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Let me tell you the story of a British Commander who commanded a huge contingent during the storming of Srirangapatna and was a part of it's general loot and sacking - James Darlymple. But before that, it is important to note there is a formal definition for the word mercenary.
Now, anyone working for a private company but as a soldier, what would you call him? Take the case of Robert Clive. He spent £70000 on the forces of East India Company from his pocket (which was not claimed from the British Government), making it a personal mercenary force
as against a national army where it is to be maintained by a sovereign nation. He returned back to England with a fortune of £300,000, which is way above what a Major General in a regular army can earn in is life.
A Major General (on full pay for 365 days) got around £2500p.a. With a service of 28 years, that too starting from ensign who got even less, he may not have earned more than £50000, and this includes the £70000 he spent on the army and £33000 he lost at sea. So, what's he?
Let's go back to our character, James Darlymple. He is a minor Scottish noble, born into the Earldom of Stair as the eldest son of William Dalrymple of Cousland who is from a cadet branch of the Earldom through his second wife.
In that generation, especially in areas like Scotland, there was nothing much to do. All these minor nobles with nothing to do generally landed in India to gain name and money. James was no different - he is enlisted in East India Company Forces in 1770 at an age of 14.
His brother Samuel also served in Indian Army - it's not known whether both the brothers came to India together or separately. This guy becomes a mercenary or more diplomatically, a soldier of fortune at a time when the Mughal glory was fading.
Gone were the days when British men and women were desperate to marry rich Indians. In quest for power and prestige, Muslim women actually wooed Britishers in power. For example, take the case of James Kirkpatrik as narrated by the author William Darlymple.
James Darlymple also followed the same route - only thing is, he married the daughter of the Nawab of Masulipatam, Moti Begum.They had five children - four boys and a girl. His military exploits were not that great -
he, along with his cousin David Baird were a part of the 7000 strong British force led by Eyre Coote captured by Mysore's Crown Prince Tipu Sultan at Pollilur in 1780. He was in captivity for at least four years - a letter written by him to his mother in late 1781 is known.
There is one very important point people note when dealing with Mysore Wars. Many of the East India Company troops who were captured at Pollilur led the Company troops against Tipu Sultan in the later wars. James Darlymple was present in both 1792 and 1799 and possibly in 1784 -
he was promoted to the rank of a Captain in 1783, possibly in preparations for Mysore War. He was assigned to the 29th Madras Battalion which later became famous as Darlymple ka Paltan. His rise was quick - possibly because of his contacts and family ties -
In 1792, he led six companies at Gurramkonda and in 1799, he led six batallions at Srirangapatna!! Now, a person who is formally mentioned, think how much he earned. The mention itself hints at the profits EIC gained - 220 guinea sword for a war - seriously?
But, he died young. He died immediately after the war - in 1800 in Hyderabad. His will mentions him as Lt Col James Darlymple, Hoosein Sagar. Now, on his death, his daughter Nurjahan was left in India(probably with her mother) and the boys were taken to England.
Proably, the sister never saw her brothers again. The boys lost their peerage and the girl is a just another Kutcha Butcha - possibly the amount of money their father's will contained was enough for everyone to jostle to be their guardians.
We would see his son marrying in Guernsey, spend time in France and had a good education - clearly, his father didn't leave him poor!! A mercenary he is, the most sickening thing for anyone is his descendants remembering him fondly.
https://twitter.com/DalrympleWill/status/940060960303194112
https://twitter.com/DalrympleWill/status/940060960303194112
And the travesty of India? We don't scrutinise those who revel in this legacy of loot and infamy. We don't demand formal apologies and penances for the acts of their ancestors as what we demand from the current generation Brahmins for the fictitious claims of historic abuses they
are supposed to have meted out against lower castes (which I don't have a clue how they can do without wielding formal power). If only we hold these children of infamy at least a percentage accountable to the level we blame Brahmins, India would have been a far prouder nation.
The bare minimum we can do is to ensure people who glorify such legacies don't meddle into India's internal affairs. Brahmins or Muslims, we are Indians. We don't need such people or their supporters running the country for us. https://www.opindia.com/2020/08/william-dalrymple-behind-withdrawal-book-bloomsbury-delhi-riots/
And there is only one thing I want to highlight over this - Old Habits Die Hard. It's up to you to interpret in whatever way you deem fit in the context of this thread.
And see the cartel in action. Let me know if at least one of the usuals from the cartel talk about the sanctity of free speech. If a book is wrong, you can get it banned. You don't create a lynch mob to target the work. That's not how a civilized country works.
Why bring religious terms like Bhakt into a civil discussion? Would it be fine if I call him a Namazi or a Hallelujah? https://mobile.twitter.com/prasanto/status/1297277446849347584
Who decides what is Free Speech? Should that be decided by courts or by anybody and everybody who doesn't even have a name? https://twitter.com/mehartweets/status/1297184487256854528
Accuse the other side of that which you are guilty - Goebbels https://mobile.twitter.com/khanumarfa/status/1297118435508273152
But rich coming from someone whose investigative journalism is considered as fantastical imagination by the courts. https://twitter.com/RanaAyyub/status/1297367199296847872
This tweet depicts the picture perfectly. This reaction is like the flailing arms of an octopus squeezed tightly. Again I say. Let's all fight among ourselves. Let's not bring foreigners with infamous ancestries and antecedents into our petty fights. https://twitter.com/swati_gs/status/1297389923356483584
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it - Voltaire
It's ironic to see those derided as fascists are more liberal than the so-called liberals. By the way, I came across a word liberazzi - is it liberal + Nazi or liberal + paparazzi?
It's ironic to see those derided as fascists are more liberal than the so-called liberals. By the way, I came across a word liberazzi - is it liberal + Nazi or liberal + paparazzi?
