The importance of Bengal & Company army Flashcards
What were the 3 private armies established to protect?
How many troops did they have by 1820?
What are sepoys? Was there any white troops?
How were casts categorised for the military by Europeans?
What did Company armies ensure of local rulers?
What did Governors like Sir Richard Wellesley use the army to do?
How did the Company respond to the military expenditure required for these expansions?
-Three armies were established in the mid-18th century to protect commercial interests.
-They had 200,000 troops by 1820.
-Sepoys are Indian troops.
-YES. There were also regiments of white troops.
-Europeans had ideas about which were the most ‘warlike’ castes.
-The Company armies ensured that local rulers signed treaties with the Company and supported tax collection and administrative roles.
-Governors like Sir Richard Wellesley used the armies to expand territory.
-The Company was alarmed by this and threatened Wellesley with impeachment.
What areas did the Company find campaign success?
Why had Britain been obsessed with the North West frontier?
What was ‘Auckland’s folly’? How many lives were lost? What expenditure?
What years was Sind and Punjab annexed?
What faction of Indian’s did British soldiers admire?
Who were Sikh Punjabi soldiers bitter towards?
-The Company fought a number of campaigns in the North West with varying success in areas like Sind and Punjab.
-Britain was obsessed with the north-west frontier because of the fear of Russian invasion or influence of Persia.
-The First Afghan war was named ‘Auckland’s Folly’ as it cost 20,000 lives and £15 million.
-Sind was finally annexed in 1843 and Punjab in 1849.
-British soldiers admired ‘warlike’ Sikhs and this would be repaid during the Rebellion.
-The Sikh Punjabi soldiers were extremely bitter toward native Bengali sepoys.
Which province Governor General was governor general for all of India?
How large was the Bengal army presidency compared to the other two?
What was the Bengali army made up of? What were they provided with?
Where were the Sepoys of the Bengali army recruited from?
-Bengal was at the heart of the Company in India: Its governor was governor general of all of India.
-The army of the Bengal presidency was twice as large as the other two.
-The Bengali army was made up of Indians of high castes with special privileges which they guarded jealously.
-The Sepoys of the Bengali army were actually recruited from neighbouring areas, particularly Awadh.
