Fall of the Mughal Empire v2.c30.s3.35

v2.c30.s3.35

Lord Clive returned to India on 3rd May and speedily marched up country, meeting the penitent Shujā at Benares (2 Aug.) and the grateful Emperor at Allahabad (9 Aug.) He concluded formal treaties with both. By the Treaty of Allahabad, dated 16th August, the English restored to Shujā-ud-daulah all his dominions with the exception of Chunār (which was retained by the English), the districts of Korā and Allahabad (which were ceded to the Emperor), and the zamindāri of Benares including Ghāzipur (which was reserved to the family of Rajah Balwant Singh, under English protection, though legally subordinate to the Nawab of Oudh.) Shujā agreed to pay fifty lakhs to the English to cover the expenses of the recent war, and to bind himself with the English in an alliance of mutual armed support. After the battle of Buxar the English general had promised to give the Emperor all the territories of the fugitive Shujā. But he was now given only the districts of Kora and Allahabad, with an estimated revenue of 28 lakhs a year, and assured of the Bengal tribute of 26 lakhs per annum (from which two lakhs were reserved in writing for Mirzā Najaf Khan.) An English force was to be posted at Allahabad for the protection of the Emperor as long as necessary. In return for these the Emperor, by a *farmān* signed on 12th August (with an addition on the 19th), confirmed the English East India Company in all the possessions they held in his territories, and also granted them the *diwāni* of Bengal, Bihār and Orissa (the last subah now comprising the Midnapur district only.) This grant meant that the English were legally empowered to take all the revenue proceeds of these three subahs, after deducting 26 lakhs for the Emperor, the expenses of the administration of Bengal and the maintenance of the Nawab family of Murshidabad (50 lakhs), and the cost of the military defence of these provinces.