The Battle of Buxar: Bengal's Last Stand for Sovereignty

The Battle of Buxar in 1764 was a decisive conflict that completed the British East India Company's conquest of Bengal, yet it remains overshadowed by Plassey. This episode explores the key figures—Mir Qasim, the defiant nawab who tried to reclaim Bengal's independence; Shuja-ud-Daula of Awadh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, who allied against the Company; and the British commander Hector Munro. We examine the causes: Mir Qasim's reforms, his conflict with the Company over trade privileges, and the betrayal that led to the massacre of English prisoners at Patna. The battle itself, fought near Buxar on the Ganges, saw a disciplined Company army defeat a larger coalition, leading to the Treaty of Allahabad, which granted the Company the diwani (revenue rights) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa—effectively making it the region's sovereign power. This episode also touches on the consequences: the end of Mughal authority in Bengal and the beginning of direct colonial rule. #BattleOfBuxar #MirQasim #ShujaUdDaula #ShahAlamII #HectorMunro #EastIndiaCompany #BengalHistory #MughalEmpire #NawabOfBengal #TreatyOfAllahabad #Diwani #IndianHistory #18thCentury #ColonialIndia #PatnaMassacre #Buxar #History #FexingoHistory #PalaEmpire #SenaDynasty Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo