The Company Rule in India: Some Regional Aspects

The Company Rule in India is a regional study with a wider dimension. It is a full-length, indepth study of political and administrative history of the Diwani Provinces, particularly Bihar, in Indian perspective covering the entire period of a century of tremendous historical importance from A.D. 1757 to 1857-58. The battle of Plassey in 1757 made the English king-makers in Bengal and Bihar and secured the foundation of the future British Empire in India. The battle of Buxar in 1764 and the consequent ‘Diwanee’ won them the legal status with the revenues of the three provinces. From Bengal and Bihar the English discovered the right road to supremacy in India. The people of the land, however, opposed the alien supremacy right from the time of Plassey when the impact of the English ascendancy was first felt. In fact, opposition climaxed by the great upserge of 1857-58, forms a running theme of the history of the period. The transfer of power to the British Crown in 1858 however, did not effect any change either in the structure of the Govt. or in the plight of the people. Bihar tagged on to Bengal as an inferior partner before and after 1858 remained under administered till 1912. The authors have utilized successfully all the available material to present an analytical and objective picture of the history of the fateful period. It will be of great help to all those students of History and Political Science who intend to do further study and research in the field. It will surely evoke popular interest as well.