Lord Wellesley served as Governor-General of Fort Williams from 1798 to 1805. During his reign, the fourth and final Anglo-Mysore war was fought, and Tipu was killed. In addition, the Second Anglo-Maratha War occurred, in which Bhonsle, Scindia, and Holkar were defeated. Wellesley followed the "subsidiary alliance" policy, which was accepted by the rulers of Mysore, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Bundi, Macheri, Bharatpur, and Oudh, Tanjore, Berar, Peshwa, and the Nizam of Hyderabad. The Censorship of the Press Act of 1799 was also passed during his tenure, and Fort William College was founded in 1800 to train civil servants. In this article, we will discuss the significance of events under Lord Wellesley which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Lord Wellesley - Background

• Richard Colley Wellesley was an Anglo-Irish politician and colonial administrator.
• He was Viscount Wellesley until 1781 when he succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Mornington.
• In 1799, he was elevated to the Irish peerage as Marquess Wellesley.
• Between 1798 and 1805, he was the fifth Governor-General of India, and he later served as Foreign Secretary in the British Cabinet and as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
• In 1799, he invaded Mysore and defeated Tipu, the Sultan of Mysore, in a major battle, while portraying his adversary as a cruel tyrant who needed to be put down.
• In addition, he started the Second Anglo-Maratha War.
• Lord Wellesley (as Governor-General) arrived in India in 1798, at a time when the British were engaged in a global battle with France.
• Lord Wellesley decided that the time had come to bring as many Indian states under British control as possible.
• By 1797, the two most powerful Indian powers, Mysore and the Marathas had lost ground.
• The Third Anglo-Mysore War had reduced Mysore to a mere shadow of its former glory, and the Marathas were wasting their power in mutual intrigues and wars.
• Political conditions in India were favorable for a (British) expansionist policy: aggression was both easy and profitable.

Significant Events under Lord Wellesley

Fourth Mysore War

• The third Mysore war, fought during Lord Cornwallis' governor-generalship, severely weakened Tipu Sultan's power.
• He did not forget his defeat and humiliation and worked hard to regain his power and prestige.
• He increased his military resources and attempted to enlist foreign assistance from Arabia, Turkey, Afghanistan, and France.
• Lord Wellesley decided to end Tipu Sultan's reign as soon as he arrived in India. He began talks with the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas and was assured of their neutrality in the event of an English war against Tipu.
• Then, in 1799, he declared war on him. The English had an easy victory in the war.
• Mysore was attacked from two directions, and Tipu was forced to seek refuge in his capital, Srirangapatna, where he died fighting.
• Tipu's son surrendered to the English, and Srirangapatna was captured by the English in May 1799. That completed Hyder Ali's creation of the state of Mysore.
• Some Mysore territory was given to the Nizam, a larger portion was annexed by the English, and the remainder was returned to the minor son of the previous Hindu ruler of Mysore, who became a dependent ally of the English.

Second Maratha War

• Internal squabbles among the Marathas provided Lord Wellesley with an excellent opportunity to weaken the Marathas' power.
• Peshwa Baji Rao was inept and failed to maintain control over Maratha chiefs.
• Daulat Rao Sindhia and Jaswant Rao Holkar fought openly for supremacy.
• The Peshwa sided with the Sindhia, and a virtual war broke out between Holkar on one side and the Peshwa and the Sindhia on the other.
• In October 1802, Jaswant Rao defeated Peshwa Baji Rao in a battle near Poona, forcing him to seek refuge at Bassein and placing Vinayak Rao, Raghunath Rao's grandson, on the Peshwa's gaddi.

Mediatization

• Mediatization is another method by which Wellesley expanded the Company's territory.
• On the grounds of maladministration by their rulers, he took over the territories of Tanjore, Surat, and Karnataka, as well as Farrukhabad, whose ruler was a minor.
• The Company, on the other hand, provided pensions to the rulers of these states.

Subsidiary Alliance

• Lord Wellesley's Subsidiary Alliance was yet another highly effective tool for expanding British territory and political influence in India.
• This type of treaty was imposed on the new ruler of Mysore following Tipu's defeat, various Maratha chiefs following the second Maratha War, the Nizam of Hyderabad, the Nawab of Awadh, and other Company dependent allies.
• A ruler who accepted this treaty was barred from having relations with any other native ruler, and could not employ any European without the English's permission.
• He was required to keep an English resident at his court and an English army within his territory, and in exchange had to permanently surrender a portion of his territory to the English.
• This treaty thus aided the English not only in expanding their territory but also in removing French influence from the native states' courts.
• With the signing of his treaty, the rulers became completely reliant on the English.
• In exchange for the above terms, the East India Company would promise to protect the state from external threats and internal strife.
• If the Indian ruler does not make the required payments, a portion of his territory will be taken away as a punishment.
• Nizam of Hyderabad was the first ruler to sign this treaty with Wellesley (September 1798 and 1800).

Censorship Act 1799

• James Augustus Hickey published the first newspaper in India, the "Bengal Gazette" or "Calcutta General Advertiser," in 1780.
• This was far too outspoken, and its press was quickly seized.
• The Calcutta Gazette (1784), The Bengal Journal (1785), The Oriental Magazine of Calcutta (1785), The Calcutta Chronicle (1786), The Madras Courier (1788), and The Bombay Herald were among the many newspapers that appeared (1789).
• Lord Wellesley introduced the Censorship of Press Act in 1799 to prevent the French from publishing anything that could harm the British in any way.
• This act subjected all newspapers to government scrutiny prior to publication.
• This act was later expanded in 1807 to include all types of press publications, including newspapers, magazines, books, and pamphlets.
• When Lord Hastings came to power, the rules were relaxed.

