Governors & Generals in India: 1757–1858

Governors & Generals in India: 1757–1858

Governors of Bengal (1757–1774)

Robert Clive (1757–60 and 1765–67)

• Governor of Bengal during 1757–60 and again during 1765–67

• Established Dual Government in Bengal from 1765–72

Vanisttart (1760–65)

• The Battle of Buxar (1764)

Cartier (1769–72)

• Bengal Famine (1770)

Warren Hastings (1772–74)

• Abolished Dual Government (1772)

Governor-Generals of Bengal (1774–1833)

Warren Hastings (1774–85)

• Became Governor-General in 1774 through the Regulating Act, 1773

• Wrote the introduction to the first English translation of the Gita by Charles Wilkins

• Founded the Asiatic Society of Bengal with William Jones in 1784

Revenue Reforms

• Auctioned the right to collect land revenue to the highest bidder.

• Divided Bengal into districts and appointed collectors and other revenue officials.

Judicial Reforms

• Started Diwani and Faujdari adalats at the district level

• Sadar diwani and Nizamat adalats (appellate courts) at Calcutta

• Redefined Hindu and Muslim laws

• A translation of the code in Sanskrit appeared in 1776 under the title of "Code of Gentoo Laws."

Wars

• Rohilla War (1774)

• 1st Anglo-Maratha War (1776–82)

• 2nd Anglo-Mysore War (1780–84)

Lord Cornwallis (1786–93)

• First person to codify laws in 1793

• The code separated the revenue administration from the administration of justice

• Created the post of district judge

• Introduced Permanent Settlement in Bengal (1793)

• Known as 'the Father of Civil Service in India'

Wars

• 3rd Anglo-Mysore War – defeat of Tipu Sultan and the Treaty of Seringapatanam (1792)

Sir John Shore (1793–98)

• Introduced the 1st Charter Act (1793)

Wars

• Battle of Kharda between Nizam and the Marathas (1795)

Lord Wellesley (1798–1805)

• Started the Subsidiary Alliance system to achieve British paramountcy in India

• Nizam Ali (Hyderabad) was the first Indian native ruler to accept the system (1798)

• Madras Presidency was formed during his tenure

Wars

• 4th Anglo-Mysore War (1799) – defeat and death of Tipu Sultan

• 2nd Anglo-Maratha War (1803–05) – defeat of the Scindia, the Bhonsle, and the Holkar

• Treaty of Bassein (1802)

George Barlow (1805–1807)

• Vellore Mutiny (1806)

Lord Minto I (1807–1813)

• Concluded the Treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh (1809)

• Charter Act of 1813 was passed

Lord Hastings (1813–1823)

• Adopted the policy of intervention and war

Wars

• Anglo-Nepalese War (1813–23)

• 3rd Anglo-Maratha War (1817–18) – forced humiliating treaties on Peshwa and the Scindia

• Introduced the Ryotwari Settlement in Madras by Thomas Munro, the Governor

Lord Amherst (1823–28)

Wars

• 1st Burmese War (1824–26)

• Acquisition of territories in the Malay Peninsula

• Capture of Bharatpur (1826)

Lord W. Bentinck (1828–33)

• The most liberal and enlightened Governor-General of India

• Regarded as 'the Father of Modern Western Education in India'

• Abolished Sati and other cruel rites (1829)

• Annexation of Mysore (1831)

• Concluded a treaty of perpetual friendship with Ranjit Singh (1831)

• Passed the Charter Act of 1833, which stated no Indian subject was to be debarred from holding office due to religion, place of birth, descent, or colour

Governor-Generals of India (1833–1858)

Lord W. Bentinck (1833–35)

• Macaulay's Minutes on Indian Education (1835) were accepted, declaring English as the official language of India.

• Introduced English education to create "a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in tastes"

• Abolished the provincial courts of appeal and circuit set up by Cornwallis

• Appointment of commissioners of revenue and circuit

Wars

• Annexed Coorg (1834) and Central Cachar (1834) on the plea of misgovernance

Sir Charles Metcalfe (1835–1836)

• Passed the famous Press Law, which liberated the press in India

Lord Auckland (1836–42)

Wars

• 1st Anglo-Afghan War (1836–42) – a great blow to the prestige of the British in India

Lord Ellenborough (1842–44)

• Brought an end to the Afghan War

• Annexation of Sindh (1843)

• War with Gwalior (1843)

• Abolished slavery (1843)

Lord Hardinge I (1844–48)

Wars

• 1st Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46) and the Treaty of Lahore (1846) marked the end of Sikh sovereignty in India

• Gave preference to English-educated in employment

Lord Dalhousie (1848–56)

• Original Name: James Andrew Broun Ramsay

• Abolished titles and pensions

• Introduction of Widow Remarriage Bill (Nov. 17, 1855)

Wars and Annexations

• Introduced Doctrine of Lapse

  • Captured Satara (1848), Jaitpur and Sambhalpur (1849), Baghat (1850), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853), Nagpur (1854)

• 2nd Anglo-Sikh War (1848–49) – annexed the whole of Punjab

• 2nd Anglo-Burmese War (1852) – annexed Lower Burma (Pegu)

• Annexation of Berar (1853)

• Annexation of Avadh (1856) on charges of maladministration

Administrative Reforms

• Introduced a Non-Regulation System for newly acquired territories

• Raised Gurkha regiments

Educational Reforms

• Recommended Thomsonian System of Vernacular Education (1853) for Northwestern Provinces

• Wood's Educational Despatch (1854) led to the opening of Anglo-Vernacular Schools and Government Colleges.

• Established an Engineering College at Roorkee

Public Works

• Started the first railway line (1853) – connecting Bombay with Thana

• Started the electric telegraph service

• Laid the basis for the modern postal system (1854)

• Created a separate Public Works Department

• Began work on the Grand Trunk Road

• Developed the harbours of Karachi, Bombay, and Calcutta

Lord Canning (1856–58)

• Last Governor-General of India

• Passed the Widow Remarriage Act (July 25, 1856)

• Faced the Revolt of 1857

• Passed the Act of 1858, ending the rule of the East India Company

• Withdrew Doctrine of Lapse

Final Thoughts

The period from 1757 to 1858 was a turning point in Indian history, marking the gradual transformation from regional rule to full British colonial control.

From the establishment of the Dual Government by Robert Clive to the reforms and wars under Lord Dalhousie and Lord Canning, each Governor and Governor-General played a critical role in shaping the administrative, political, and social fabric of India.

Understanding these key figures and their policies helps us grasp how British dominance evolved and ultimately set the stage for the Indian freedom struggle in the years to come.