History · Spectrum Books A Brief History of Modern India

Chapter 50 : Governors-General and Viceroys of India: Significant Events in their Rule

Table of contents45 sections

1.Governors-General and Viceroys of India: Significant Events in their Rule
2.Governors-General (1774–1857)
3.Chronological Sequence of Governors-General
4.1. Warren Hastings (1774–85)
5.2. Lord Cornwallis (1786–93)
6.3. Sir John Shore (1793–98)
7.4. Lord Wellesley (1798–1805)
8.5. Sir George Barlow (1805–07)
9.6. Lord Minto I (1807–13)
10.7. Lord Hastings (1813–23)
11.8. Lord Amherst (1823–28)
12.9. Lord William Bentinck (1828–35)
13.10. Lord Metcalfe (1835–36)
14.11. Lord Auckland (1836–42)
15.12. Lord Ellenborough (1842–44)
16.13. Lord Hardinge I (1844–48)
17.14. Lord Dalhousie (1848–56)
18.15. Lord Canning (1856–57)
19.Key Terms
20.📌 Exam Tidbits
21.Viceroys (1858–1948)
22.Chronological Sequence of Viceroys
23.1. Lord Canning (1858–62)
24.2. Lord Elgin I (1862–63)
25.3. Lord John Lawrence (1864–69)
26.4. Lord Mayo (1869–72)
27.5. Lord Northbrook (1872–76)
28.6. Lord Lytton (1876–80)
29.7. Lord Ripon (1880–84)
30.8. Lord Dufferin (1884–88)
31.9. Lord Lansdowne (1888–94)
32.10. Lord Elgin II (1894–99)
33.11. Lord Curzon (1899–1905)
34.12. Lord Minto II (1905–10)
35.13. Lord Hardinge II (1910–16)
36.14. Lord Chelmsford (1916–21)
37.15. Lord Reading (1921–26)
38.16. Lord Irwin (1926–31)
39.17. Lord Willingdon (1931–36)
40.18. Lord Linlithgow (1936–43)
41.19. Lord Wavell (1944–47)
42.20. Lord Mountbatten (1947–48)
43.Key Terms
44.📌 Exam Tidbits
45.Quick-Recall Box

Chapter preview

Order	Governor-General	Tenure	Key Milestone / Significance
1	Warren Hastings	1774–85	First Governor-General; Regulating Act of 1773
2	Lord Cornwallis	1786–93	Permanent Settlement; "the father of Civil Services in India"
3	Sir John Shore	1793–98	Policy of Non-intervention
4	Lord Wellesley	1798–1805	Introduction of the Subsidiary Alliance System
5	Sir George Barlow	1805–07	Vellore Mutiny
6	Lord Minto I	1807–13	Treaty of Amritsar; Charter Act of 1813
7	Lord Hastings	1813–23	Dissolution of Maratha Confederacy; Ryotwari System
8	Lord Amherst	1823–28	First Burmese War
9	Lord William Bentinck	1828–35	First Governor-General of India; Abolition of sati
10	Lord Metcalfe	1835–36	"Liberator of the Indian Press"
11	Lord Auckland	1836–42	First Afghan War
12	Lord Ellenborough	1842–44	Annexation of Sindh
13	Lord Hardinge I	1844–48	First Anglo-Sikh War
14	Lord Dalhousie	1848–56	Doctrine of Lapse; Railways; Telegraph
15	Lord Canning	1856–57	Revolt of 1857

Administrative & Judicial Reforms:
Appointed Governor of Bengal in 1772.
Moved the central government to Calcutta to administer all British-controlled areas under direct British rule.
Remodelled the justice system in 1772: each district received two courts → criminal (faujdari or Nizamat adalat) and civil (diwani adalat).
Constitutional Developments:
Regulating Act of 1773: Designated the Governor of Bengal as the Governor-General of all East India Company areas (Presidencies of Bengal, Madras, and Bombay). Hastings assumed this designation from 1774.
Act of 1781: Clearly divided jurisdiction powers between the governor-general-in-council and the Supreme Court at Calcutta.
Pitt's India Act of 1784.
Wars & Treaties:
Rohilla War of 1774.
First Maratha War (1775–82) and the Treaty of Salbai (1782).
Second Mysore War (1780–84).
Positive Actions & Cultural Patronage:
Unification of currency systems.
Ordered the codification of Hindu laws and digests of Muslim law books.
Abolition of dastak and acceptance of gifts by officials.
Creation of an efficient postal service.
Sponsored a geographical survey of India by James Rennell.
Supported the foundation of the Asiatic Society…

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Chapter 51 : Personalities Associated with Various Phases of the National Movement