TN History Textbook: Lord Hastings (1813-1823) | Old & New NCERTs for IAS Preparation (Must Read) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Lord Hastings became Governor-
General in 1813. He adopted a vigorous
forward policy and waged wars extensively.
His aggressive and imperialist polices paved
the way for the general of expansion of the
British Empire. He further expanded the
British power in India.
The conditions in India when he assumed
power posed a serious threat to the British
administration. There was anarchy in central
India. The Pindaris plundered the whole region and the Marathas
could not control them. Also, there was infighting among the Maratha
chiefs. Yet, they were aiming at the expulsion of the British from
India. The Peshwa was secretly plotting against the British. Hastings
was also troubled by the expansion of the Gurkha power. Therefore,
Hastings determined to restore order by suppressing the Pindaris
and to eliminate threats to the British power by waging wars with the
Marathas and the Gurkhas.
War against the Gurkhas (1814-16)
Nepal emerged as a powerful Gurkha state in 1768. This country
is situated to the north of India with its boundary touching China in
the north and Bengal and Oudh in the east and south, respectively. In
1801, the British acquired the districts of Gorakhpur   and Basti from
the Nawab of Oudh. This move brought the boundary of Nepal to
touch the British frontier. The aggressions of the Gurkhas into the
British territories culminated in a war. In May 1814, the Gurkhas
attacked the British police post and killed 18 policemen and their
officer. Hastings declared war on Nepal. In 1814 several battles were
fought between the British and the Gurkhas. Amar Singh Thapa, the
able General of Nepal Army was forced to surrender.
In March 1816, the Treaty of Sagauli was concluded. The
Gurkhas gave up their claim over the Tarai region and ceded the
areas of Kumaon and Garhwal to the British.  The British now secured
the area around Simla and their north-western borders touched the
Himalayas. The Gurkhas had to withdraw from Sikkim and they also
agreed to keep a British Resident at Katmandu. It was also agreed
that the kingdom of Nepal would not employ any other foreigner in
its services other than the English. The British had also obtained the
sites of hill stations like Simla, Mussoori, Nainital, Ranikhet and
developed them as tourist and health resorts. After this victory in the
Gurkha War Hastings was honoured with English peerage and he
became Marquis of Hastings.
LESSON 4
LORD HASTINGS (1813-1823)
Learning Objectives
Students will come to know
1. The condition of India when Lord Hastings became
Governor-General.
2. The War with Nepal, the kingdom of the Gurkhas.
3. Who were the Pindaris and how they were exterminated.
4. The third and Final War with the Marathas.
5. The causes for the defeat of the Marathas at the hands of the
British.
6. The Reforms introduced by Lord Hastings.
7. An estimate of Lord Hastings.
LORD HASTINGS 
37 38
Page 2


Lord Hastings became Governor-
General in 1813. He adopted a vigorous
forward policy and waged wars extensively.
His aggressive and imperialist polices paved
the way for the general of expansion of the
British Empire. He further expanded the
British power in India.
The conditions in India when he assumed
power posed a serious threat to the British
administration. There was anarchy in central
India. The Pindaris plundered the whole region and the Marathas
could not control them. Also, there was infighting among the Maratha
chiefs. Yet, they were aiming at the expulsion of the British from
India. The Peshwa was secretly plotting against the British. Hastings
was also troubled by the expansion of the Gurkha power. Therefore,
Hastings determined to restore order by suppressing the Pindaris
and to eliminate threats to the British power by waging wars with the
Marathas and the Gurkhas.
War against the Gurkhas (1814-16)
Nepal emerged as a powerful Gurkha state in 1768. This country
is situated to the north of India with its boundary touching China in
the north and Bengal and Oudh in the east and south, respectively. In
1801, the British acquired the districts of Gorakhpur   and Basti from
the Nawab of Oudh. This move brought the boundary of Nepal to
touch the British frontier. The aggressions of the Gurkhas into the
British territories culminated in a war. In May 1814, the Gurkhas
attacked the British police post and killed 18 policemen and their
officer. Hastings declared war on Nepal. In 1814 several battles were
fought between the British and the Gurkhas. Amar Singh Thapa, the
able General of Nepal Army was forced to surrender.
In March 1816, the Treaty of Sagauli was concluded. The
Gurkhas gave up their claim over the Tarai region and ceded the
areas of Kumaon and Garhwal to the British.  The British now secured
the area around Simla and their north-western borders touched the
Himalayas. The Gurkhas had to withdraw from Sikkim and they also
agreed to keep a British Resident at Katmandu. It was also agreed
that the kingdom of Nepal would not employ any other foreigner in
its services other than the English. The British had also obtained the
sites of hill stations like Simla, Mussoori, Nainital, Ranikhet and
developed them as tourist and health resorts. After this victory in the
Gurkha War Hastings was honoured with English peerage and he
became Marquis of Hastings.
