia for the Raj still lingers among some circles. For such people this volume will be a useful corrective; the past always seems better than the contentious present. Even for others, who may not see the past through rose tinted glasses, this book will help to place things in perspective. To paraphrase Dickens, 'this is the best of times, and the worst of times'--and it has always been so."--Provided by publisher The Ascent Of John Company Is The Story Of The Founding Of The British Empire In India. The Process Of Founding Empires Is Rarely, If Ever, Edifying. It Is Invariably A Sordid Story Of Brutality And Violence, Tempered To Some Extent By Blatant Lies, Corruption, Skullduggery And Intrigue. Robert Clive And Warren Hastings, The Two Names That Come Most Readily To Mind When One Thinks Of The Founders, Were No Heroes In Their Times. Still Less Were Vansittart, Verelst, Or Coote. We Have A Governor Who Was Overthrown And Imprisoned By His Own Councillors, And A General Who Had To Be Bribed To Take The Field! Many Of Them Were Accused Of Atrocious Crimes, Of Murder And Extortion. Bribe Taking, Peculation And Corruption Were The Least Of Their 'high Misdemeanors' And The Most Egregious Were Ruined By The Judicial Processes To Which They Were Subjected On Their Return To England. The Word Nabob, Which Was Applied To Them By Their Own Countrymen Was Anything But Complimentary. The Romanticization Of The Empire Came Much Later; It Was A Phenomenon Of The Later Victorian Period, But In Spite Of The Fact That The Empire Has Long Since Faded Away, Nostalgia For The Raj Still Lingers Among Some Circles. For Such People This Volume Will Be A Useful Corrective; The Past Always Seems Better Than The Contentious Present.-- G.s. Cheema. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 359-361) And Index. "The Ascent of John Company is the story of the founding of the British Empire in India. The process of founding empires is rarely, if ever, edifying. It is invariably a sordid story of brutality and violence, tempered to some extent by blatant lies, corruption, skullduggery and intrigue. Robert Clive and Warren Hastings, the two names that come most readily to mind when one thinks of the founders, were no heroes in their times. Still less were Vansittart, Verelst, or Coote. We have a governor who was overthrown and imprisoned by his own Councillors, and a general who had to be bribed to take the field! Many of them were accused of atrocious crimes, of murder and extortion. Bribe taking, peculation and corruption were the least of their 'high misdemeanors' and the most egregious were ruined by the judicial processes to which they were subjected on their return to England. The word nabob, which was applied to them by their own countrymen was anything but complimentary. The romanticization of the Empire came much later; it was a phenomenon of the later Victorian period, but in spite of the fact that the Empire has long since faded away, nostalgia for the Raj still lingers among some circles. For such people this volume will be a useful corrective; the past always seems better than the contentious present."-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Half Title 2 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 8 Acknowledgements 10 1. Introduction 12 2. The Background: Bengal before Plassey 22 3. Plassey and the Fall 34 4. The Puppets and the Puppeteers 44 5. The Plight of Nawab Ali Jah 61 6. The Tragedy of Mir Qasim, Nawab Ali Jah 71 7. Amongst False Friends 84 8. The Bengal Mutinies 94 9. Buxar and Thereafter 104 10. Clive Sets Things in Order 116 11. The Fading of the Nizamat 131 12. The Company Bahadur’s Rule 142 13. The Entry of Warren Hastings: A Prelude 155 14. Hastings in Bengal: The First Casualties 162 15. Hastings and His Council 180 16. Nand Kumar’s attack 190 17. The Counter-Attack 204 18. Sir Elijah’s Court in India 230 19. Warren Hastings and Munny Begum 253 20. The Destruction of Chait Singh 265 21. The Turn of the Begums 284 22. The Hastings Return Home 309 23. The Nabob’s Life in India 321 24. Shaking the Pagoda Tree 330 25. Epilogue 351 Glossary 356 Bibliography 360 Index 364