The Battle of Plassey was a battle that took place in June 1757, at Plassey (pronounced Palashee, in Bengali), a small village between Calcutta and Murshidabad. It was a battle between the forces of the British East India Company and of Siraj Ud Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal. The reason for the battle was the Nawab's attack and capture of Calcutta (which he renamed to Alinagar), following the dispute on the additional fortification, with mounted guns, of the town built without the consent of the Nawab and the British policy of favouring Hindu Marwari merchants over local ones. The battle commenced on June 23.
The British army was vastly outnumbered, consisting of 800 Europeans and 2200 Indians. The Nawab had an army of about 50,000. But the British general Robert Clive bribed the Nawab's uncle and chief of army, Mir Jafar , who controlled the artillery and much of the army. The result was that Siraj Ud Daulah was deserted by the best troops in his army, and the British easily defeated those who remained loyal. The Nawab was soon captured and killed while he attempted to escape.
The Battle of Plassey is considered to be the start of British rule in India.
Clive was awarded the title Baron Clive of Plassey and bought lands in County Limerick and County Clare, Ireland. He named part of his lands near Limerick City, Plassey. Following Irish independence, these lands became state property. In the 1970's a technical college, which later became Limerick University, was built at Plassey.
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