SlideShare a Scribd company logo

THE STRATEGIC MEANING OF THE BATTLE OF BUXAR

•
•
Agha A
Agha A

The Battle of Buxar in 1764 was a decisive victory for the British East India Company over the forces of Awadh and the Mughal Empire. This victory had major strategic consequences, as it enabled the Company to gain control over the territories of Bihar and Benares. It also allowed the Company to raise more Indian battalions, which played a significant role in later Company victories. Most importantly, the defeat forced the state of Awadh to become a vassal of the British Company. This established the military superiority of European warfare and secured the Company's dominance in North India after the decline of the Maratha Empire.

1 of 6
THE STRATEGIC MEANING OF BATTLE OF BUXAR Major A.H Amin (Retired) THE STRATEGIC MEANING OF BATTLE OF BUXAR • July 2021 • DOI: • 10.13140/RG.2.2.19296.61444 • Project: • Strategy • Agha H Amin ACCORDING TO BRITISH HISTORIAN JAMES MILL BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANYS STOCK ROSE BY 263 PERCENT AS A RESULT OF THE DECISIVE COMPANYS VICTORY AT
BUXAR IN 1764. THE FICTION OF MUGHAL EMPIRE AND EFFEMINATE STATE OF OUDH WAS FULLY EXPOSED . first the Indian forces of avadh and mughals etc were defeated by british east india company and not britain. this is important distinction. the victory had strategic consequences as huge territory bihar and large parts of benares were ceded to the company enabling it to raise more indian battalions and these battalions played significant part in later victories of the company. the major consequence was that AVADH state which became some 70 % of modern UP state became vassal of the british company so instead of indians benefitting the british company moved into vacuum created by the crushing
maratha defeat at panipat by ahmad shah of afghanistan in 1761. since ahmad shah had shattered the marathas so there was no power to oppose him. note that avadh who munro defeated were mickey mouse players as compared to marathas but in 1765 marathas were crushed and recuperating. Interestingly the victor of Buxar Colonel Hector Munro was defeated by hyder ali of mysore in second mysore war of the company and was main culprit in one of the most humiliating defeats of the company later. However Hyder Ali defeating Munro was a much smaller affair and was not a decisive battle as it did not lead to Hyder’s victory.
AS A MATTER OF FACT BOTH HYDER ALI , TIPU SULTAN AND ALL OPPONENTS OF THE BRITISH COMPANY COULD ONLY DEFEAT SMALL FORCES AND NEVER A CORPS SIZE ARMY OF THE COMPANY EXCEPT THE SIKHS AT CHILLIANWALLAH. while the british company was accused of treachery in plassey , buxar was a clear cut military victory and established superiority of european way of warfare over the indian. This battle was above all the brilliant military system of Colonel Robert Clive (nothing to do with British army but companys private armys founder) of recruitinng Indians as soldiers.Note that many people overlook the fact that in 1763 the companys bengal army had 10,000 Indian troops ,1500 Europeans (including 220 Royal British army troops
on rent) .Precisely at Buxar there were 7,057 Total British company out of whom 857 were Europeans. The battle was triumph of European leadership and British in particular , all britishers who could not buy an expensive commission in the class controlled british army and came from relatively middle class families or younger sons. Indian role in this victory may be imagined from the fact that out of companys 825 casualties at buxar some 744 were Indians. JW Fortescue the most credible British historian placed european casualties at 103 and indian at 744. Lord Clive had left India when the battle was fought but this battle was
IRREVOCABLE TRIUMPH of Lord Clives Brilliant military system.

More Related Content

THE STRATEGIC MEANING OF THE BATTLE OF BUXAR

  • 1. THE STRATEGIC MEANING OF BATTLE OF BUXAR Major A.H Amin (Retired) THE STRATEGIC MEANING OF BATTLE OF BUXAR • July 2021 • DOI: • 10.13140/RG.2.2.19296.61444 • Project: • Strategy • Agha H Amin ACCORDING TO BRITISH HISTORIAN JAMES MILL BRITISH EAST INDIA COMPANYS STOCK ROSE BY 263 PERCENT AS A RESULT OF THE DECISIVE COMPANYS VICTORY AT
  • 2. BUXAR IN 1764. THE FICTION OF MUGHAL EMPIRE AND EFFEMINATE STATE OF OUDH WAS FULLY EXPOSED . first the Indian forces of avadh and mughals etc were defeated by british east india company and not britain. this is important distinction. the victory had strategic consequences as huge territory bihar and large parts of benares were ceded to the company enabling it to raise more indian battalions and these battalions played significant part in later victories of the company. the major consequence was that AVADH state which became some 70 % of modern UP state became vassal of the british company so instead of indians benefitting the british company moved into vacuum created by the crushing
  • 3. maratha defeat at panipat by ahmad shah of afghanistan in 1761. since ahmad shah had shattered the marathas so there was no power to oppose him. note that avadh who munro defeated were mickey mouse players as compared to marathas but in 1765 marathas were crushed and recuperating. Interestingly the victor of Buxar Colonel Hector Munro was defeated by hyder ali of mysore in second mysore war of the company and was main culprit in one of the most humiliating defeats of the company later. However Hyder Ali defeating Munro was a much smaller affair and was not a decisive battle as it did not lead to Hyder’s victory.
  • 4. AS A MATTER OF FACT BOTH HYDER ALI , TIPU SULTAN AND ALL OPPONENTS OF THE BRITISH COMPANY COULD ONLY DEFEAT SMALL FORCES AND NEVER A CORPS SIZE ARMY OF THE COMPANY EXCEPT THE SIKHS AT CHILLIANWALLAH. while the british company was accused of treachery in plassey , buxar was a clear cut military victory and established superiority of european way of warfare over the indian. This battle was above all the brilliant military system of Colonel Robert Clive (nothing to do with British army but companys private armys founder) of recruitinng Indians as soldiers.Note that many people overlook the fact that in 1763 the companys bengal army had 10,000 Indian troops ,1500 Europeans (including 220 Royal British army troops
  • 5. on rent) .Precisely at Buxar there were 7,057 Total British company out of whom 857 were Europeans. The battle was triumph of European leadership and British in particular , all britishers who could not buy an expensive commission in the class controlled british army and came from relatively middle class families or younger sons. Indian role in this victory may be imagined from the fact that out of companys 825 casualties at buxar some 744 were Indians. JW Fortescue the most credible British historian placed european casualties at 103 and indian at 744. Lord Clive had left India when the battle was fought but this battle was
  • 6. IRREVOCABLE TRIUMPH of Lord Clives Brilliant military system.