Subsidiary alliance facts for kids

The Subsidiary Alliance was a clever system created by the East India Company, mostly by a leader named Lord Wellesley. It helped the British control parts of India even when there was still a local king or ruler in charge.

What Was the Subsidiary Alliance?

The Subsidiary Alliance was like a special agreement between the British East India Company and Indian rulers. It looked like a way to protect Indian states, but it actually gave the British a lot of power without having to fight many wars.

How Did the Alliance Work?

Indian rulers who joined this alliance had to agree to several important rules:

• They had to let British soldiers stay in their land.
• They also had to pay for these British soldiers to live and work there.
• The ruler could not make friends or agreements with any other country or power.
• They could not declare war on anyone without asking the British first.
• They were not allowed to hire any European people who were not British. If they already had non-British Europeans working for them, they had to send them away.
• If the ruler had a problem or a fight with another state, the British would decide what to do. The ruler had to accept their decision.
• The ruler had to agree that the East India Company was the most powerful group in India.

What Did the British Promise in Return?

In exchange for the ruler agreeing to all these conditions, the British East India Company promised a few things:

• They said they would protect the state from outside attacks.
• They also promised to help keep order inside the state if there were problems.

What Happened If Rulers Couldn't Pay?

Sometimes, Indian rulers found it hard to pay for the British soldiers. If a ruler failed to make the payments they agreed to, a part of their land would be taken away by the British as a penalty. This meant the British gained more territory.

What Did Rulers Lose?

Under this system, Indian rulers lost a lot of their independence.

• They gave up control over their foreign affairs, meaning they couldn't talk to other countries on their own.
• Most rulers also had to get rid of their own armies. Instead, they relied on the British troops to protect them.
• This system also allowed the British to keep a large army in India without having to pay for it themselves. The Indian rulers paid for it!