A Decade of Expansion (1993-1803)

The Permanent Settlement, initiated by Lord Cornwallis, officially came into effect in 1793. This landmark revenue system aimed to streamline tax collection but had profound socioeconomic implications:

 Key Features: 

• Zamindars (landlords) were given hereditary rights to collect revenue from peasants in exchange for a fixed annual payment to the British government.
• While it ensured a steady revenue stream for the British, it entrenched landlordism, leading to widespread exploitation of farmers and agricultural stagnation.

Impact:

• The settlement led to agricultural stagnation, widespread rural poverty, and significant social discontent.
• It created a class of loyalist landlords while marginalizing peasants.

The Permanent Settlement significantly influenced land tenure systems in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, and its effects reverberated across the subcontinent.

The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War was one of the most defining conflicts of the era. It marked the end of Tipu Sultan's resistance to British expansion.

Causes:

• Tipu Sultan sought alliances with Napoleon and other foreign powers to counter British aggression.
• The British, supported by the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad, sought to neutralize Mysore's threat.

Key Events:

• The British, led by Lord Wellesley, launched a full-scale invasion of Mysore.
• Tipu Sultan was killed during the siege of Seringapatam (1799), marking the end of Mysore's independence.

Aftermath:

• Mysore was divided, with parts annexed by the British and their allies.
• The remaining territory was placed under a puppet ruler, effectively under British control.

This war, which began during this decade, was a significant conflict between the British and the Maratha Empire.

Background:

• The Marathas were divided into rival factions, making them vulnerable to British manipulation.
• The British used internal disputes to expand their influence through diplomacy and warfare.

Key Developments (1793–1803):

• Lord Wellesley adopted an aggressive expansionist policy known as the Subsidiary Alliance System.
• Several princely states, including Hyderabad and Awadh, were coerced into accepting British suzerainty.

Lord Wellesley, who became Governor-General in 1798, introduced the Subsidiary Alliance System to expand British influence without direct annexation.

Key Features:

• Indian rulers were forced to accept British troops stationed in their territories.
• In return, they had to pay for the maintenance of these troops or cede territory to the British.

Impact:

• It effectively reduced Indian rulers to vassals of the British.
• By 1803, several key states, including Hyderabad, Awadh, and Mysore, were under indirect British control.

During this period, the British continued to monopolize Indian trade and resources:

• The monopoly on trade in key commodities like indigo, salt, and textiles harmed local industries.
• Indian artisans and weavers suffered due to the influx of British industrial goods.
• The drain of wealth from India to Britain deepened, impoverishing the Indian economy.

The siege and subsequent capture of Seringapatam was a pivotal moment in British military history.

Key Outcome:

• It demonstrated British military superiority and solidified their control over southern India.

• Lord Cornwallis: Known for the Permanent Settlement and administrative reforms.
• Lord Wellesley: Architect of the Subsidiary Alliance System and a key figure in British territorial expansion.
• Tipu Sultan: The ruler of Mysore who resisted British advances until his death in 1799.
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The period from 1793 to 1803 marked a significant shift in British India:

Territorial Expansion:

• The British extended their control through wars, diplomacy, and alliances.
• Mysore’s defeat and the Maratha struggles weakened Indian resistance.

Administrative Consolidation:

• Policies like the Permanent Settlement institutionalized British governance but worsened social and economic inequalities.

Economic Exploitation:

• The British solidified their control over trade, further depleting India’s resources.

The years 1793 to 1803 were transformative for British India, with the consolidation of power through military victories and strategic alliances. The defeat of Mysore and the Marathas, combined with administrative reforms, laid the groundwork for British dominance over the Indian subcontinent. However, these developments came at the cost of widespread economic exploitation and social upheaval, setting the stage for future conflicts and resistance.