Governors General of India

Governors general of India and Significant events in their rule

The post of  Governor-general of India was the representative of British rule. The authority was created on 20 Oct. 1773 with the title of Governor-general with the presidency of Fort William. 

• They had only power over the presidency of Fort William. However, the Regulating Act granted the governor-general additional powers relating to foreign affairs and defense.
• Warren Hastings was the first Governor-general of Bengal.  The charter Act 1833, made the Governor-general of Bengal as Governor-general of British India.
• The Charter Act 1833 granted “superintendence, direction, and control of the whole civil and military Government” of all British India.
• The Charter Act 1833 also granted legislative powers to the governor-general and council.

The governor-general was always advised by a Council on the exercise of his legislative and executive powers. The governor-general, while exercising many functions, was referred to as the “Governor-General in Council.”

List of Governor generals

1. Warren Hastings (1772-1785)

• Regulating Act of 1773
• Power of jurisdiction divided between Governor-general and the supreme court of Calcutta under Act of 1781.
• The first Indian newspaper “Bengal Gazette” was published in 1980.
• The Supreme court of Judicature at Fort William in 1774 was established. 
• Pitts India Act of 1784
• Foundation of Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1784.

Wars during his ruling time

• In 1774 the Rohilla war.
• First Maratha war in 1775-82 and Treaty of Salbai in 1782
• 2^nd Mysore War (Haidar Ali against British) in 1780-84

2. Lord Cornwallis (1786-1793)

• Third Mysore war 1790-92 (death of Tipu Sultan in 1792) and the treaty of Seringapatam in 1792.
• Cornwallis Code – 1793, incorporated many judicial reforms, separation of civil jurisdiction, and revenue administration.
• In 1793, the permanent settlement of Bengal.
• Introduction of civil services.

3. Sir John shore (1793- 1798)

• The charter Act of 1793
• In 1795, the Battle of Kharda between Maratha and Nizam.  

4. Lord Wellesley (1798-1805)

• Subsidiary alliance system introduced in 1798, the first Alliance was with the Nizam of Hyderabad. (In subsidiary Alliance the Indian states forced or compelled to have a British official as a resident at court and also to accept permanent British force and pay a subsidy for its maintenance.)  
• The fourth Mysore war, 1799.
• 2^nd Maratha war 1803- 05.
• The administration of Tanjore-1799, Surat-1800, and Carnatic- 1801 was taken over.
• Treaty of Bassein- 1802.

5. Sir George Barlow (1805-1807)

• Mutiny of Vellore-1806.

6. Lord Minto I – (1807- 1813)

• In 1809 the treaty of Amritsar with Ranjit Singh.

7. Lord Hastings (1813-1823)

• The Anglo-Nepal war (1814-1816) – Nepal defeated, and the Treaty of Sagauli in 1816.
• Third Maratha war (1817-19)- Maratha was defeated, Bombay’s presidency was created in 1818.
• Treaty of Sindhia in 1817.
• Thomas Munro the Governor of Madras established the Ryotwari system in 1820.

8. Lord Amherst (1823-1828)

• First Burmese War – (1824-1826).
• Bharatpur was captured in 1820.

9. Lord William Bentick (1828-1835)

• Abolition of Sati and other cruel rights in 1829.
• Subduing Thugs in 1830.
• Charter Act of 1833.
• Educational reforms and English were introduced as an official language.
• Occupation of Mysore (1831), Coorg (1834), central Cachar in 1834.
• Treaty of friendship with Ranjeet Singh.
• Abolition of the provincial court of appeal and other circuits settled by Cornwallis, the appointment of commissioners of revenue and circuit.  

10. Lord Metcalfe (1835-36)

• He removed restrictions on the press by New press law.

11. Lord Auckland (1836-42)

• During his time- First Afghan war (1838-42)
• Death of Ranjeet Singh (1839).

12. Lord Ellenborough (1842-1844)

• Invasion of Sindh – 1843.
• War with Gwalior- 1843.

13. Lord Harding- I (1844-1848)

• First Anglo-Sikh war in 1845-46, Punjab army defeated, Treaty of Lahore in 1846.
• Abolition of female infanticides and other social reforms like Human sacrifice.

• 2^nd Anglo Sikh war 1848-49, invasion of Punjab.
• Invasion of Pegu or Lower Burma in 1852.
• The doctrine of Lapse introduced and occupation of Satara- 1848, Jaitpur and Sambalpur- 1849, Udaipur- 1852, Jhansi- 1853, Nagpur- 1854, and Awadh- 1856.
• ‘Wood’s Educational dispatch- 1854, Anglo vernacular schools and Government colleges opened.
• The first railway line lay down in 1853, connecting Bombay and Thane.
• Telegraph (1851) connecting- Calcutta with Bombay, Madras, and Peshawar.
• Postal reforms – Post office Act- 1854
• 1855- Santhal Rebellion.
• Widow Remarriage Act-1856.

15. Lord Canning (1856- 1857)

• University of Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay established in 1857.
• revolt of 1857.

 

You can also read: 

•  Viceroys of India 
• Indian Independent Act of 1947 
• List of some important Constitutional Amendments
• Important Articles of the Indian Constitution      

Thank you 🙂