Governor-Generals of Bengal

 Governor-Generals of Bengal

Warren Hastings (1772-1785) 

• He became Governor of Bengal in 1772 and first governor general of Bengal in 1774, through the Regulating Act of 1773. 

• He abolished the Dual System of Administration. 

• Divided Bengal into districts and appointed collectors and other revenue officials. 

• Established India’s first Supreme Court in Calcutta. 

• He founded Asiatic Society of Bengal with William Jones in 1784 and wrote the introduction to the first English translation of the Gita by Charles Wilkins. 

• Started Diwani and Faujdari adalats and the district level Sadar diwani and Nizamat adalats (appellate courts). 

• He redefined Hindu and Muslim laws. A translation of code in Sanskrit appeared under the title ‘Code of Gentoo Laws’. 

• First Anglo-Maratha War occured during his period, which ended with Treaty of Salbai (1776-1782). 

• Second Anglo-Mysore war (1780-1784), ended with the Treaty of Mangalore. 

• Rohilla War in 1774. 

• Pitt's India Act, 1784 and Edmund Burke Bill, 1783 was passed. 

• Deprived zamidar of their judicial powers. Maintenance of records was made compulsory. 

• Impeachment Proceedings started against him in Britain on the charges of taking bribes. After a trial of 7 years, he was finally acquitted.  

 Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793)

• First person to codify laws (1793). The code separated the revenue administration from the administration of justice. 

• He introduced the Izaredari System in 1773. 

• He started the Permanent Settlement of Bengal. 

• He created the post of District Judge. He is known as Father of Civil Services in India. 

• Third Anglo-Mysore War and the Treaty of Seringapatam. 

• He undertook police reforms. 

• Reform of the Judiciary (1793) setting up courts at different levels and separation of revenue administration from Judiciary Administration. 

Sir John Shore (1793-1798)

• He played an important role in planning the Permanent Settlement. 

• He introduced the First Charter Act (1793). 

• He was famous for his policy of non-interference. 

• Battle of Kharia between Nizam and Marathas (1759).

  

Lord Wellesley (1798-1803)

• Introduced the system of Subsidiary Alliance. Madras presidency was formed during his tenure. 

• In the Fourth Anglo-Mysore war 1799, Tipu Sultan Died. 

• First subsidiary treaty with Nizam of Hyderabad. 

• Second Anglo-Mysore War. 

• In 1800, he set up Fort William College in Calcutta. He was famous as the Bengal Tiger. He brought the Censorship of Press Act,1799. 

Sir George Barlow (1805-1807) 

• Vellore mutiny (1806, by soldier). 

• The Second Anglo Maratha War ended. 

Lord Minto I (1807-1813) 

• Treaty of Amritsar (1809) with Ranjit Singh. 

• The Charter Act of 1813 ended the monopoly of the East India Company in India. 

Lord Hastings (1813-1823)  

• Adopted the policy of intervention and war. 

• Anglo Nepal War (1813-1823). 

• Third Anglo Maratha War (1817-1818). 

• Introduced the Ryotwari settlement in Madras by Thomas Murno, the Governor. 

• Treaty of Sangali with Gorkhas (1816). 

• Treaty of Poona (1817) with the Peshwa.  

• Suppression of Pindaris (1817-1818). 

Lord Amherst (1823-1828) 

• First Anglo Burmese War (1824-1826), signed the Treaty of Ganbadoo in 1826 with lower Burma of Pegu, by which British merchants were allowed to settle on the southern coast of Burma.

• Acquisition of Malaya Peninsula and Bharatpur (1826).