Discover Bengal · Unfolded
❦Company urban foothold in lower Bengal.
In 1690, the English East India Company consolidated a settlement at Calcutta, laying an institutional-commercial foundation for later colonial expansion in Bengal.[1][2]Evidence: Medium
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Company urban foothold in lower Bengal.
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1704-1717
Murshid Quli Khan Shifts the Capital to Murshidabad
In the early eighteenth century, Murshid Quli Khan shifted Bengal's effective administrative center from Dhaka to Makhsudabad, later known as Murshidabad. The move strengthened centralized revenue management, aligned court and banking networks around a new political hub, and reoriented the province's governing geography before Plassey.
1757
Battle of Plassey
The Battle of Plassey in 1757 marked a decisive shift in Bengal's political destiny. A short military encounter became a structural transfer of power as the East India Company worked through court conspiracy, military defection, and financial alliance to break Siraj ud-Daulah's position. The aftermath reshaped governance, revenue extraction, and sovereignty, laying the foundation for long-term colonial rule.
East India Company Agent
Job Charnock is included as a key historical actor for understanding this chapter's political and social context.
Company expansion in Bengal riverine-commercial networks in the late 17th century.
Their role helps explain how power, institutions, or ideas shifted during this period.
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Reference Sources · Encyclopedia and Archive Reference
General Bangladesh history reference useful for political chronology around the Ershad takeover and the 1980s authoritarian period.
Research Articles and Papers · Scholarly Articles and Papers
A synthetic history of Bangladesh from the long view through colonial encounters, East Pakistan, war, and independence.
FAQ
What happened in 1690?
English Settlement at Calcutta marked a significant chapter in Bengal's historical trajectory.
“This settlement linked trade, fortification, and municipal growth in ways that later altered Bengal's political economy.
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