Battle of Plassey
1757 CE · India (Bengal)
The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 CE in India (Bengal) between British East India Company vs the Nawab of Bengal and French allies; decisive Company victory that began British rule in Bengal.
Battle of Plassey: quick facts
- Date
- 1757 CE
- Location
- India (Bengal)
- Belligerents
- British East India Company vs the Nawab of Bengal and French allies
- Commanders
- Robert Clive vs Siraj ud-Daulah
- Result
- decisive Company victory that began British rule in Bengal.
- Era
- ⛵ Colonial & Napoleonic Era
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Plassey?
Robert Clive led a small British East India Company force of 3,000 against the Nawab of Bengal's army of 50,000 at Plassey. The battle was decided as much by diplomacy as by fighting, as Clive had secretly negotiated the defection of the Nawab's key general, Mir Jafar, who held his troops back during the engagement. The victory gave the East India Company control of Bengal's vast wealth and resources, marking the beginning of British imperial rule in India.
Did you know?
Robert Clive's entire force at Plassey suffered only 22 killed, making it one of the most consequential battles in world history with the fewest casualties on the winning side.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Plassey on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.