Third Battle of Katwa

Last updated
Third Battle of Katwa
Date19 July 1763
Location
Result English victory
Belligerents

Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg Bengal

Flag of the British East India Company (1707).svg British East India Company

Commanders and leaders

Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg

  • Gurgin Khan
  • Muhammad Taqi Khan

Flag of the British East India Company (1707).svg

Strength
Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg unknown

Flag of the British East India Company (1707).svg 5,000 est.

  • 1,000 Europeans
  • 4,000 Indian sepoys
Casualties and losses
Flag of the Principality of Bengal (15th-18th century).svg unknown Flag of the British East India Company (1707).svg unknown

The Third Battle of Katwa occurred between the Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim and the British East India Company in 1763. [1] [2] Dissatisfied with Nawab Mir Qasim's administration, the English deposed him in favor of his father-in-law Mir Jafar and officially declared war against Mir Qasim on July 7, 1763. The English command was given to Major Thomas Adams, who led a small force, variously estimated as between 3,000 and 5,000 men, of whom, approximately 1,000 were European. [3] [4] The Nawab had a total of approximately 25,000 troops at his disposal, led by the Armenian general Gurgin Khan. [4] [5] Although the Nawab's forces were numerically larger, they were hastily cobbled together and riven by internal strife. [4] The Nawabi force that confronted the English at Katwa was a much smaller contingent under the leadership of the accomplished general Muhammad Taqi Khan, the Faujdar of Birbhum. [1]

On July 17, 1763, the English forces marching from various cantonments in Medinipur and Bardhaman districts, established post at Agradwip, a village 14 km downstream from Katwa. There they were met by the newly re-instated Nawab Mir Jafar. Meanwhile, Mir Qasim's forces had established themselves at Palashi, 20 km upstream from Katwa. On that morning, a band of irregular Nawabi forces, mostly cavalry, engaged Lieutenant Glenn of the English forces, who was escorting a convoy of cattle, grain, and treasure to Agradwip. The battle lasted four hours with the treasure changing hands three times. Ultimately, after heavy casualties on both sides, the Nawabi forces withdrew and Lieutenant Glenn pressed his advantage by marching upon the fort at Katwa. The Nawabi garrison at Katwa surrendered after putting up a feeble resistance. [1]

Meanwhile, Muhammad Taqi Khan had advanced the main body of his forces to Katwa; and on the morning of July 19, 1763, Major Adams advanced to attack him. The battle which followed has been described as "one of the bloodiest and best-contested of the whole war." [1] Ultimately, the British were able to ambush and kill Muhammad Taqi Khan, dealing a double blow to Mir Qasim's cause by winning the immediate battle and depriving Mir Qasim of the expertise and military acumen of one of his best generals in future battles. [1] [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Clive</span> British military officer (1725–1774)

Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive,, also known as Clive of India, was the first British Governor of the Bengal Presidency. Clive has been widely credited for laying the foundation of the British East India Company rule in Bengal. He began as a writer for the East India Company (EIC) in 1744 and established Company rule in Bengal by winning the Battle of Plassey in 1757. In return for supporting the Nawab Mir Jafar as ruler of Bengal, Clive was granted a jagir of £30,000 per year which was the rent the EIC would otherwise pay to the Nawab for their tax-farming concession. When Clive left India in January 1767 he had a fortune of £180,000 which he remitted through the Dutch East India Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Plassey</span> 1757 battle of the Seven Years War

The Battle of Plassey was a decisive victory of the British East India Company over the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies on 23 June 1757, under the leadership of Robert Clive. The victory was made possible by the defection of Mir Jafar, who was Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah's commander in chief. The battle helped the British East India Company take control of Bengal. Over the next hundred years, they seized control of most of the rest of the Indian subcontinent, including Burma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siraj ud-Daulah</span> Last independent Nawab (ruler) of Bengal from 1756 to 1757

Siraj-ud-Daulah , was the last independent Nawab of Bengal, reigning from 1756 to 1757. The end of his reign marked the beginning of the rule of the East India Company over Bengal and later almost all of the Indian subcontinent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murshidabad</span> City in West Bengal

Murshidabad is a historical city in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located on the eastern bank of the Bhagirathi River, a distributary of the Ganges. It forms part of the Murshidabad district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shah Alam II</span> 17th Mughal Emperor (r. 1760-1788, 1788-1806)

Shah Alam II, also known by his birth name Ali Gohar, was the seventeenth Mughal Emperor and the son of Alamgir II. Shah Alam II became the emperor of a crumbling Mughal Empire. His power was so depleted during his reign that it led to a saying in the Persian language, Sultanat-e-Shah Alam, Az Dilli ta Palam, meaning, 'The empire of Shah Alam is from Delhi to Palam', Palam being a suburb of Delhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nawabs of Bengal</span> Rulers of Eastern India and Bangladesh in the 18th-century

