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Clive of India
The great empire of the Moguls was disintegrating, early in the 18th century the succession was disputed and peace broke down. The British and the French were rivals in India but commercial ones, they were interested in trading rather than gaining territories. Gradually trading became more difficult as the Indian territories fought each other. It became clear that India needed a new ruler.
In 1746 the French took Madras. Clive, who had joined the East India Company's army as a Captain, set out to attack Arcot, the French headquarters in India. The French immediately returned, the struggle lasted 50 days and was finally won by the British.
By 1752 Clive had defeated the French and placed Mahomet Ali, the British candidate, on the throne.
Robert Clive of India |
ROBERT CLIVE (1725-1774)- Son of a Shropshire squire
- Sent to India aged 18 as a clerk
- Joined the East India Company in 1742
- By chance, took command of a Company military force and quickly proved to be a good tactician
- Known as the victor at the Battle of Plassey in June 1757 when he defeated the Nawab of Bengal
- This victory signalled Britain's control over India
- Became Governor of the Bengal Presidency
- Returning to England, he was elected MP for Salop in 1761 and given an Irish barony
- In 1763 returned to India as Governor and Commander-in-Chief
- Died in tragic but not unexpected circumstances
- Accused of financial irregularities, CLive, who had a history of trying to take his own life, committed suicide in November 1774
In 1755 Clive returned from India and used part of his fortune to attempt to enter Parliament for a rotten borough in Cornwall. He was unsuccessful and returned to India when the East India Company asked him to serve as Deputy Governor of Fort St David.
 
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| 1727 | George I dies
George II becomes king
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| 1728 | Irish Catholics deprived of the vote
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| 1731 | Captain Jenkins loses his ear
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| 1739 | War of Jenkins' ear against Spain
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| 1740 | Famine in Ireland
War of Austrian Succession
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| 1742 | Walpole resigns
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| 1742 | Pelham becomes Prime Minister
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| 1745 | Last Jacobite Rebellion breaks out
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| 1746 | Jacobites defeated at Cullodan
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| 1751 | Death of Frederick Prince of Wales
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| 1754 | Tom Pelham, Duke of Newcastle becomes Prime Minister
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| 1756 | Pitt the Elder becomes Secretary at War
Seven Years' War starts
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| 1760 | George II dies
George III becomes king
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