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HC07 — European Colonisation & British Expansion

📚 HC07 · Modern India – I  ·  Chapter 1 of 3 CDS Level ★ High Priority
📌 CDS Focus: European rivalry and British expansion is one of the most direct PYQ areas — Carnatic Wars, Plassey, Buxar, Subsidiary Alliance, Doctrine of Lapse, and the Anglo-Sikh Wars all appear regularly. Questions test dates, Governor-Generals, treaties, and consequences. The distinction between Plassey (1757) and Buxar (1764) — which was "more decisive" — is a classic trap.
PART A — EUROPEAN POWERS IN INDIA

1. European Powers — Arrival & Rivalry

1.1 Arrival Sequence PYQ — Order

💡 Mnemonic — European Arrival Order: Portugal → Dutch → English → Danes → French = Please Do Eat Delicious Food. Vasco da Gama arrived 1498; French came last (1664 — Colbert founded French East India Company).
PowerCompany FoundedArrival in IndiaKey Settlement / Fate
Portuguese—1498 (Vasco da Gama, Calicut)Goa (1510); controlled spice trade; ousted by Dutch/British by 17th c.; Goa retained until 1961
DutchVOC — 16021605 (Masulipatnam)Pulicut, Chinsurah; defeated by British at Battle of Bedara (1759); withdrew from India
EnglishEIC — 16001608 (Surat)Madras (1639), Bombay (1668), Calcutta (1690); became dominant power
Danish1616Tranquebar (1620)Sold settlements to British in 1845; minor presence
French1664 (Colbert)1668 (Surat); Pondicherry 1674Chief rivals to British; finally defeated in 3rd Carnatic War; Pondicherry ceded 1954

1.2 Carnatic Wars — French vs British High Priority PYQ

Three Carnatic Wars — Outcome Flow
1st Carnatic War 1746–1748 • French took Madras from British • Dupleix (French) vs British • Ended: Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle • Madras returned to Britain → Inconclusive 2nd Carnatic War 1749–1754 • Succession dispute: Chanda Sahib • Dupleix backed Chanda Sahib • Clive backed Muhammad Ali • Dupleix recalled to France → British gained upper hand 3rd Carnatic War 1758–1763 • Lally (French) vs Coote (British) • Battle of Wandiwash 1760 • French decisively defeated • Treaty of Paris 1763 ✓ British supreme in South India
⚠ Key Carnatic War Facts for CDS: (1) Battle of Wandiwash (1760) — decisive defeat of French by Sir Eyre Coote; often asked as "where was French power finally broken?" (2) Dupleix was the great French administrator who first showed Europeans could use Indian soldiers (sepoys) effectively. (3) 1st Carnatic War was a spillover of the War of Austrian Succession in Europe. (4) After 3rd Carnatic War, France retained only 5 trading posts — no political power.
PART B — BRITISH CONQUEST OF INDIA

2. Key Battles Establishing British Power

2.1 Battle of Plassey (1757) vs Battle of Buxar (1764) Maximum PYQs

⚔ Battle of Plassey — June 23, 1757

  • British (Robert Clive) vs Siraj-ud-Daulah (Nawab of Bengal)
  • Siraj betrayed by Mir Jafar, Jagat Seth, Rai Durlabh
  • Black Hole of Calcutta (1756) — pretext for Clive's campaign
  • Siraj defeated, fled, captured and killed
  • Mir Jafar installed as puppet Nawab
  • Significance: Foundation of British political power in Bengal

⚔ Battle of Buxar — October 22, 1764

  • British (Major Hector Munro) vs combined forces of Mir Qasim + Shuja-ud-Daula (Awadh) + Shah Alam II (Mughal Emperor)
  • Mir Qasim had tried to resist British commercial dominance
  • British won decisively
  • Treaty of Allahabad (1765) — Shah Alam granted Diwani rights to British
  • Significance: More decisive than Plassey — British now controlled Bengal, Bihar, Orissa revenues
💡 Plassey vs Buxar — Which was more decisive? CDS specifically asks this. Buxar is considered more decisive because: (1) Plassey was won largely by treachery, not military skill. (2) Buxar involved a genuine coalition of three major powers. (3) The Treaty of Allahabad (1765) gave British the Diwani (revenue rights) — the real foundation of British India. Clive's own Diwani concept (1765) made British the real rulers.