LESSON 4
LORD HASTINGS (1813-1823)
Learning Objectives
Students will come to know
1. The condition of India when Lord Hastings became
Governor-General.
2. The War with Nepal, the kingdom of the Gurkhas.
3. Who were the Pindaris and how they were exterminated.
4. The third and Final War with the Marathas.
5. The causes for the defeat of the Marathas at the hands of the
British.
6. The Reforms introduced by Lord Hastings.
7. An estimate of Lord Hastings.
LORD HASTINGS 
37 38
Suppression of the Pindaris
The origin of Pindaris is lost in obscurity. The first reference
about them is during the Mughal invasion of Maharashtra. They did
not belong to any particular caste or creed.  They used to serve the
army without any payment but instead were allowed to plunder.
During the time of Baji Rao I, they were irregular horsemen attached
to the Maratha army. It is worth mentioning here that they never
helped the British. They were mostly active in the areas of Rajputana
and the Central Provinces and subsisted on plunder. Their leaders
belonged to both the Hindu as well as the Muslim communities.  Chief
amongst them were Wasil Muhammad, Chitu and Karim Khan. They
had thousands of followers.
In 1812, the Pindaris plundered the districts of Mirzapur and
Shahabad and in 1815 they raided the Nizam’s dominions. In 1816,
they plundered the Northern Circars. Lord Hastings determined to
suppress the Pindaris. For this he gathered a large army of 1,13,000
men and 300 guns and attacked the Pindaris from four sides. He
himself took command of the force from the north while Sir Thomas
Hislop commanded the force from the south. By 1818, the Pindaris
were completely suppressed and all their bands disintegrated. Karim
Khan was given a small estate in the Gorakhpur district of the United
Provinces. Wasil Muhammad took refuge in the Scindia’s camp but
the latter handed him over to the British. Wasil committed suicide in
captivity and Chitu escaped to the forest, where a tiger killed him.
Thus, by 1824, the menace of the Pindaris came to an end.
Downfall of the Maratha Confederacy
The third major achievement of Lord Hastings was against the
Marathas. In reality, the Maratha power had weakened considerably
after the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) and the two subsequent
wars against the British. But the Marathas had not finally crushed
out. The Maratha chiefs fought amongst themselves and their
successors were invariably weak and incapable. The relationships
of powerful Maratha chiefs like the Bhonsle, Gaekwar, Scindia, Holkar
and the Peshwa were ridden with mutual jealousies.
Peshwa Baji Rao II wanted to become the head of the Maratha
Confederacy and at the same time wanted freedom from the British
control.  His Chief Minister Tirimbakji encouraged him.
On the advice of the Company, the Gaekwar sent his Prime
Minister Gangadhar Shastri to negotiate with the Peshwa. On his
way back, Gangadhar Shastri, was murdered at Nasik in July 1815,
at the instance of Triambakji.
This caused a lot of anger not only among the Marathas but
also among the British. The latter asked the Peshwa to handover
Triambakji to them. Peshwa handed over his Minister to the British,
who lodged him in Thana jail from where he escaped.  Consequently,
on 13 June 1817, the British Resident Elphinstone forced the Peshwa
to sign the Treaty of Poona. Baji Rao gave up his desire to become
the supreme head of the Marathas.
Third Maratha War (1817-1819)
But soon the Peshwa undid this treaty with the British and on
5 November 1817 attacked the British Residency.  He was defeated
at a place called Kirkee.  Similarly, the Bhonsle chief, Appa Sahib
also refused to abide by the Treaty of Nagpur, which he had signed
with the British on 17 May 1816.  According to this treaty, Nagpur
came under the control of the Company. He fought with the British
in the Battle of Sitabaldi in November 1817, but was defeated. The
Peshwa now turned to Holkar for help, but Holkar too was defeated
by the British on 21 December 1817 at Baroda.  Therefore, by
December 1817 the dream of a Mighty Maratha Confederacy was
finally shattered.
39 40
Page 3


Lord Hastings became Governor-
General in 1813. He adopted a vigorous
forward policy and waged wars extensively.
His aggressive and imperialist polices paved
the way for the general of expansion of the
British Empire. He further expanded the
British power in India.
The conditions in India when he assumed
power posed a serious threat to the British
administration. There was anarchy in central
India. The Pindaris plundered the whole region and the Marathas
could not control them. Also, there was infighting among the Maratha
chiefs. Yet, they were aiming at the expulsion of the British from
India. The Peshwa was secretly plotting against the British. Hastings
was also troubled by the expansion of the Gurkha power. Therefore,
Hastings determined to restore order by suppressing the Pindaris
and to eliminate threats to the British power by waging wars with the
Marathas and the Gurkhas.