The Nawab of Bengal was the hereditary ruler of Bengal Subah in Mughal India. In the early 18th-century, the Nawab of Bengal was the de facto independent ruler of the three regions of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa which constitute the modern-day sovereign country of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. They are often referred to as the Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. The Nawabs were based in Murshidabad which was centrally located within Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. Their chief, a former prime minister, became the first Nawab. The Nawabs continued to issue coins in the name of the Mughal Emperor, but for all practical purposes, the Nawabs governed as independent monarchs. Bengal continued to contribute the largest share of funds to the imperial treasury in Delhi. The Nawabs, backed by bankers such as the Jagat Seth, became the financial backbone of the Mughal court. During the 18th century, the Nawabs of Bengal were among the wealthiest rulers in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mir Jafar</span> 18th-century Nawab of Bengal

Sayyid Mir Jafar Ali Khan Bahadur was a commander-in-chief or military general who reigned as the first dependent Nawab of Bengal of the British East India Company. His reign has been considered by many historians as the start of the expansion of British control of the Indian subcontinent in Indian history and a key step in the eventual British domination of vast areas of pre-partition India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katwa</span> City in West Bengal, India

Katwa is a sub-divisional town and railway junction in Purba Bardhaman district of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Katwa subdivision. The town was built at the confluence of Ganga and Ajay. Katwa is a border city of three districts; Purba Bardhaman District, Nadia District and Murshidabad District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mir Qasim</span> 18th-century Nawab of Bengal

Mir Qasim was the Nawab of Bengal from 1760 to 1763. He was installed as Nawab with the support of the British East India Company, replacing Mir Jafar, his father-in-law, who had himself been supported earlier by the East India Company after his role in winning the Battle of Plassey for the British. However, Mir Jafar eventually ran into disputes with the East India Company and attempted to form an alliance with the Dutch East India Company instead. The British eventually defeated the Dutch at Chinsura and overthrew Mir Jafar, replacing him with Mir Qasim. Qasim later fell out with the British and fought against them at Buxar. His defeat has been suggested as a key reason in the British becoming the dominant power in large parts of North and East India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diwan Mohanlal</span>

Diwan Mohanlal of Purnia was a Hindu diwan serving under Siraj ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal, at Murshidabad.

The Battle of Giria were two battles that took place in Giria, an insignificant census town in Bengal, although not well known, were very significant in the history of Bengal and like the Battle of Plassey, had far reaching consequences.

Thomas Adams, British Army major, posthumously promoted to Brigadier-general based on accounts of his defence of the British position in Bengal in 1763.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghaseti Begum</span> Eldest daughter of Nawab Alivardi Khan

Mehar un-Nisa Begum, better known as Ghaseti Begum, was the eldest daughter of Alivardi Khan, Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa during 1740–1758.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jafarganj Cemetery</span> Islamic cemetery in Murshidabad, Bengal, India

Jafarganj Cemetery is located in Murshidabad, West Bengal, India.

The Battle of Burdwan occurred between the Nawab of Bengal and Maratha empire in 1747. After the dismissal of Mir Jafar by Alivardi Khan, an army was amassed to defend against the invading Maratha forces of Janoji Bhonsle at Orissa. Alivardi Khan managed to heavily repulse and defeat the Marathas in this battle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'tisam-ud-Din</span> Bengali traveller

Mīrzā Muḥammad Iʿtiṣām ad-Dīn Panchnūrī or Itesham Uddin, was a Bengali diplomat for the Mughal Empire and the first educated South Asian to travel to Europe, in 1765. He was also a munshi serving the Nawabs of Bengal as well as the British East India Company. He had also written the text of the 1765 Treaty of Allahabad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lutfunnisa Begum</span>

Lutfunnisa Begum was the third wife and primary consort of Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amina Begum</span> Nawabzadi of Bengal

Amina Begum was a Bengali aristocrat from the Nawab family of Bengal and mother of Siraj ud-Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Munni Begum (noble)</span> Begum of Nawab of Bengal

Munni Begum was the second wife of the Nawab of Bengal, Mir Jafar.

Bengal War, also called campaign for the eastern Subahs, was waged by the Mughal imperial crown Prince Ali Gauhar so as to recapture Bengal from the British East India Company. Hostilities began in 1756 and ended in 1765.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Malleson, George Bruce (1885). The Decisive Battles of India, from 1746 to 1849 Inclusive. Allen. p.  151. mir qasim battle katwa.
  2. Jacques, Tony. Dictionary of Battles and Sieges. Greenwood Press. p. 516. ISBN   978-0-313-33536-5. Archived from the original on 2015-06-26.
  3. Paul, Gautam. "Murshidabad History - Mir Qasim". murshidabad.net. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Arbuthnot, Alexander John. Adams, Thomas (1730?-1764), Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 01.
  5. "History Of Armenia — Painting: An officer, probably Gurgin Khan, the..." History Of Armenia. Retrieved 2018-02-19.