2.2 Anglo-Sikh Wars PYQ

WarYearKey BattlesResult / Treaty
First Anglo-Sikh War1845–46Mudki, Ferozeshah, Aliwal, SobraonBritish won; Treaty of Lahore (1846) — Kashmir sold to Gulab Singh (Treaty of Amritsar); Sikh army reduced
Second Anglo-Sikh War1848–49Chillianwala, GujratBritish won; Punjab annexed (1849) under Lord Dalhousie; Kohinoor diamond taken; Duleep Singh exiled
⚠ Sikh War Traps: (1) Kashmir was NOT annexed by British — it was sold to Gulab Singh (Dogra chief) for 75 lakh rupees by Treaty of Amritsar (1846). This is a major trap. (2) Kohinoor diamond was taken after the 2nd Sikh War, not the 1st. (3) Maharaja Ranjit Singh died in 1839 — before both Anglo-Sikh Wars. Wars happened after his death due to weak successors.
PART C — EXPANSIONIST POLICIES

3. Expansionist Policies of British

3.1 Subsidiary Alliance (Lord Wellesley) High Priority PYQ

What is Subsidiary Alliance? Introduced by Lord Wellesley (GG 1798–1805). Indian rulers accepted: (1) British troops stationed in their territory, (2) a British Resident at court, (3) no foreign alliances without British approval, (4) no European officers without British consent. In return, British guaranteed protection. The ruler paid for British troops — if unable, surrendered territory. This was effectively a takeover without direct annexation.
StateYear SignedNote
Hyderabad1798First state; Nizam signed willingly
Mysore1799After defeat of Tipu Sultan; restored to Wadiyars
Tanjore, Surat1799Small states absorbed
Awadh1801Nawab surrendered half his territory
Peshwa (Baji Rao II)1802Treaty of Bassein — led to 2nd Anglo-Maratha War
Scindia, Bhonsle1803After defeat in 2nd Anglo-Maratha War

3.2 Doctrine of Lapse (Lord Dalhousie) High Priority PYQ

What is Doctrine of Lapse? Introduced by Lord Dalhousie (GG 1848–1856). If a ruler died without a natural (biological) male heir, the state "lapsed" to British control — adopted sons were NOT recognised as legal heirs. This was entirely a British invention with no basis in Indian tradition (Hindu law recognised adopted sons fully).

📌 States Annexed Under Doctrine of Lapse

  • Satara — 1848 (first state)
  • Jaitpur, Sambalpur — 1849
  • Baghat — 1850
  • Udaipur — 1852
  • Jhansi — 1853 (Rani Lakshmibai's adopted son rejected)
  • Nagpur — 1854 (last major annexation)

⚠ Other Dalhousie Annexations

  • Punjab — 1849 (after 2nd Anglo-Sikh War; war, not lapse)
  • Lower Burma — 1852 (after 2nd Anglo-Burmese War)
  • Awadh (Oudh) — 1856 (misgovernance grounds; NOT Doctrine of Lapse)
  • Awadh's annexation directly triggered 1857 revolt — sepoys from Awadh
  • Dalhousie also introduced railways, telegraph, postal system, Wood's Despatch (1854)
⚠ Critical Trap — Awadh Annexation: Awadh was NOT annexed under Doctrine of Lapse. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had no issue with heirs — he was deposed on grounds of misgovernance. CDS directly asks "Which of the following was NOT annexed under Doctrine of Lapse?" — Awadh is always the correct answer.