War against the Gurkhas (1814-16)
Nepal emerged as a powerful Gurkha state in 1768. This country
is situated to the north of India with its boundary touching China in
the north and Bengal and Oudh in the east and south, respectively. In
1801, the British acquired the districts of Gorakhpur   and Basti from
the Nawab of Oudh. This move brought the boundary of Nepal to
touch the British frontier. The aggressions of the Gurkhas into the
British territories culminated in a war. In May 1814, the Gurkhas
attacked the British police post and killed 18 policemen and their
officer. Hastings declared war on Nepal. In 1814 several battles were
fought between the British and the Gurkhas. Amar Singh Thapa, the
able General of Nepal Army was forced to surrender.
In March 1816, the Treaty of Sagauli was concluded. The
Gurkhas gave up their claim over the Tarai region and ceded the
areas of Kumaon and Garhwal to the British.  The British now secured
the area around Simla and their north-western borders touched the
Himalayas. The Gurkhas had to withdraw from Sikkim and they also
agreed to keep a British Resident at Katmandu. It was also agreed
that the kingdom of Nepal would not employ any other foreigner in
its services other than the English. The British had also obtained the
sites of hill stations like Simla, Mussoori, Nainital, Ranikhet and
developed them as tourist and health resorts. After this victory in the
Gurkha War Hastings was honoured with English peerage and he
became Marquis of Hastings.
LESSON 4
LORD HASTINGS (1813-1823)
Learning Objectives
Students will come to know
1. The condition of India when Lord Hastings became
Governor-General.
2. The War with Nepal, the kingdom of the Gurkhas.
3. Who were the Pindaris and how they were exterminated.
4. The third and Final War with the Marathas.
5. The causes for the defeat of the Marathas at the hands of the
British.
6. The Reforms introduced by Lord Hastings.
7. An estimate of Lord Hastings.
LORD HASTINGS 
37 38
Suppression of the Pindaris
The origin of Pindaris is lost in obscurity. The first reference
about them is during the Mughal invasion of Maharashtra. They did
not belong to any particular caste or creed.  They used to serve the
army without any payment but instead were allowed to plunder.
During the time of Baji Rao I, they were irregular horsemen attached
to the Maratha army. It is worth mentioning here that they never
helped the British. They were mostly active in the areas of Rajputana
and the Central Provinces and subsisted on plunder. Their leaders
belonged to both the Hindu as well as the Muslim communities.  Chief
amongst them were Wasil Muhammad, Chitu and Karim Khan. They
had thousands of followers.
In 1812, the Pindaris plundered the districts of Mirzapur and
Shahabad and in 1815 they raided the Nizam’s dominions. In 1816,
they plundered the Northern Circars. Lord Hastings determined to
suppress the Pindaris. For this he gathered a large army of 1,13,000
men and 300 guns and attacked the Pindaris from four sides. He
himself took command of the force from the north while Sir Thomas
Hislop commanded the force from the south. By 1818, the Pindaris
were completely suppressed and all their bands disintegrated. Karim
Khan was given a small estate in the Gorakhpur district of the United
Provinces. Wasil Muhammad took refuge in the Scindia’s camp but
the latter handed him over to the British. Wasil committed suicide in
captivity and Chitu escaped to the forest, where a tiger killed him.
Thus, by 1824, the menace of the Pindaris came to an end.
Downfall of the Maratha Confederacy
The third major achievement of Lord Hastings was against the
Marathas. In reality, the Maratha power had weakened considerably
after the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) and the two subsequent
wars against the British. But the Marathas had not finally crushed
out. The Maratha chiefs fought amongst themselves and their
successors were invariably weak and incapable. The relationships
of powerful Maratha chiefs like the Bhonsle, Gaekwar, Scindia, Holkar
and the Peshwa were ridden with mutual jealousies.
Peshwa Baji Rao II wanted to become the head of the Maratha
Confederacy and at the same time wanted freedom from the British
control.  His Chief Minister Tirimbakji encouraged him.
On the advice of the Company, the Gaekwar sent his Prime
Minister Gangadhar Shastri to negotiate with the Peshwa. On his
way back, Gangadhar Shastri, was murdered at Nasik in July 1815,
at the instance of Triambakji.
This caused a lot of anger not only among the Marathas but
also among the British. The latter asked the Peshwa to handover
Triambakji to them. Peshwa handed over his Minister to the British,
who lodged him in Thana jail from where he escaped.  Consequently,
on 13 June 1817, the British Resident Elphinstone forced the Peshwa
to sign the Treaty of Poona. Baji Rao gave up his desire to become
the supreme head of the Marathas.
