The Baroda Crisis facts for kids
The Baroda Crisis was a big political problem that happened in British India between 1872 and 1876. It took place in Baroda, which was a special Indian kingdom ruled by a prince, but also under British control.
Contents
What Happened in Baroda?
The Start of the Problem
The trouble began when a British officer named Colonel Robert Phayre became the British Resident in Baroda. A Resident was a British official who lived in an Indian kingdom and advised its ruler. Colonel Phayre and the ruler of Baroda, Malhar Rao Gaekwad, did not get along at all.
Their disagreements grew worse over time. An official investigation found that Baroda was not being governed well. However, Thomas Baring, who was the Viceroy of India (the highest British official in India), only gave the ruler a warning. This meant the bad relationship between Phayre and Malhar Rao continued to get worse.
The Crisis Gets Worse
In November 1874, the situation became very serious. Colonel Phayre sent a strong report to the Viceroy, saying that Baroda's government was failing. On the very same day, the ruler, Malhar Rao, urgently asked the Viceroy to remove Phayre.
The Viceroy, Northbrook, felt sympathetic to Malhar Rao. On November 12, he decided that Phayre should be replaced. But this decision came too late.
The Ruler is Removed
On March 9, 1875, an attempt was made to harm Colonel Phayre using a dangerous substance. This led to the ruler, Malhar Rao, being accused of a very serious crime against the government.
By order of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, a top British official, Malhar Rao was removed from his position on April 10, 1875. He was sent away to Madras (a city in India) and lived there quietly until he passed away in 1882.
Different Ways to See the Crisis
Old View: British Rivalries
Some historians, like Ian Copland, have seen the Baroda Crisis as a way to understand the rivalries between different parts of the British government in India. There were often disagreements between the British regions of Bombay and Calcutta. The Baroda Crisis made these disagreements even stronger.
Some British officials wanted India to be controlled more from one central place. This meant that Calcutta tried to take more power from Bombay. Bombay's poor handling of the Baroda Crisis gave Calcutta a reason to take over some of Bombay's responsibilities.
Bombay was slow to make decisions, which allowed the crisis to grow bigger than it should have. Even though Colonel Phayre was known to be difficult, Bombay kept him in his position for a long time. They worried that if they removed him, it would look like they couldn't manage their own staff, which would help Calcutta's argument for more central control. By the time Bombay finally decided to remove Phayre, it was too late.
New View: A Question of Fairness
British historian Judith Rowbotham has a different idea. She suggests that the Baroda Crisis was not a fair process for the ruler, Malhar Rao. She points out that he was found guilty through an official investigation, not a regular court trial with a jury. This meant the British government in India could decide if he was guilty.
Also, Malhar Rao could be found guilty based on "reasonable suspicion," which is not as strict as the rules for a criminal trial. Rowbotham believes that if Malhar Rao had received a truly fair trial, he would have been found "not guilty." She argues that the British used this outcome to send a warning to other Indian princes.
