Successors of Lord Wellesley

After the departure of Lord Wellesley in 1805, the British administration in India entered a period of transition marked by alternating policies of expansion and conservatism. Wellesley’s successors sought to balance the East India Company’s imperial ambitions with the financial and political challenges facing Britain during the Napoleonic Wars. From 1805 to 1828, a succession of Governors-General shaped the political, administrative, and military direction of British India, paving the way for later consolidation under Lord William Bentinck.

1. Lord Cornwallis (Second Term, 1805)

Charles, Marquis Cornwallis returned to India in 1805 for a second term as Governor-General. He had earlier served from 1786 to 1793, during which he had implemented major administrative reforms. His reappointment aimed to reverse Lord Wellesley’s aggressive expansionist policies and stabilise the Company’s finances.

• Policy Orientation: Cornwallis adopted a policy of peace and retrenchment. He sought to end costly wars and restore friendly relations with Indian states.
• Death in Office: Shortly after arriving in India, Cornwallis fell ill and died at Ghaziabad in October 1805, only two months into his tenure. His brief second term had little lasting impact but symbolised a shift toward moderation after Wellesley’s assertive imperialism.

2. Sir George Barlow (Acting Governor-General, 1805–1807)

Following Cornwallis’s death, Sir George Barlow, who had been a senior member of the Bengal Council, assumed charge as acting Governor-General. His administration reflected a policy of non-intervention and retrenchment, in line with Cornwallis’s instructions.

• Reversal of Expansion: He curtailed Wellesley’s subsidiary alliances and avoided further annexations, believing that Britain’s financial and political resources were overstretched.
• Madras Army Mutiny (1806): The most significant event of his tenure was the Vellore Mutiny in July 1806, when Indian sepoys in the Madras Army revolted against perceived religious interference. The uprising was brutally suppressed but exposed the growing resentment among Indian soldiers.
• End of Tenure: His rigid conservatism and administrative unpopularity led to his recall in 1807.

Barlow’s term is remembered as a period of retrenchment, where the government sought stability rather than expansion, though at the cost of administrative morale.

3. Lord Minto I (1807–1813)

Lord Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, Earl of Minto, assumed office in 1807 and served until 1813. His period of governance coincided with the Napoleonic Wars in Europe, which influenced British policies in Asia.

• Foreign Policy:
  • Minto focused on securing British interests against possible French expansion in Asia.
  • He successfully concluded alliances with Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Treaty of Amritsar, 1809) to prevent French influence through the northwest.
  • Conducted military expeditions to the Dutch and French possessions in the East Indies, capturing Java, Mauritius, and Bourbon (Réunion) islands to secure maritime dominance.
• Domestic Administration:
  • Maintained peace with Indian princely states.
  • Strengthened the administrative framework established by Wellesley but avoided direct conquests.
• Charter Act of 1813: Although passed shortly after his term, discussions began under Minto’s administration. The Act renewed the East India Company’s charter but ended its monopoly over Indian trade (except tea and trade with China) and opened India to Christian missionaries and private British traders.

Minto’s tenure marked a phase of cautious diplomacy and consolidation, reinforcing British naval and political supremacy in the Indian Ocean.

4. Lord Moira / Marquis of Hastings (1813–1823)

Francis Rawdon-Hastings, also known as the Marquis of Hastings, served as Governor-General from 1813 to 1823. His tenure represented a return to expansionist and assertive policies, reversing the cautious approach of his predecessors.

• Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816): Conflict arose over territorial disputes along the Nepalese frontier. The Treaty of Sugauli (1816) concluded the war, with Nepal ceding territory (including Kumaon and Garhwal) and accepting a British Resident at Kathmandu.
• Pindari and Maratha Wars (1817–1818): Hastings undertook a massive campaign against the Pindaris, irregular marauders operating under Maratha protection. The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818) followed, resulting in:
  • Defeat of the Peshwa Baji Rao II and the annexation of his territories.
  • Establishment of British dominance over Central India.
  • The Peshwa’s pensioned retirement to Bithoor, marking the end of the Maratha Confederacy.
• Territorial Expansion: Under Hastings, British India acquired vast territories, extending from the Sutlej in the northwest to the Godavari in the south.
• Administrative and Financial Reforms: He improved the Company’s military organisation and strengthened civil administration. Hastings also promoted the development of Calcutta as a modern city and supported education and infrastructure projects.

Lord Hastings’s period marked the final subjugation of major Indian powers and the establishment of unquestioned British paramountcy across India.

5. Lord Amherst (1823–1828)

William Pitt Amherst succeeded Hastings as Governor-General in 1823. His administration was primarily noted for the First Burmese War (1824–1826) and internal developments within India.

• First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826): Conflict broke out due to Burmese incursions into British protectorates in Assam and Manipur. The war was long and costly but ended in British victory.
  • The Treaty of Yandabo (1826) forced Burma to cede Assam, Manipur, Arakan, and Tenasserim to the British.
  • The war, however, drained the Company’s finances and caused heavy loss of life.
• Domestic Policy: Amherst largely maintained peace within India. His administration supported infrastructure and education but did not introduce major reforms.
• Criticism: His handling of the Burmese War was criticised for poor planning and excessive expenditure, leading to his unpopularity among Company officials.