Third Maratha War (1817-1819)
But soon the Peshwa undid this treaty with the British and on
5 November 1817 attacked the British Residency.  He was defeated
at a place called Kirkee.  Similarly, the Bhonsle chief, Appa Sahib
also refused to abide by the Treaty of Nagpur, which he had signed
with the British on 17 May 1816.  According to this treaty, Nagpur
came under the control of the Company. He fought with the British
in the Battle of Sitabaldi in November 1817, but was defeated. The
Peshwa now turned to Holkar for help, but Holkar too was defeated
by the British on 21 December 1817 at Baroda.  Therefore, by
December 1817 the dream of a Mighty Maratha Confederacy was
finally shattered.
39 40
In 1818, Scindia was also forced to sign a new treaty with the
British on the basis of which Ajmer was given to the Nawab of Bhopal,
who also accepted the British suzerainty. The Gaekwar of Baroda,
while accepting the Subsidiary Alliance, agreed to hand over certain
areas of Ahmedabad to the British. The Rajput states which were
under the Pindaris were freed after the latter’s suppression.
The year 1818 was a significant year on account of major
political achievements for the British. The Maratha dream of
establishing themselves as the paramount power in India was
completely destroyed.  Thus, the last hurdle in the way of British
paramountcy was removed.
Causes of the Defeat of the Marathas
There were several reasons for the defeat of the Marathas in
the Anglo-Maratha Wars.  The main reasons were:
! Lack of capable leadership
! Military weakness of the Marathas.
! The major drawback of the Maratha power was mutual
bitterness and lack of cooperation amongst themselves.
! The Marathas hardly left any positive impact on the conquered
territories.
! The Marathas did not have cordial relations with other princes
and Nawabs of India.
! The Marathas failed to estimate correctly the political and
diplomatic strength of the British.
Reforms of Hastings
The Governor-Generalship of Lord Hastings witnessed not only
territorial expansion but also the progress of administration. He
approved the Ryotwari system of land revenue introduced in the
Madras Presidency by Sir Thomas Munroe. In the sphere of
judiciary, the Cornwallis Code was improved. The Police system of
Bengal was extended to other regions. The importance of Indian
Munsiffs had increased during his administration. The separation of
judicial and revenue departments was not rigidly followed. Instead,
the District Collector acted as Magistrate.
Hastings had also encouraged the foundation of vernacular
schools by missionaries and others. In 1817, the Hindu College was
established at Calcutta by the public for the teaching of English and
western science.  Hastings was the Patron of this college. He
encouraged the freedom of the Press and abolished the censorship
introduced in 1799. The Bengali Weekly, Samachar Darpan was
started in 1818 by Marshman, a Serampore missionary.
Estimate
Lord Hastings was an able soldier and a brilliant administrator.
His liberal views on education and Press are commendable. He
suppressed the Pindaris, defeated the Marathas and curbed the power
of the Gurkhas. His territorial gains strengthened the British power
in India. He was considered the maker of the Bombay Presidency.
In short, he completed and consolidated the work of Wellesley.
Lord Hastings was succeeded by Lord Amherst
(1823-28) who fought the First Anglo-Mysore War
(1824-26).
41 42
Page 4


Lord Hastings became Governor-
General in 1813. He adopted a vigorous
forward policy and waged wars extensively.
His aggressive and imperialist polices paved
the way for the general of expansion of the
British Empire. He further expanded the
British power in India.
The conditions in India when he assumed
power posed a serious threat to the British
administration. There was anarchy in central
India. The Pindaris plundered the whole region and the Marathas
could not control them. Also, there was infighting among the Maratha
chiefs. Yet, they were aiming at the expulsion of the British from
India. The Peshwa was secretly plotting against the British. Hastings
was also troubled by the expansion of the Gurkha power. Therefore,
Hastings determined to restore order by suppressing the Pindaris
and to eliminate threats to the British power by waging wars with the
Marathas and the Gurkhas.
War against the Gurkhas (1814-16)
Nepal emerged as a powerful Gurkha state in 1768. This country
is situated to the north of India with its boundary touching China in
the north and Bengal and Oudh in the east and south, respectively. In
1801, the British acquired the districts of Gorakhpur   and Basti from
the Nawab of Oudh. This move brought the boundary of Nepal to
touch the British frontier. The aggressions of the Gurkhas into the
British territories culminated in a war. In May 1814, the Gurkhas
attacked the British police post and killed 18 policemen and their
officer. Hastings declared war on Nepal. In 1814 several battles were
fought between the British and the Gurkhas. Amar Singh Thapa, the
able General of Nepal Army was forced to surrender.
