The Battle of Plassey 1757: The Victory That Won an Empire

During the 18th century, Britain's rise to power in Europe coincided with its desire to expand its influence in the East. The ruler of Bengal, Nawab Siraj-ud-daulah, sought help from France to drive the British out of India. This led to a series of conflicts fought by individuals rather than large battalions, with Robert Clive's victory at Plassey in 1757 establishing Britain as the dominant force in India. The battle had profound consequences, as the whole of India gradually came under British control and became the most prized possession in its empire.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 26 July 2022
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

Britain, a rising power in Europe, had long coveted the position of the most dominant nation, a belief that France held tightly. However, despite France's formidable continental army, Britain saw its best chances for expansion in the East. As Britain's influence grew through its official trading arm, the East India Company, the ruler of Bengal, Nawab Siraj-ud-daulah, sought to expel the British from the subcontinent and turned to France for assistance. The ensuing conflict saw intimate campaigns fought by captains, occasionally colonels, and small companies rather than large battalions. These campaigns were characterized by individual bravery, cowardice, and a pursuit of personal gain. The story revolves around Robert Clive, a clerk from Shropshire who rose to become an emperor, as well as Eyre Coote, an Irishman who fought with everyone he encountered, Alexander Grant, a Jacobite who escaped Culloden and narrowly escaped Calcutta, and the infamous Black Hole. The fighting climaxed with Robert Clive's astonishing victory at Plassey in 1757, where just 3,000 British and sepoy troops defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah's Franco-Bengali army of 18,000 in a mere forty minutes. This victory established Britain as the dominant force in India, gradually bringing the entire region under British control and becoming the most prized possession in its empire. Few battles in history have had such profound consequences.

Weight: 456g
Dimension: 155 x 235 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399020879