The Indian Daily News had never seen such a response. Every eye was locked on the pages, absorbing the grim history that had been hidden under the veil of British diplomacy. Today's edition didn't just reveal numbers or trade; it exposed the heart-wrenching betrayal of India's kings and leaders who, at first, believed the British were allies. The story laid bare the brutal transition from friendship to subjugation, one that cost India its sovereignty, its dignity, and the lives of its greatest rulers.
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From Traders to Tyrants: The Betrayal of India's Kings
The story began with a detailed account of how the British first arrived on Indian soil. What started as the East India Company's arrival in 1600 as mere traders, with a humble request for permission to engage in commerce, quickly evolved into something far more sinister.
The Veil of Trade
At first, the British came under the guise of trade, establishing small factories and trading posts along the coasts of India. They spoke of friendship and cooperation, forging alliances with Indian kings and emperors who welcomed them in good faith. These alliances were beneficial at first, with Indian rulers gaining access to European goods and technology. The kings saw no threat; after all, the British were just merchants, operating at their leisure under the authority of the Mughal Empire and various princely states.
However, this was only the beginning.
"The East India Company did not come to trade—they came to conquer," the article stated bluntly.
Kings Betrayed
Many Indian kings soon found that their alliance with the British came at a grave cost. The British used their access to the royal courts and their influence in trade to manipulate Indian politics. They began offering military support in internal conflicts, and soon, Indian rulers were trapped. They became dependent on British forces, unknowingly inviting their own demise.
The Fall of Bengal
The article then moved on to Bengal, where the betrayal of the Nawabs was no less tragic. In 1757, the British fought and won the Battle of Plassey, led by Robert Clive. Siraj-ud-Daulah, the young Nawab of Bengal, had been a staunch opponent of the British expansion in India. He recognized the threat that the East India Company posed and tried to curb their growing influence.
However, Siraj-ud-Daulah was betrayed by his own commander, Mir Jafar, who had been secretly negotiating with the British. At the height of the battle, Mir Jafar's forces withdrew, leaving Siraj to be overwhelmed by the British army. Bengal, one of the wealthiest regions of India, was looted and placed under British control. This victory gave the British control over Bengal's vast resources, and soon the rest of India followed.
The Betrayal of Tipu Sultan
One of the most tragic tales in the article was that of Tipu Sultan, the fearless ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. Tipu, known as the "Tiger of Mysore," had resisted British dominance fiercely. He fought several wars against the British, allying with the French and using every strategy in his power to defend his land and his people.
However, despite his might and intelligence, Tipu was betrayed. In the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799, the British, along with their Indian allies, besieged his fortress in Srirangapatna. Tipu fought valiantly but was betrayed by his own campanion Mir Sadiq, who had secretly allied with the British. Even in his last moments, Tipu resisted. Do you know what he said when he was being beheaded:
"Better to live for a day as a tiger than live for a lifetime as a sheep."
This statement perfectly captured his defiance and unwavering belief in the fight for freedom. He chose to die fighting like a warrior, rather than live a life of submission under British rule.
Tipu Sultan was killed defending his city. His body was found among the fallen soldiers, still clutching his sword. His death marked the end of resistance in southern India, and Mysore fell completely under British control. The article emphasized how the British had cunningly turned Indian kings against one another, ensuring their supremacy.
"Tipu's blood, spilled on the battleground of Mysore, was not just the blood of a warrior. It was the blood of betrayal—betrayal by his fellow countrymen, manipulated by the British."
The Last Mughal Emperor: Bahadur Shah Zafar
The article then turned to one of the most heart-wrenching betrayals in Indian history—Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last emperor of the Mughal Empire. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Zafar was reluctantly thrust into leadership by Indian soldiers (sepoys) rebelling against British rule. The revolt was a desperate, last-ditch effort to throw off the British yoke, and many believed that Zafar, though old and weak, could still serve as a symbol of India's unity and independence.
However, the rebellion was ruthlessly crushed, and Zafar, despite being merely a figurehead, was held responsible. After the British quelled the uprising, Zafar was captured and brought to trial. He was charged with conspiracy against the British crown, though his role in the rebellion had been largely ceremonial.
The British humiliated Zafar by forcing him to witness the execution of his sons and grandsons, whose severed heads were brought to him on a platter. He was exiled to Rangoon (modern-day Yangon, Myanmar), where he was imprisoned in a tiny cell. The once-great emperor of the mighty Mughal Empire, who had ruled over a vast portion of the subcontinent, was now treated as nothing more than a common criminal.
Zafar died in 1862, forgotten and alone, far from the lands of his ancestors. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Rangoon. The article noted how Zafar's imprisonment symbolized the death of the Mughal Empire, which had ruled India for over three centuries. With his death, the British had firmly cemented their control over the entirety of India.
The Final Blow: Betrayal and Domination
The article emphasized how the British, once welcomed as friends, had turned India's rulers into mere pawns. Divide and conquer was not just a strategy—it was the very foundation of British control in India. By pitting Indian kings against one another and exploiting their divisions, the British weakened the rulers, ultimately enslaving the entire subcontinent.
