Governor/ Governor General/ Viceroy (Part-II)

Total Questions: 40

1. Which one of the following statements does not apply to the system of Subsidiary Alliance introduced by Lord Wellsley? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2018]

Correct Answer: (c) To secure a fixed income for the company
Solution:Governor-General Lord Wellesley came to India in 1798 at a time when the British were locked in a life and death struggle with France all over the world. The fear of Napoleon haunted the Britishers everywhere.

To achieve his political aims, Wellesley relied on the system of Subsidiary Alliance. While the practice of helping Indian rulers with a paid British force was quite old, it was given shape by Wellesley who used it to sub-ordinate the Indian states to the paramountcy of the company.

Under the subsidiary Alliance system, the ruler of the allying state was compelled to accept the permanent stationing of a British force within his territory and to pay a subsidy for its maintenance. However, to secure a fixed income for the company was not under the agenda of the Subsidiary Alliance.

2. First Maratha Sardar to accept the subsidiary alliance of Lord Wellesley was- [41st B.P.S.C. (Pre) 1996]

Correct Answer: (a) Peshwa Bajirao-II
Solution:The subsidiary alliance system was introduced in India by Lord Wellesley. The main principles of a subsidiary alliance were-
1. An Indian ruler entering into a subsidiary alliance with the British had to accept British forces within his territory and also agree to pay for their maintenance.
2. The ruler would accept a British resident in his state.
3. An Indian ruler who entered into a subsidiary alliance would not enter into any further alliance with any other power.
4. The ruler would not employ any Europeans other than the British.
5. In case of a conflict with any other state, he would agree to the resolution decided by the British.
6. The ruler would acknowledge East India company as the paramount power in India.
7. In return for the ruler accepting its conditions, the company undertook the protection of the state from external dangers and disorders.
8. If the Indian ruler failed to make the payments required by the alliance, then part of its territory was to be taken away as a penalty.
The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to enter into such an alliance. Maratha ruler Bajirao II (1802) also accepted a subsidiary alliance. Several states like Hyderabad (1798), Tanjore and Mysore (1799), Awadh (1801), Bhonsle (1803), Sindhiya (1804), Holkar (1818) etc. adopted this system.

3. Between whom was the 'Treaty of Bassein' signed in 1802? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2012]

Correct Answer: (b) English and Bajiro-II
Solution:The Treaty of Bassein (Now called Vasai) was a pact signed on December 31, 1802 between the English East India Company and Bajirao II, the Maratha Peshwa of Pune (Poona) in India after the Battle of Poona.

In this treaty, Bajirao-II was restored as Peshwa in Pune with around 6 thousand English forces were permanently stationed with the Peshwa to protect him for which 26 lakh was to be paid to East India Company.

4. The first Indian ruler who joined the Subsidiary Alliance was- [I.A.S. (Pre.) 1994]

Correct Answer: (a) The Nawab of Oudh
Solution:Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) cleverly used a subsidiary alliance as a tool to make Indian provinces puppets of Britishers. He did not discover this method. This method was in practice earlier also but it gradually evolved and the final shape was provided by Wellesly.

Dupleix was the first European to give his army to an Indian ruler on the promise of a fixed payment to the Company. Britishers used these tactics too. First Subsidiary Alliance was signed in 1765 with Awadh on a fixed payment to the Company promised to protect the boundaries of Awadh on a fixed payment to the Company.

The evolved version of the Subsidiary Alliance was accepted by the Princely States in the following Sequence Hyderabad (1798 and 1800), Mysore (1799), Tanjore (1799), Oudh(1801),Peshwa (1802), Bhonsle of Barar (1803), Sindhiya (1804), Holkar (1818), Jodhpur, Jaipur, Machheri, Bundi and Bharatpur.
Note: Hyderabad will be the answer if it was asked first state to join Wellesley's subsidiary alliance.

5. Subsidiary Alliance was implemented during the reign of- [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2011]

Correct Answer: (b) Lord Wellesley
Solution:Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) cleverly used a subsidiary alliance as a tool to make Indian provinces puppets of Britishers. He did not discover this method. This method was in practice earlier also but it gradually evolved and the final shape was provided by Wellesly.

Dupleix was the first European to give his army to an Indian ruler on the promise of a fixed payment to the Company. Britishers used these tactics too. First Subsidiary Alliance was signed in 1765 with Awadh on a fixed payment to the Company promised to protect the boundaries of Awadh on a fixed payment to the Company.

The evolved version of the Subsidiary Alliance was accepted by the Princely States in the following Sequence Hyderabad (1798 and 1800), Mysore (1799), Tanjore (1799), Oudh(1801),Peshwa (1802), Bhonsle of Berar (1803), Sindhiya (1804), Holkar (1818), Jodhpur, Jaipur, Macheri, Bundi and Baratpur.

6. The Subsidiary Alliance was not accepted by- [U.P.P.C.S. (Spl) (Mains) 2004]

Correct Answer: (b) the Holkar state of Indore
Solution:The Subsidiary Alliance System was used by Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) to bring the Indian state within the ambit of the British political power.

The states to adopt the subsidiary alliance of Lord Wellesley were-Hyderabad (1798 and 1800), Mysore (1799), Tanjore (1799), Awadh (1801), Peshwa (1802), Bhonsle of Berar (1803), Sindiya (1804), Holkar (1818), Jodhpur, Jaipur, Macheri, Bundi and Bharatpur etc.

7. Who was the first Indian native ruler to accept the system of the subsidiary alliance? [Chhattisgarh P.C.S. (Pre) 2013]

Correct Answer: (b) Nizam of Hyderabad
Solution:The Subsidiary Alliance System was used by Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) to bring the Indian state within the ambit of the British political power.

The states to adopt the subsidiary alliance of Lord Wellesley were-Hyderabad (1798 and 1800), Mysore (1799), Tanjore (1799), Awadh (1801), Peshwa (1802), Bhonsle of Berar (1803), Sindiya (1804), Holkar (1818), Jodhpur, Jaipur, Macheri, Bundi and Bharatpur etc.

8. Consider the following which concluded the subsidiary alliances with Lord Wellsley and finds the correct chronological order of their treaties from the code given below: [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2014]

1. Hyderabad
2. Mysore
3. Oudh
4. Sindhia
Code:

Correct Answer: (a)1,2,3,4
Solution:The Subsidiary Alliance System was used by Lord Wellesley (1798-1805) to bring the Indian state within the ambit of the British political power.

The states to adopt the subsidiary alliance of Lord Wellesley were-Hyderabad (1798 and 1800), Mysore (1799), Tanjore (1799), Awadh (1801), Peshwa (1802), Bhonsle of Berar (1803), Sindiya (1804), Holkar (1818), Jodhpur, Jaipur, Macheri, Bundi and Bharatpur etc.

9. Who introduced the Subsidiary Alliance System in the administration to establish British power over the Indian states? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2016]

Correct Answer: (b) Lord Wellesley
Solution:The doctrine of Subsidiary Alliance System was introduced by Lord Wellesley, British Governor-General of Bengal from 1798-1805. He also adopted a policy of non-intervention in the princely state but later adopted the policy of Subsididary Alliance. The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to enter into such an alliance.

10. The main aim of East India Company to make a subsidiary alliance in Rajput states was- [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 1992]

Correct Answer: (d) To establish the sovereign of the British
Solution:Lord Wellesley used the subsidiary alliance to bring Indian states within the ambit of the British political power. This helped to establish the sovereignty of the British Empire.