Mount stuart elphinstone biography of michaels

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Sign up Log in. In Elphinstone was appointed resident with the Peshwa at Poona and played a major part in the Maratha wars of Lord Hastings He was present at the battle of Kirkee on 5 Novemberwhich saw the overthrow of the Peshwa. Afterward, he was put in charge of settling the territories newly acquired by British India in the Deccan. Inalthough only an East India Company q.

He served there until his retirement from the company service in His service coincided with a peaceful period in British Indian history and he devoted his attention to administration and especially to legal and educational reforms. Elphinstone was much attracted to, although cautious about applying, the theories of the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, and he favored codification of Indian law.

In recognition of his work in education, Elphinstone College was established by public subscription in Induring his retirement, Elphinstone twice refused the offer of appointment as governor-general of India. He wrote a history of India dealing with the Hindu and Muslim periods. Although the work did not make a major contribution to knowledge about India, it was clearly written, especially the part on Hindu India, and became a successful textbook.

He died in HookwoodSurrey, England, on 20 November James Sutherland Cotton later wrote his biography as part of the Rulers of India series in The historian James Grant Duff named his son after Elphinstone. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools.

Mount stuart elphinstone biography of michaels

Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikisource Wikidata item. Scottish statesman and historian. Early life [ edit ]. Envoy [ edit ]. Governor [ edit ]. Return to Great Britain [ edit ]. Published works [ edit ]. See also [ edit ]. References [ edit ]. A Brief History of Modern India. Spectrum Books P Limited.

Demands of aid, which was not within the scope of Elphinstone's instructions had to be resisted, however courteously. Before long Shuja's army met with a reverse in Cashmere. The fall of his power approached, and Elphinstone came away unsuccessful as an envoy, but stored with information, and already nursing that germ of frontier policy of which he was afterwards to be the fruitful founder and exponent.

He also propounded schemes for acquiring the mastery of lands beyond the Indias, which met with disapprobation in the Calcutta council, though afterwards included in the defensive arrangements which have, for the most part, subsisted to the present day. Reflecting on his mission, a few years later, Elphinstone penned a masterly state paper, which it is not too much to call the foundation of all but continuous subsequent policy.

In Elphinstone was appointed resident at Poona. The peshwa chafed under the British protectorate, when the dangers which had once made it acceptable seemed to have ceased. Four years passed quickly in Elphinstone's usual pursuits; but induring the course of negotiations with a neighbouring Mahratta chief, the peshwa connived at the murder of that prince's envoy.

As all questions of the foreign relations of the state were placed by the treaty under the control of the British government, Elphinstone at once interfered. In a calm and courteous memorial he pointed out to the peshwa that all available presumptions and proofs pointed to his highness's favourite Trimbukjee Danglia as the ultimate criminal.

Accordingly he demanded justice. The peshwa shuffled. Trimbukjee was sent into an illusory arrest, from which he soon escaped; and Elphinstone at once prepared for a struggle. On 10 May be received due instructions from Calcutta. On 13 June the peshwa signed a new treaty, ostensibly complying with the demands of the British government; and the next day Elphinstone had the mortification of finding himself superseded by Sir T.

Hislop, the general commanding the army preparing in Central India. It was no doubt an advantage that the army organised by Lord Hastings to act against the Pindarrees was so near; but Elphinstone might fairly complain that the conduct of the operations at Poona was taken from his hands. Not only was the general put over him, but the general confided the management of Poona affairs not to Elphinstone but to Sir John Malcolm, from whose interposition some trouble promised to arise.

Yet Elphinstone continued to work honestly, though only in a subordinate capacity; and his friendly feelings for Malcolm suffered no interruption. The subsidiary force was ordered to take part in the general campaign against the Pindarrees, the irritated peshwa being at the same time allowed to make a large addition to his own forces, ostensibly for the same object, 'I think,' wrote Elphinstone to General Smith, 'we risk a good deal by sending all the troops out of this country, after encouraging the peshwa to put himself into a situation to profit by their absence Hislop's detained.

The storm soon broke. The letter to General Smith was written on 5 Oct. On the 18th the peshwa began to hem in the residency, and Elphinstone ordered up reinforcements for its defence.