Production of Gunpowder in Early Modern India, 1757-1849

Abstract

India in the eighteenth century was in political turmoil. Taking advantage of the waning authority of the Mughals, numerous regional powers were engaged in internecine warfare for political supremacy. Various European trading companies also joined the fray, in order to acquire territorial gains to further their trade. In the resultant battles and sieges, systematic use of gunpowder emerged as a common feature. Both the indigenous powers and the foreigners began to focus on developing and improving their ordnance establishments. This article seeks to make a comparative study of the production of gunpowder under the East India Company on one hand; and the indigenous powers, namely—the Marathas, the Sikhs and Kingdom of Mysore on the other. The aim of this article is to analyse, if the East India Company had a qualitative and quantitative advantage over the Indian powers, in terms of gunpowder production. It will examine the manufacturing processes of gunpowder by both contenders, to see whether the East India Company had a technological lead over the indigenous rulers, which made them victorious in the battlefield. The article will be primarily based on archival sources, such as Military Board Proceedings, Military Department Proceedings and printed primary sources, like regimental histories, autobiographies and memoirs.