Explore the Subsidiary Alliance system used by Lord Wellesley to expand British influence in India. Learn about its introduction, objectives, impact, and evolution, and how it shaped the British Empire in India.

Introduction: Lord Wellesley's Tool for Empire Building

• The subsidiary alliance system was used by Lord Wellesley, governor-general from 1798-1805, to build an empire in India.
• Under this system, the Indian state’s ruler was compelled to accept the permanent stationing of a British force within his territory and to pay a subsidy for its maintenance.
• The ruler had to agree to the posting of a British resident in his court.
• The Indian ruler could not employ any European in his service without consulting the Company.
• The ruler could not go to war or negotiate with other rulers without consulting the governor-general.
• In return, the British would defend the ruler from his enemies and adopt a policy of non-interference in the internal matters of the allied state.

Objectives and Impact: French Influence, Territorial Gain, and Loss of Independence

• One objective was to keep the French from reviving and expanding their influence in India.
• The fear of Napoleon’s expedition towards the East led to the clause requiring Indian rulers to dismiss Europeans other than the British from their service.
• This system allowed the Company to station its forces at strategic locations and keep the French at bay.
• The subsidiary alliance expanded the Company’s hold over Indian states and brought more territory into the Company’s fold.
• Indian rulers lost their independence by buying security, faced interference from the British Resident, and lost much of their revenue.
• The alliance made Indian rulers weak and irresponsible, exploiting subjects and protecting oppressive rulers.

Evolution and Perfection: From Dupleix to Wellesley

• Dupleix first gave European troops to Indian rulers to fight their wars.
• From Clive onwards, governor-generals applied and refined the system.
• The first Indian state to fall into this protection trap was Awadh in 1765.
• In 1787, the Company insisted that subsidiary states should not have foreign relations, included in the treaty with the Nawab of Carnatic signed by Cornwallis.
• Wellesley made it a general rule to negotiate for the surrender of territory for the maintenance of the subsidiary force.

Stages of Application: A Gradual Erosion of Sovereignty

• First Stage: The Company offered troops to help friendly Indian states fight wars.
• Second Stage: The Company took the field with its own soldiers and those of the friendly state.
• Third Stage: The Indian ally was asked for money, and the Company promised to maintain a fixed number of soldiers for protection and aggression deterrence.
• Fourth Stage: The money or protection fee was fixed, and failure to pay led to ceding territory to the Company.

States which Accepted Alliance: A Growing List of British Dependencies

• The Nizam of Hyderabad (September 1798 and 1800)
• The ruler of Mysore (1799)
• The ruler of Tanjore (October 1799)
• The Nawab of Awadh (November 1801)
• The Peshwa (December 1801)
• The Bhonsle Raja of Berar (December 1803)
• The Sindhia (February 1804)
• The Rajput states of Jodhpur, Jaipur, Macheri, Bundi, and the ruler of Bharatpur (1818)
• The Holkars were the last Maratha confederation to accept the Subsidiary Alliance in 1818.