In March 1816, the Treaty of Sagauli was concluded. The
Gurkhas gave up their claim over the Tarai region and ceded the
areas of Kumaon and Garhwal to the British.  The British now secured
the area around Simla and their north-western borders touched the
Himalayas. The Gurkhas had to withdraw from Sikkim and they also
agreed to keep a British Resident at Katmandu. It was also agreed
that the kingdom of Nepal would not employ any other foreigner in
its services other than the English. The British had also obtained the
sites of hill stations like Simla, Mussoori, Nainital, Ranikhet and
developed them as tourist and health resorts. After this victory in the
Gurkha War Hastings was honoured with English peerage and he
became Marquis of Hastings.
LESSON 4
LORD HASTINGS (1813-1823)
Learning Objectives
Students will come to know
1. The condition of India when Lord Hastings became
Governor-General.
2. The War with Nepal, the kingdom of the Gurkhas.
3. Who were the Pindaris and how they were exterminated.
4. The third and Final War with the Marathas.
5. The causes for the defeat of the Marathas at the hands of the
British.
6. The Reforms introduced by Lord Hastings.
7. An estimate of Lord Hastings.
LORD HASTINGS 
37 38
Suppression of the Pindaris
The origin of Pindaris is lost in obscurity. The first reference
about them is during the Mughal invasion of Maharashtra. They did
not belong to any particular caste or creed.  They used to serve the
army without any payment but instead were allowed to plunder.
During the time of Baji Rao I, they were irregular horsemen attached
to the Maratha army. It is worth mentioning here that they never
helped the British. They were mostly active in the areas of Rajputana
and the Central Provinces and subsisted on plunder. Their leaders
belonged to both the Hindu as well as the Muslim communities.  Chief
amongst them were Wasil Muhammad, Chitu and Karim Khan. They
had thousands of followers.
In 1812, the Pindaris plundered the districts of Mirzapur and
Shahabad and in 1815 they raided the Nizam’s dominions. In 1816,
they plundered the Northern Circars. Lord Hastings determined to
suppress the Pindaris. For this he gathered a large army of 1,13,000
men and 300 guns and attacked the Pindaris from four sides. He
himself took command of the force from the north while Sir Thomas
Hislop commanded the force from the south. By 1818, the Pindaris
were completely suppressed and all their bands disintegrated. Karim
Khan was given a small estate in the Gorakhpur district of the United
Provinces. Wasil Muhammad took refuge in the Scindia’s camp but
the latter handed him over to the British. Wasil committed suicide in
captivity and Chitu escaped to the forest, where a tiger killed him.
Thus, by 1824, the menace of the Pindaris came to an end.
Downfall of the Maratha Confederacy
The third major achievement of Lord Hastings was against the
Marathas. In reality, the Maratha power had weakened considerably
after the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) and the two subsequent
wars against the British. But the Marathas had not finally crushed
out. The Maratha chiefs fought amongst themselves and their
successors were invariably weak and incapable. The relationships
of powerful Maratha chiefs like the Bhonsle, Gaekwar, Scindia, Holkar
and the Peshwa were ridden with mutual jealousies.
Peshwa Baji Rao II wanted to become the head of the Maratha
Confederacy and at the same time wanted freedom from the British
control.  His Chief Minister Tirimbakji encouraged him.
On the advice of the Company, the Gaekwar sent his Prime
Minister Gangadhar Shastri to negotiate with the Peshwa. On his
way back, Gangadhar Shastri, was murdered at Nasik in July 1815,
at the instance of Triambakji.
This caused a lot of anger not only among the Marathas but
also among the British. The latter asked the Peshwa to handover
Triambakji to them. Peshwa handed over his Minister to the British,
who lodged him in Thana jail from where he escaped.  Consequently,
on 13 June 1817, the British Resident Elphinstone forced the Peshwa
to sign the Treaty of Poona. Baji Rao gave up his desire to become
the supreme head of the Marathas.
Third Maratha War (1817-1819)
But soon the Peshwa undid this treaty with the British and on
5 November 1817 attacked the British Residency.  He was defeated
at a place called Kirkee.  Similarly, the Bhonsle chief, Appa Sahib
also refused to abide by the Treaty of Nagpur, which he had signed
with the British on 17 May 1816.  According to this treaty, Nagpur
came under the control of the Company. He fought with the British
in the Battle of Sitabaldi in November 1817, but was defeated. The
Peshwa now turned to Holkar for help, but Holkar too was defeated
by the British on 21 December 1817 at Baroda.  Therefore, by
December 1817 the dream of a Mighty Maratha Confederacy was
finally shattered.
39 40
In 1818, Scindia was also forced to sign a new treaty with the
British on the basis of which Ajmer was given to the Nawab of Bhopal,
who also accepted the British suzerainty. The Gaekwar of Baroda,
while accepting the Subsidiary Alliance, agreed to hand over certain
areas of Ahmedabad to the British. The Rajput states which were
under the Pindaris were freed after the latter’s suppression.
