EPISODE · Jul 19, 2026 · 6 MIN
The Diwani Grant of 1765: How the East India Company Became Tax Lord
from The Rise of Colonialism: How Europe Divided the World — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
In 1765, Robert Clive secured the diwani of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha from the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II. This grant—the right to collect revenue—transformed the East India Company from a trading firm into a territorial power. But how did this arrangement actually work? Lucas and Luna explore the mechanics of the diwani system: the dual government that left the nawab as a figurehead while the Company ran the treasury. They look at Warren Hastings' later reforms, the devastating Bengal Famine of 1770, and the flow of silver that financed British expansion. Along the way, they ask whether the diwani was a clever tax farm or a license for plunder—and why its legacy still matters for understanding colonial extraction. A focused look at the bureaucratic machinery behind empire. #Diwani #RobertClive #ShahAlamII #EastIndiaCompany #Bengal #BattleOfBuxar #TreatyOfAllahabad #WarrenHastings #MughalEmpire #BengalFamine1770 #NawabOfBengal #DualGovernment #BritishRaj #Colonialism #FexingoHistory #History #18thCentury #India Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
Embed this episode
Ready to play
The Diwani Grant of 1765: How the East India Company Became Tax Lord
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
No similar episodes found.
Similar Podcasts
No similar podcasts found.