Under _____ a new policy of “paramountcy” was initiated. In this policy the Company claimed that its authority was paramount or supreme, hence its power was greater than that of Indian states.
Lord Hastings
The correct answer is Lord Hastings.
It allowed the British to intervene in successional disputes, manage state finances, and eventually annex states on various pretexts like misgovernance or lack of a natural heir (as seen later with the Doctrine of Lapse). The claim of paramountcy meant that the British considered themselves the ultimate sovereign power in India, with Indian rulers holding authority only at the pleasure of the British Crown (which later took over from the Company). This concept became a cornerstone of British policy towards the princely states throughout the 19th and 20th centuries until India's independence.
Important Questions from India under East India Company’s Rule
The Ryotwari System was introduced by:
The Charter Act of 1833 made the Governor-General of ______ as the Governor-General of India and vested in him all civil and military powers.
In which of the following years was Goa conquered by the Portuguese?
Which of the following events took place in the year 1856?
The Battle of Plassey was fought in the year ________
