Arrange the following events in chronological order :

i. Death of Mir Jafar
ii. Battle of Buxar
iii. Black Hole Tragedy
iv. Treaty of Allahabad
v. Departure of Clive to England after his first term as governor of Calcutta

Question

Arrange the following events in chronological order :

i. Death of Mir Jafar
ii. Battle of Buxar 
iii. Black Hole Tragedy
iv. Treaty of Allahabad 
v. Departure of Clive to England after his first term as governor of Calcutta

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 3:
Understanding the sequence of events from the mid-18th century is crucial for grasping the rise of British power in Bengal. The Black Hole Tragedy (iii) occurred first, on June 20, 1756, when Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah confined British prisoners in Fort William, an event that fueled British military action. This was followed by Robert Clive’s victory at Plassey in 1757, after which he served as Governor of Bengal until his Departure to England (v) in February 1760. Upon his departure, the British faced a significant challenge in the Battle of Buxar (ii) in October 1764, where they defeated the combined forces of Mir Qasim, the Nawab of Awadh, and the Mughal Emperor. Shortly after, Mir Jafar (the Nawab installed after Plassey) died (i) in February 1765. The conflict officially concluded when Clive returned and signed the Treaty of Allahabad (iv) in August 1765, which granted the British the *Diwani* (revenue collection rights) of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, formally establishing their political authority. Therefore, the correct chronological order is: iii (1756), v (1760), ii (1764), i (Feb 1765), and iv (Aug 1765).

The incorrect option is 1 (i, ii, v, iii and iv): This sequence incorrectly places the Death of Mir Jafar (i) and the Battle of Buxar (ii) before the Black Hole Tragedy (iii), which was a much earlier incident. It also incorrectly places Clive's departure (v) before the Tragedy.

The incorrect option is 2 (iii, ii, iv, i and v): This sequence correctly starts with the Black Hole Tragedy (iii) but incorrectly places the Battle of Buxar (ii) and the Treaty of Allahabad (iv) before the Death of Mir Jafar (i). Crucially, the Treaty of Allahabad followed Mir Jafar's death, and Clive's first departure (v) happened long before the Battle of Buxar (ii).

The incorrect option is 4 (i, iv, v, iii and ii): This sequence is entirely incorrect, beginning with the Death of Mir Jafar (i) and the Treaty of Allahabad (iv), both of which were late events in the series (1765). It fails to recognize the Black Hole Tragedy (iii) as the earliest event that initiated the British military buildup.