It was 1744, and the Company was still a trading business, not yet an empire. In this chaos, Clive’s boldness, cunning, and skill for planning found their place.By 1751, the French-backed Chanda Sahib threatened British influence in southern India. After the “Black Hole” incident, where many British captives died, Clive set out to retake the city.On 23 June 1757, at Plassey, Clive faced 50,000 men with only 3,000. But the real battle had been fought in secret, key Nawabi commanders, including Mir Jafar, had already been promised British gold and power. He bought estates, secured a seat in Parliament, and in 1762 was made Baron Clive of Plassey.