The year 1818 was a significant year on account of major
political achievements for the British. The Maratha dream of
establishing themselves as the paramount power in India was
completely destroyed.  Thus, the last hurdle in the way of British
paramountcy was removed.
Causes of the Defeat of the Marathas
There were several reasons for the defeat of the Marathas in
the Anglo-Maratha Wars.  The main reasons were:
! Lack of capable leadership
! Military weakness of the Marathas.
! The major drawback of the Maratha power was mutual
bitterness and lack of cooperation amongst themselves.
! The Marathas hardly left any positive impact on the conquered
territories.
! The Marathas did not have cordial relations with other princes
and Nawabs of India.
! The Marathas failed to estimate correctly the political and
diplomatic strength of the British.
Reforms of Hastings
The Governor-Generalship of Lord Hastings witnessed not only
territorial expansion but also the progress of administration. He
approved the Ryotwari system of land revenue introduced in the
Madras Presidency by Sir Thomas Munroe. In the sphere of
judiciary, the Cornwallis Code was improved. The Police system of
Bengal was extended to other regions. The importance of Indian
Munsiffs had increased during his administration. The separation of
judicial and revenue departments was not rigidly followed. Instead,
the District Collector acted as Magistrate.
Hastings had also encouraged the foundation of vernacular
schools by missionaries and others. In 1817, the Hindu College was
established at Calcutta by the public for the teaching of English and
western science.  Hastings was the Patron of this college. He
encouraged the freedom of the Press and abolished the censorship
introduced in 1799. The Bengali Weekly, Samachar Darpan was
started in 1818 by Marshman, a Serampore missionary.
Estimate
Lord Hastings was an able soldier and a brilliant administrator.
His liberal views on education and Press are commendable. He
suppressed the Pindaris, defeated the Marathas and curbed the power
of the Gurkhas. His territorial gains strengthened the British power
in India. He was considered the maker of the Bombay Presidency.
In short, he completed and consolidated the work of Wellesley.
Lord Hastings was succeeded by Lord Amherst
(1823-28) who fought the First Anglo-Mysore War
(1824-26).
41 42
MODEL QUESTIONS
I. Choose the correct answer.
1. Lord Hastings declared war on Nepal in the year
(a) 1814 (b) 1815
(c) 1816 (d) 1817
II. Fill in the blanks.
1. In 1768 ……. emerged as a powerful Gurkha state.
2. The third Battle of Panipat took place in the year …..
III. Match the following.
1. Amar Singh Thapa a. Pindaris
2. Karim Khan b. Bengali Weekly
3. Sir Thomas Munroe c. General of Nepal
4. Samachar Darpan d. Ryotwari System
IV. Find out the correct statement. One statement alone is
right.
a) Lord Hasings adopted the polify of non-intervention.
b) Treaty of Saugali was concluded in 1815,
c) The leaders of Pindrais belonged to Sikh community.
d) Lord Hastings was the patron of the Hindu College at Calcutta.
V. State whether the following statements are True or False.
1. After the Gurkha war, the Gurkhas had agreed to keep a British
Resident at Kathmandu.
2. Triambakji was the Chief Minister of Baji Rao II.
Learning Outcome
After studying this lesson the student is able to explain
1. The chief tasks that Lord Hastings had to fulfil when he
came to India.
2. The Gurkhas were defeated in the war and surrendered to
the British.
3. The Pindaris remained a nuisance to the peace and
tranquillity of central India and the efforts taken by
Hastings to eliminate them.
4. The weaknesses of the Maratha confederacy and the
supremacy of the British, who overpowered them.
5. The Reforms of Lord Hastings.
43 44
Page 5


Lord Hastings became Governor-
General in 1813. He adopted a vigorous
forward policy and waged wars extensively.
His aggressive and imperialist polices paved
the way for the general of expansion of the
British Empire. He further expanded the
British power in India.
The conditions in India when he assumed
power posed a serious threat to the British
administration. There was anarchy in central
India. The Pindaris plundered the whole region and the Marathas
could not control them. Also, there was infighting among the Maratha
chiefs. Yet, they were aiming at the expulsion of the British from
India. The Peshwa was secretly plotting against the British. Hastings
was also troubled by the expansion of the Gurkha power. Therefore,
Hastings determined to restore order by suppressing the Pindaris
and to eliminate threats to the British power by waging wars with the
Marathas and the Gurkhas.