3.3 Governor-Generals — Key Associations PYQ Direct

Governor-GeneralPeriodKey Events / Policies
Warren Hastings1773–1785First GG; Regulating Act 1773; Rohilla War; Maratha Wars; impeached by Parliament (Burke)
Lord Cornwallis1786–1793Permanent Settlement 1793; Cornwallis Code; 3rd Anglo-Mysore War
Lord Wellesley1798–1805Subsidiary Alliance; 4th Anglo-Mysore (Tipu killed); 2nd Anglo-Maratha War
Lord Hastings1813–18233rd Anglo-Maratha War (1817–18); Peshwa abolished; Pindari campaign
Lord William Bentinck1828–1835Abolished Sati (1829); suppressed Thuggee; English education (Macaulay); Charter Act 1833
Lord Dalhousie1848–1856Doctrine of Lapse; railways; telegraph; post; Wood's Despatch; Punjab & Burma annexed
Lord Canning1856–18621857 Revolt; Queen's Proclamation 1858; first Viceroy after Crown takeover

⚡ HC07 Memory Chart — Fast Revision

🌍 European Arrival Order
  • 1498 — Portuguese (Vasco da Gama)
  • 1602 — Dutch (VOC)
  • 1600 — English EIC (charter)
  • 1664 — French EIC (Colbert)
  • Dutch defeated at Bedara (1759)
⚔️ Carnatic Wars
  • 1st (1746–48) — Aix-la-Chapelle; inconclusive
  • 2nd (1749–54) — Dupleix recalled; British ahead
  • 3rd (1758–63) — Wandiwash 1760; French finished
  • Treaty of Paris 1763 — French lost all power
  • Dupleix = French mastermind
🌊 Plassey vs Buxar
  • Plassey 1757 — Clive; Mir Jafar betrayal
  • Buxar 1764 — Munro; 3-power coalition
  • Buxar more decisive
  • Treaty of Allahabad 1765 — Diwani granted
  • Dual Government (Bengal) — Clive, 1765
🤝 Subsidiary Alliance
  • Introduced by Wellesley (1798)
  • 1st — Hyderabad (1798)
  • Mysore (1799) · Awadh (1801)
  • Peshwa (1802 — Treaty of Bassein)
  • Ruler pays for British troops
📜 Doctrine of Lapse
  • Introduced by Dalhousie (1848–56)
  • No adopted heir recognised
  • Satara (1848) · Jhansi (1853) · Nagpur (1854)
  • Awadh NOT under this — misgovernance
  • Major cause of 1857 revolt
⚔️ Anglo-Sikh Wars
  • 1st (1845–46) — Treaty of Lahore
  • Kashmir → sold to Gulab Singh (not annexed)
  • 2nd (1848–49) — Punjab annexed
  • Kohinoor taken — 2nd war
  • Ranjit Singh died 1839 (before both wars)

