seat in the British house of
peers. While in England he was involved in a dispute with the company on
the Jaghire rents, which had been conferred on him by Meer Jaffier,
whom he had raised to the throne of Bengal, Bahar, and Orissa. His most
active opponent was Mr. Sulivan, but Clive eventually gained his point;
and not only were the Jaghire rents confirmed to him for ten years,
if he should live that period, but he was nominated governor and
commander-in-chief of the British possessions in Bengal, with the
express understanding that no other officer, of whatever rank, should
have the power of interfering with his command.

Clive returned to India, where he arrived in May, 1705. On his return he
found everything in a complete state of confusion and disorganization.
Before his departure for Calcutta, the seat of his government, it was
rumoured that the Shah Zada had collected an army, and was advancing
against Patna, which was under the jurisdiction of the Hindu governor,
Itamnarrain. The Shah Zada pretended to take up arms against
Ghazee-u-Deen, the vizier and master at Delhi, and Ghazee-u-Deen,
enraged thereat, in a fit of desperation murdered the Great Mogul. After
this tragical event the Shah Zada took the state and title of emperor,
and conferred the office of vizier upon Soujah-Dowla, the powerful ruler
of Oude. The new emperor assumed the name of Shah-Alum, or "King of
the World," and he had no sooner ascended the throne than he advanced
against Patna. Ramnarrain was defeated, but Colonel Calliaud soon after
arrived on the scene of action, with about three hundred English and one
thousand sepoys, and Shah-Alum was routed, and compelled to take refuge
in flight. The young emperor, however, being joined by Mr. Law, with his
small body of French, and by the sub-governor of Purneah, soon returned
to Patna; and the town being almost wholly destitute of troops, he
would have captured it, had not Captain Knox appeared to its relief. The
besiegers were driven, by the gallantry of Knox, from their works, and
a few days after he completely defeated the sub-governor of Purneah, who
fled northwards for his life. He was followed by Colonel Calliaud, with
his English soldiers and sepoys; the latter of whom were commanded by
Meeran Calliaud, under the belief that he was carrying all the treasures
of Purneah with him, pursued the sub-governor hotly; but on the fourth
day of the pursuit a tremendous storm occurred, in which Meeran