War against the Gurkhas (1814-16)
Nepal emerged as a powerful Gurkha state in 1768. This country
is situated to the north of India with its boundary touching China in
the north and Bengal and Oudh in the east and south, respectively. In
1801, the British acquired the districts of Gorakhpur   and Basti from
the Nawab of Oudh. This move brought the boundary of Nepal to
touch the British frontier. The aggressions of the Gurkhas into the
British territories culminated in a war. In May 1814, the Gurkhas
attacked the British police post and killed 18 policemen and their
officer. Hastings declared war on Nepal. In 1814 several battles were
fought between the British and the Gurkhas. Amar Singh Thapa, the
able General of Nepal Army was forced to surrender.
In March 1816, the Treaty of Sagauli was concluded. The
Gurkhas gave up their claim over the Tarai region and ceded the
areas of Kumaon and Garhwal to the British.  The British now secured
the area around Simla and their north-western borders touched the
Himalayas. The Gurkhas had to withdraw from Sikkim and they also
agreed to keep a British Resident at Katmandu. It was also agreed
that the kingdom of Nepal would not employ any other foreigner in
its services other than the English. The British had also obtained the
sites of hill stations like Simla, Mussoori, Nainital, Ranikhet and
developed them as tourist and health resorts. After this victory in the
Gurkha War Hastings was honoured with English peerage and he
became Marquis of Hastings.
LESSON 4
LORD HASTINGS (1813-1823)
Learning Objectives
Students will come to know
1. The condition of India when Lord Hastings became
Governor-General.
2. The War with Nepal, the kingdom of the Gurkhas.
3. Who were the Pindaris and how they were exterminated.
4. The third and Final War with the Marathas.
5. The causes for the defeat of the Marathas at the hands of the
British.
6. The Reforms introduced by Lord Hastings.
7. An estimate of Lord Hastings.
LORD HASTINGS 
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Suppression of the Pindaris
The origin of Pindaris is lost in obscurity. The first reference
about them is during the Mughal invasion of Maharashtra. They did
not belong to any particular caste or creed.  They used to serve the
army without any payment but instead were allowed to plunder.
During the time of Baji Rao I, they were irregular horsemen attached
to the Maratha army. It is worth mentioning here that they never
helped the British. They were mostly active in the areas of Rajputana
and the Central Provinces and subsisted on plunder. Their leaders
belonged to both the Hindu as well as the Muslim communities.  Chief
amongst them were Wasil Muhammad, Chitu and Karim Khan. They
had thousands of followers.
In 1812, the Pindaris plundered the districts of Mirzapur and
Shahabad and in 1815 they raided the Nizam’s dominions. In 1816,
they plundered the Northern Circars. Lord Hastings determined to
suppress the Pindaris. For this he gathered a large army of 1,13,000
men and 300 guns and attacked the Pindaris from four sides. He
himself took command of the force from the north while Sir Thomas
Hislop commanded the force from the south. By 1818, the Pindaris
were completely suppressed and all their bands disintegrated. Karim
Khan was given a small estate in the Gorakhpur district of the United
Provinces. Wasil Muhammad took refuge in the Scindia’s camp but
the latter handed him over to the British. Wasil committed suicide in
captivity and Chitu escaped to the forest, where a tiger killed him.
Thus, by 1824, the menace of the Pindaris came to an end.
Downfall of the Maratha Confederacy
The third major achievement of Lord Hastings was against the
Marathas. In reality, the Maratha power had weakened considerably
after the Third Battle of Panipat (1761) and the two subsequent
wars against the British. But the Marathas had not finally crushed
out. The Maratha chiefs fought amongst themselves and their
successors were invariably weak and incapable. The relationships
of powerful Maratha chiefs like the Bhonsle, Gaekwar, Scindia, Holkar
and the Peshwa were ridden with mutual jealousies.
Peshwa Baji Rao II wanted to become the head of the Maratha
Confederacy and at the same time wanted freedom from the British
control.  His Chief Minister Tirimbakji encouraged him.
On the advice of the Company, the Gaekwar sent his Prime
Minister Gangadhar Shastri to negotiate with the Peshwa. On his
way back, Gangadhar Shastri, was murdered at Nasik in July 1815,
at the instance of Triambakji.
This caused a lot of anger not only among the Marathas but
also among the British. The latter asked the Peshwa to handover
Triambakji to them. Peshwa handed over his Minister to the British,
who lodged him in Thana jail from where he escaped.  Consequently,
on 13 June 1817, the British Resident Elphinstone forced the Peshwa
to sign the Treaty of Poona. Baji Rao gave up his desire to become
the supreme head of the Marathas.
Third Maratha War (1817-1819)
But soon the Peshwa undid this treaty with the British and on
5 November 1817 attacked the British Residency.  He was defeated
at a place called Kirkee.  Similarly, the Bhonsle chief, Appa Sahib
also refused to abide by the Treaty of Nagpur, which he had signed
with the British on 17 May 1816.  According to this treaty, Nagpur
came under the control of the Company. He fought with the British
in the Battle of Sitabaldi in November 1817, but was defeated. The
Peshwa now turned to Holkar for help, but Holkar too was defeated
by the British on 21 December 1817 at Baroda.  Therefore, by
December 1817 the dream of a Mighty Maratha Confederacy was
finally shattered.
