a successor state is a smaller country which is formed after a larger country begins to breakdown

an alliance is an agreement between two or more countries to work together

a nawab was an Indian ruler who declared their loyalty to the Mughal emperor but ruled a local area as they wished

a sepoy was an Indian soldier serving in a European army

someone is recruited if they agree to join an organisation, especially an army

The growth of the East India Company as a private army

History

In this unit, pupils investigated how the East India Company contributed to the decline of Mughal rule. This leads to ‘The British Empire: how far was it transformed in the mid-nineteenth century?’, where pupils will examine the broader transformations within the British Empire during a key period of its development.

In ‘The Mughal Empire: how important was violence to the Mughal conquests in India?’, pupils examined the role of military force in establishing and expanding Mughal rule. This unit builds on that by investigating the factors that led to the decline of Mughal authority with the rise of the East India Company.

In this unit, pupils learn about the arrival of the East India Company on the fringes of the Mughal Empire. They examine how the East India Company's power and influence grew, and how they, along with various Indian rulers, destabilised Mughal power over India.

The East India Company: when did Mughal authority collapse?

Depiction of war, threats of war, death or the aftermath of war.

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Depiction or discussion of violence or fighting, including threats of violence or the aftermath of violence.

During the early eighteenth century, the East India Company competed with the {{}} Compagnie des Indes to secure alliances with various Indian rulers.

Britain and France had grown in power and wealth.

Why were rival networks of alliances able to develop across India in the early eighteenth century?

Which important British trading post was captured by the French in 1746?

built up the size of their armies in the Indian subcontinent.

reduced the size of their armies in the Indian subcontinent.

agreed never to attack one another again.

Following the First Carnatic War the East India Company and the Compagnie des Indes...

Indian soldiers serving in European armies became known as...

The East India Company and Compagnie des Indes supported different sides in a conflict over who should be the Nawab of...

Nizam al-Mulk governed in Hyderabad without interference from the {{}} Emperors.

After 1724, which group of people in the Deccan had to swear loyalty to Nizam al-Mulk?

Bengal was the {{}} region of the Mughal Empire.

When Persian forces invaded the Mughal Empire in the late 1730s, the Nawab of Bengal {{}} to send troops to support the Mughal army.

{{}} was sacked by invading Persian forces in the year 1739.

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Adult supervision recommended

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

The growth of the East India Company as a private army

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.