Henry Vansittart

Henry Vansittart (June 3, 1732 - 1770 or 1771) was Governor of Bengal and a notorious rake.

Related Topics:
June 3 - 1732 - 1770 - 1771 - Bengal

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Vansittart was born in London. His father, Arthur van Sittart (1691-1760), and his grandfather, Peter van Sittart (1651-1705), were both wealthy merchants and directors of the Russia Company. Peter, a merchant adventurer, who had migrated from Danzig to London about 1670, was also a director of the East India Company. The family name is taken from the town of Sittard in Limburg. Educated at Reading School and at Winchester College, Henry Vansittart joined the society of the Franciscans, or the Hellfire Club, at Medmenham, his elder brothers, Arthur and Robert, being also members of this fraternity.

Related Topics:
London - Merchant - Director - Russia Company - Danzig - East India Company - Sittard - Limburg - Reading School - Winchester College - Hellfire Club - Medmenham - Arthur - Robert

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1745 he entered service of the East India Company and sailed for Fort St David. Here he showed himself very industrious, made the acquaintance of Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive and rose rapidly from one position to another. As a member of the council of Madras he helped to defend the city against the French in 1759.

Related Topics:
1745 - Fort St David - Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive - Madras - French - 1759

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In July 1760 he went to Bengal as president of the council and governor of Fort William. Courageously facing the difficulties of his new position, which included a serious lack of funds, he deposed the subadar of Bengal, Mir Jafar, whom he replaced by his son-in-law, Mir Kasim, a circumstance which increased the influence of England in the province. He was, however, less successful in another direction. Practically all the company's servants were traders in their private capacity, and as they claimed various privileges and exemptions this system was detrimental to the interests of the native princes and gave rise to an enormous amount of corruption. Vansittart sought to check this, and in 1762 he made a treaty with Mir Kasim, but the majority of his council were against him and in the following year this was repudiated. Reprisals on the part of the subadar were followed by war and, annoyed at the failure of his pacific schemes, the governor resigned and returned to England in 1764.

Related Topics:
1760 - Fort William - Mir Jafar - Mir Kasim - 1762 - War - 1764

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To defend his conduct in Bengal, Vansittart published some papers as A Narrative of the Transactions in Bengal from 1760 to 1764 (London, 1766). His conduct was attacked before the board of directors in London, but events seemed to prove that he was in the right, and in 1769 he became a director of the company, having in the previous year obtained a seat in parliament. He was now sent on an important mission to India. He left England in September 1769, but the ship in which he sailed was lost at sea late in 1770 or early in 1771.

Related Topics:
1766 - 1769 - Parliament - India

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One of his five sons was Nicholas Vansittart, 1st Baron Bexley.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~