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In 1818, Scindia was also forced to sign a new treaty with the
British on the basis of which Ajmer was given to the Nawab of Bhopal,
who also accepted the British suzerainty. The Gaekwar of Baroda,
while accepting the Subsidiary Alliance, agreed to hand over certain
areas of Ahmedabad to the British. The Rajput states which were
under the Pindaris were freed after the latter’s suppression.
The year 1818 was a significant year on account of major
political achievements for the British. The Maratha dream of
establishing themselves as the paramount power in India was
completely destroyed.  Thus, the last hurdle in the way of British
paramountcy was removed.
Causes of the Defeat of the Marathas
There were several reasons for the defeat of the Marathas in
the Anglo-Maratha Wars.  The main reasons were:
! Lack of capable leadership
! Military weakness of the Marathas.
! The major drawback of the Maratha power was mutual
bitterness and lack of cooperation amongst themselves.
! The Marathas hardly left any positive impact on the conquered
territories.
! The Marathas did not have cordial relations with other princes
and Nawabs of India.
! The Marathas failed to estimate correctly the political and
diplomatic strength of the British.
Reforms of Hastings
The Governor-Generalship of Lord Hastings witnessed not only
territorial expansion but also the progress of administration. He
approved the Ryotwari system of land revenue introduced in the
Madras Presidency by Sir Thomas Munroe. In the sphere of
judiciary, the Cornwallis Code was improved. The Police system of
Bengal was extended to other regions. The importance of Indian
Munsiffs had increased during his administration. The separation of
judicial and revenue departments was not rigidly followed. Instead,
the District Collector acted as Magistrate.
Hastings had also encouraged the foundation of vernacular
schools by missionaries and others. In 1817, the Hindu College was
established at Calcutta by the public for the teaching of English and
western science.  Hastings was the Patron of this college. He
encouraged the freedom of the Press and abolished the censorship
introduced in 1799. The Bengali Weekly, Samachar Darpan was
started in 1818 by Marshman, a Serampore missionary.
Estimate
Lord Hastings was an able soldier and a brilliant administrator.
His liberal views on education and Press are commendable. He
suppressed the Pindaris, defeated the Marathas and curbed the power
of the Gurkhas. His territorial gains strengthened the British power
in India. He was considered the maker of the Bombay Presidency.
In short, he completed and consolidated the work of Wellesley.
Lord Hastings was succeeded by Lord Amherst
(1823-28) who fought the First Anglo-Mysore War
(1824-26).
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MODEL QUESTIONS
I. Choose the correct answer.
1. Lord Hastings declared war on Nepal in the year
(a) 1814 (b) 1815
(c) 1816 (d) 1817
II. Fill in the blanks.
1. In 1768 ……. emerged as a powerful Gurkha state.
2. The third Battle of Panipat took place in the year …..
III. Match the following.
1. Amar Singh Thapa a. Pindaris
2. Karim Khan b. Bengali Weekly
3. Sir Thomas Munroe c. General of Nepal
4. Samachar Darpan d. Ryotwari System
IV. Find out the correct statement. One statement alone is
right.
a) Lord Hasings adopted the polify of non-intervention.
b) Treaty of Saugali was concluded in 1815,
c) The leaders of Pindrais belonged to Sikh community.
d) Lord Hastings was the patron of the Hindu College at Calcutta.
V. State whether the following statements are True or False.
1. After the Gurkha war, the Gurkhas had agreed to keep a British
Resident at Kathmandu.
2. Triambakji was the Chief Minister of Baji Rao II.
Learning Outcome
After studying this lesson the student is able to explain
1. The chief tasks that Lord Hastings had to fulfil when he
came to India.
2. The Gurkhas were defeated in the war and surrendered to
the British.
3. The Pindaris remained a nuisance to the peace and
tranquillity of central India and the efforts taken by
Hastings to eliminate them.
4. The weaknesses of the Maratha confederacy and the
supremacy of the British, who overpowered them.
5. The Reforms of Lord Hastings.
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VI. Write short notes (Any three points).
1. Gurkha War.
2. Reforms of Lord Hastings.
VII. Answer briefly (100 words).
1. Discuss the efforts taken by Lord Hastings to eliminate the
Pindaris.
2. Mention the causes for the downfall of the Maratha
Confederacy.
VIII. Answer in detail (200 words).
1. Evaluate the administration of Lord Hastings.
2. Examine the causes and effects of the Third Maratha War.
 
 
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