The story ended with a somber reflection:
"India, the land of kings, poets, and warriors, was brought to its knees not by the strength of British arms, but by the betrayal of trust. And now, the shadows of these betrayals stretch long over our future. How long will we continue to be pawns in their empire? How many more kings must fall before we rise as one?
The readers, already shaken by the revelations of British looting and manipulation, were now filled with a renewed sense of outrage. The stories of Tipu Sultan, Siraj-ud-Daulah, and Bahadur Shah Zafar were not just historical footnotes—they were a reminder of how deeply the British had embedded themselves into the very fabric of Indian society. The betrayal of India's kings had paved the way for centuries of exploitation and suffering, and now, more than ever, the people knew that they could not afford to let history repeat itself.
The Indian Daily News article continued, this time diving even deeper into the betrayals of the British and their repeated attempts to undermine India, even during the height of the Mughal Empire under one of its greatest rulers—Akbar the Great.
The British Revolt Against Akbar: A Forgotten Chapter
The story of British ambition in India goes back further than most realize, beginning during the era of Emperor Akbar in the late 16th century. Akbar, known for his military prowess, wise governance, and efforts to unite India's diverse religious and cultural communities, was the epitome of power in India. Under his reign, the Mughal Empire reached its zenith, and no foreign power could match its might—including the British.
Though the British East India Company had not yet fully established its presence in India during Akbar's reign, it was clear that European ambitions were already brewing. The British, who arrived in India as traders, sought to gain influence in the Mughal court. However, as they interacted with the empire, their intentions soon became evident—they desired not just trade but dominance.
The Seeds of Rebellion
In 1583, the British, then small-time merchants operating in India's coastal cities, grew frustrated by the restrictions the Mughal Empire imposed on them. They wanted to expand their trading privileges and establish settlements free of Mughal oversight. But Akbar, ever the cautious ruler, understood the potential threat that unchecked foreign influence posed to his empire.
The British, though relatively insignificant compared to the might of the Mughal Empire, plotted a small-scale revolt against Akbar's forces. Emboldened by their military successes in Europe and sensing a potential opportunity to carve out a foothold in India, they attempted to assert their independence in certain coastal areas, leading to brief skirmishes with Mughal forces.
The Swift Defeat
Despite their ambitions, the British had severely underestimated the Mughal army's strength. Akbar's military forces quickly crushed the British insurrections. The British merchants, completely outnumbered and outmatched, were easily subdued by the Mughal army's superior artillery and cavalry. It wasn't even a contest—Akbar's forces had fought countless battles against far greater powers, and a handful of British traders and their meager forces stood no chance.
Realizing they had no hope of standing against the emperor, the British surrendered. Akbar's generals, known for their ruthlessness in battle, were ready to punish the rebels severely. Some even called for their expulsion from Indian shores altogether, believing it was only a matter of time before the British would try again.
Akbar's Forgiveness: A Mistake Born of Compassion
However, Akbar, renowned not just for his military strategy but for his deep sense of justice and mercy, chose a different path. Despite their rebellion, Akbar forgave the British.
"We do not crush the weak," Akbar is said to have declared. "For what are they, but men in need of our pity?"
Instead of expelling them or punishing them harshly, Akbar allowed the British to continue trading in India under strict conditions. He imposed new regulations that limited their influence and closely monitored their activities. Akbar's reasoning was that India, in its grandeur, did not need to stoop to the level of crushing small powers like the British. To him, they were a distant, insignificant group, hardly worthy of his full attention.
The British, at the time, were grateful—or at least, they pretended to be. They expressed their loyalty to Akbar and their gratitude for his mercy. But beneath the surface, the seeds of ambition remained. Akbar's decision to forgive them, born out of compassion and his belief in the strength of India, would later prove to be a mistake that future generations would pay for.
After Akbar's forgiveness, the British continued their trade, but they never forgot their humiliation. Instead of learning their lesson, they began to consolidate their resources and strengthen their position in India over the following centuries. They formed alliances with weaker Indian kingdoms, exploited internal divisions, and bided their time.
When the Mughal Empire weakened in the decades following Akbar's death, the British saw their chance. The once insignificant traders, who had been pitied and spared by Akbar, began to extend their influence into Indian politics. By the time of Aurangzeb, the empire was embroiled in internal conflicts, and the British slowly began to capitalize on India's divisions.
The Ultimate Betrayal
The article concluded this tragic chapter with a reflection on the irony of history. What had started as a small revolt against Akbar's authority had transformed over the centuries into a complete takeover of the Indian subcontinent. The British, who had once trembled before the Mughal throne, now sat on it—at least in spirit.
"Akbar's mercy was our undoing," the article stated. "In our kindness, we showed them our weakness, and they used that knowledge to one day chain the very land that had given them life. They were small once, but through our divisions and their cunning, they grew into the monster that now looms over every city, every village, every soul in India."
The readers of the Indian Daily News were left contemplating the devastating impact of the British manipulation, which had begun so long ago during Akbar's reign. The betrayal of India's kings, from the forgiveness of Akbar to the beheading of Bahadur Shah Zafar, painted a grim portrait of India's tragic downfall. What had started with mercy had ended in chains, as the British—once powerless—now ruled over the land that had once spared them.