Battle of Plassey: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The Battle of Plassey was a battle in the Indian Mutiny that took place in June 1757, at Plassey, a small village between Calcutta and Murshidabad. It was a battle between the forces of the British East India Company and of Siraj Ud Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal. The reason for the battle was the Nawab's attack and capture of Calcutta. Fighting started on June 23.

The British army was vastly outnumbered, consisting of 800 Europeans and 2200 Indians. The Nawab had an army of about 50,000. But the British general Robert Clive bribed the Nawab's uncle and chief of army, Mir Jafar. The soldiers were bribed to surrender to the British, and the Nawab was soon captured and killed.

The Battle of Plassey is considered to be the start of British rule in India.