Fort William College

• Lord Wellesley made the first attempt to train Civil Servants locally.
• On July 10, 1800, he established Fort Williams College on the Fort William campus.
• The plan was to teach British rookies about Oriental culture, tradition, law, and administration so that they could better coordinate in "governance."

Legacy of Lord Wellesley

• Lord Wellesley's adventures were enjoyable, but they were costly.
• The continuous wars with Mysore and the Marathas, as well as his policy of launching educational projects in India, put financial strain on the Court of Directors, making them impatient.
• In July 1805, he was recalled, and Lord Cornwallis was dispatched to India once more.
• His peers advised him to bring peace to the British dominions, which were under threat from wounded lions like Holkars and Scindias.
• He arrived during the rainy season, and India's harsh weather claimed his life.

Conclusion

Lord Wellesley pursued an aggressive policy with native rulers and was largely successful in his goal of establishing the Company as the supreme power in India. Sir George Barlow, a close friend of John Shore and Lord Wellesley, succeeded him. His term lasted until 1807 when a mutiny broke out in Vellore in 1806.

FAQs

Question: Who was Lord Wellesley?

Question: What was the Subsidiary Alliance system introduced by Lord Wellesley?

Question: What were Lord Wellesley’s main achievements?

Question: Which war did Lord Wellesley fight with Tipu Sultan?

Question: How did Lord Wellesley’s policies affect British India?

MCQs

1. Which system was introduced by Lord Wellesley to expand British control in India?

a) Doctrine of Lapse

b) Subsidiary Alliance

c) Permanent Settlement

d) Dual Government

2. Which Indian ruler was defeated in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War during Lord Wellesley’s tenure?

a) Ranjit Singh

b) Tipu Sultan

c) Marathas

d) Nizam of Hyderabad

3. What was the primary objective of Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance?

a) Promote Indian unity

b) Establish British paramountcy in India

c) Introduce land reforms

d) Foster trade between India and Britain

4. Which Indian state was annexed as a result of Lord Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance policy?

a) Awadh

b) Punjab

c) Hyderabad

d) Mysore

5. What criticism did Lord Wellesley face for his expansionist policies?

a) Increased economic prosperity

b) Excessive military expenditure

c) Successful diplomatic relations

d) Better agricultural productivity

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Analyze the impact of Lord Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance on Indian states.

Answer: The Subsidiary Alliance had a profound impact on Indian states. It effectively brought them under British control without direct annexation. Indian rulers lost their military autonomy as they had to maintain British troops, leading to financial burdens on the states. This arrangement weakened local political structures, making the states dependent on British support for their survival. The policy led to widespread British influence over major states like Hyderabad, Awadh, and Mysore, contributing to the consolidation of British rule in India.

Q2: Discuss the significance of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War during Lord Wellesley’s tenure as Governor-General.

Answer: The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799) was a decisive conflict during Lord Wellesley’s tenure, resulting in the defeat and death of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore. This victory marked the end of significant resistance against British expansion in southern India. With Mysore under British control, Wellesley further strengthened British dominance in the Deccan region. The war also demonstrated the effectiveness of British military strategy and the Subsidiary Alliance system, establishing the British as the paramount power in southern India.

Q3: Critically evaluate Lord Wellesley’s expansionist policies and their long-term effects on British India.

Answer: Lord Wellesley’s expansionist policies, particularly the Subsidiary Alliance, significantly expanded British control over India. By bringing Indian states into a dependent alliance, Wellesley ensured British supremacy without direct annexation. However, his policies also placed a heavy financial burden on both the Indian states and the British government due to the costs of maintaining large military forces. Although Wellesley’s methods helped consolidate British rule, they also sowed seeds of discontent among Indian rulers and increased military expenditure, which later drew criticism from the British Parliament.

Previous Year Questions on Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) 

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2018:

Question: The Subsidiary Alliance, introduced by Lord Wellesley, primarily aimed at:

A. Protecting Indian states from European invasion

B. Establishing British control over Indian states

C. Promoting internal reforms in India

D. Fostering trade relations with Europe

Answer: B

Explanation: The Subsidiary Alliance was designed to make Indian rulers dependent on British protection, thereby establishing British dominance over Indian territories.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2017 (GS Paper 1):

Question: Examine the significance of Lord Wellesley’s Subsidiary Alliance in the expansion of British power in India.

Answer: The Subsidiary Alliance was one of the most significant tools used by Lord Wellesley to expand British influence over India. By forcing Indian rulers to accept British troops in their territories, Wellesley ensured British dominance without direct annexation. States like Awadh, Hyderabad, and Mysore were brought under British control, leading to a significant expansion of British power. However, this policy also resulted in heavy financial burdens on the Indian states, fostering resentment and contributing to the weakening of indigenous political structures.

3. UPSC CSE Prelims 2017:

Question: Which of the following wars occurred during Lord Wellesley’s tenure as Governor-General?

A. First Anglo-Maratha War

B. Fourth Anglo-Mysore War

C. First Anglo-Sikh War

D. Battle of Plassey

Answer: B

Explanation: The Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, fought between the British and Tipu Sultan in 1799, occurred during Lord Wellesley’s tenure as Governor-General of India.