📄 Topic-Wise PYQs & Tricky Questions

Q1. Which battle is considered more decisive in establishing British power in India — Plassey or Buxar? CDS PYQ
(a) Battle of Plassey(b) Battle of Buxar (c) Both equally decisive(d) Battle of Wandiwash
✔ Answer: (b) Battle of Buxar
Battle of Buxar (1764) is considered more decisive because it was fought against a genuine coalition (Mir Qasim + Shuja-ud-Daula + Shah Alam II), not won by treachery. The resulting Treaty of Allahabad (1765) gave Britain the Diwani rights — the actual foundation of British financial and administrative control over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
Q2. Which was the FIRST state to sign the Subsidiary Alliance? CDS PYQ
(a) Mysore(b) Awadh (c) Hyderabad(d) Maratha Confederacy
✔ Answer: (c) Hyderabad
Hyderabad (Nizam) was the first state to sign the Subsidiary Alliance in 1798, under Lord Wellesley. Mysore signed in 1799 after Tipu Sultan's defeat. Awadh signed in 1801. The Peshwa (Baji Rao II) signed the Treaty of Bassein in 1802.
Q3. Awadh was NOT annexed under the Doctrine of Lapse. What was the actual reason? Tricky
(a) Nawab had a natural heir(b) Misgovernance (c) Nawab signed Subsidiary Alliance(d) British Parliament objected
✔ Answer: (b) Misgovernance
Awadh was annexed by Lord Dalhousie in 1856 on the grounds of misgovernance — not Doctrine of Lapse. Nawab Wajid Ali Shah had heirs; Doctrine of Lapse only applied to states without natural male heirs. This distinction is one of CDS's most repeated traps.
Q4. The decisive battle that ended French power in India was: CDS PYQ
(a) Battle of Plassey(b) Battle of Ambur (c) Battle of Wandiwash(d) Battle of Buxar
✔ Answer: (c) Battle of Wandiwash
Battle of Wandiwash (January 1760), fought during the 3rd Carnatic War, was the decisive defeat of French forces under Lally by British forces under Sir Eyre Coote. It effectively ended French political ambitions in India. The Treaty of Paris (1763) formalised French withdrawal from Indian politics.
Q5. Who sold Kashmir after the First Anglo-Sikh War? Tricky
(a) British sold it to Gulab Singh(b) Sikhs sold it to British (c) British sold it to the Maharaja of Kashmir(d) British annexed it directly
✔ Answer: (a) British sold it to Gulab Singh
Under the Treaty of Amritsar (1846), after the First Anglo-Sikh War, the British sold Kashmir to Gulab Singh (Dogra chief, former vassal of Sikhs) for 75 lakh rupees. The British had received Kashmir as war indemnity from Lahore — they immediately sold it rather than annexing. Kashmir was NOT directly annexed by British.
Q6. Lord Dalhousie annexed Jhansi using which policy? CDS PYQ
(a) Subsidiary Alliance(b) Doctrine of Lapse (c) Misgovernance(d) Right of Escheat
✔ Answer: (b) Doctrine of Lapse
Jhansi was annexed in 1853 under Doctrine of Lapse after the Maharaja Gangadhar Rao died without a natural heir. His adopted son Damodar Rao was not recognised by Dalhousie. Rani Lakshmibai's famous petition to the British was rejected. This injustice was a key cause of her participation in the 1857 Revolt.
Q7. The Diwani rights over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa were granted to the British by: CDS PYQ
(a) Mir Jafar(b) Mir Qasim (c) Shuja-ud-Daula(d) Shah Alam II
✔ Answer: (d) Shah Alam II
After the Battle of Buxar (1764), through the Treaty of Allahabad (1765), Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II granted the Diwani (revenue collection rights) over Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa to the British East India Company in exchange for an annual tribute and a pension. Robert Clive accepted this on behalf of the Company.
Q8. Which Governor-General abolished Sati? CDS PYQ
(a) Lord Cornwallis(b) Lord Wellesley (c) Lord William Bentinck(d) Lord Dalhousie
✔ Answer: (c) Lord William Bentinck
Lord William Bentinck abolished the practice of Sati by the Bengal Sati Regulation Act of 1829, largely due to Raja Ram Mohan Roy's persistent social reform campaign. Bentinck also suppressed Thuggee (Sleeman's efforts) and promoted English education (Macaulay's Minute, 1835).

📋 Quick Reference — HC07

🌍 European Companies
  • Portuguese — 1498 (Vasco da Gama)
  • Dutch VOC — 1602; lost at Bedara 1759
  • British EIC — 1600 (Elizabeth I charter)
  • French — 1664 (Colbert); lost Wandiwash
  • Danish — sold to British 1845
⚔️ Key British Battles
  • Plassey 1757 — Bengal; treachery
  • Buxar 1764 — more decisive; Diwani
  • Wandiwash 1760 — French ended
  • Sobraon 1846 — 1st Sikh War
  • Gujrat 1849 — 2nd Sikh War; Punjab
📜 Doctrine of Lapse — States
  • Satara 1848 · Jhansi 1853 · Nagpur 1854
  • Jaitpur, Sambalpur 1849
  • Awadh 1856 — NOT Doctrine of Lapse
  • Punjab 1849 — war (not lapse)
👤 GG — Quick Match
  • Wellesley — Subsidiary Alliance
  • Dalhousie — Doctrine of Lapse
  • Bentinck — Sati abolished 1829
  • Cornwallis — Permanent Settlement 1793
  • Canning — 1857 revolt; first Viceroy
🗺️ Carnatic Wars
  • 1st — Aix-la-Chapelle 1748; inconclusive
  • 2nd — Dupleix recalled; British ahead
  • 3rd — Wandiwash 1760; Paris 1763
  • French retained only 5 trading posts
🔑 Kashmir — Important
  • After 1st Anglo-Sikh War (1846)
  • Treaty of Amritsar (1846)
  • Sold to Gulab Singh — ₹75 lakh
  • NOT annexed by British directly
  • Kohinoor — taken in 2nd Sikh War (1849)
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