Module 1: Early British Encounters & Post-Plassey Bihar (1757-1760)

📖 Chapter 2 of 28 🧩 Module 1 of 7 ⏱️ ~2 min read 💡 5 MCQs

Topic Part 1 of 2

Concept

Subtopic 1.1: Arrival of the English and Initial Resistance

The English infiltration into Bihar began with individual travelers and trade interests, gradually transforming into political dominance after the Battle of Plassey (1757):

First English Traveler: Ralph Fitch holds the distinction of being the first English traveler to visit Bihar, paving the way for future British interest.
Post-Plassey Administration: Following the decisive Battle of Plassey in 1757, Mir Jafar was made the Nawab of Bengal, and Miran was appointed as the Deputy Nawab (Up-Nawab) of Bihar. To secure British support, Mir Jafar granted the East India Company a monopoly over the lucrative saltpetre trade in Bihar.
Early Resistance: The expansion of British power was not without friction. Between 1757 and 1758, local leaders like Raja Ramnarayan, Pahalwan Singh (of Bhojpur), Kamgar Khan (of Narhat), and Sundar Singh (of Tikari) actively opposed Mir Jafar and the English.
Invasion by Ali Gauhar: Prince Ali Gauhar (later Emperor Shah Alam II) became the first major Mughal figure to resist British authority in Bihar, famously laying siege to Patna in 1760.

⭐ Key Points

Ralph Fitch was the first English traveler to visit Bihar.
After the Battle of Plassey (1757), Miran became the Deputy Nawab of Bihar.
Mir Jafar granted the English a monopoly on the saltpetre trade in Bihar.
Ali Gauhar (Shah Alam II) was the first to oppose British power in Bihar, besieging Patna in 1760.
Local zamindars like Kamgar Khan and Pahalwan Singh opposed the British between 1757-58.

📌 One-line Q&A

Question: Who was the first English traveler to visit Bihar? Answer: Ralph Fitch.
Question: Who became the Deputy Nawab of Bihar after the Battle of Plassey? Answer: Miran.
Question: When did Ali Gauhar lay siege to Patna? Answer: 1760.

Topic

Questions

MCQs

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Question 1: Who was the first English traveler to visit Bihar?

Ralph Fitch was an English merchant and one of the earliest English travelers to visit the region of Bihar.

Question 2: Who became the Deputy Nawab of Bihar after the Battle of Plassey (1757)?

After the Battle of Plassey, Mir Jafar was appointed Nawab of Bengal, and his son Miran was appointed as the Deputy Nawab of Bihar.

Question 3: Who was the first to oppose British authority in Bihar?

Mughal Prince Ali Gauhar (who later became Emperor Shah Alam II) was the first significant figure to challenge the newly established British authority in Bihar.

Question 4: When did Ali Gauhar lay siege to Patna?

Ali Gauhar led a military expedition and laid siege to the city of Patna in the year 1760.

Question 5: Who granted the English a monopoly on the saltpetre trade in Bihar?

To satisfy his British allies after the Battle of Plassey, Nawab Mir Jafar granted them exclusive monopoly rights over Bihar's highly profitable saltpetre trade.

Question 1 of 5

One-liners

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Who was the first English traveler to visit Bihar?

Ralph Fitch.

Who became the Deputy Nawab of Bihar after the Battle of Plassey?

Miran.

When did Ali Gauhar lay siege to Patna?

1760.

Question 1 of 3