The Anglo-Awadh relationship began after the Battle of Buxar (1764) when Lord Clive established ties with Awadh. Thus, the connection between Awadh and the East India Company can be traced back to 1765 (Treaty of Allahabad). In the Battle of Buxar, where the Nawab fought alongside Mir Kasim against the British, Clive achieved an easy victory over Awadh. Clive was content to allow the Nawab to retain his territory, with the exception of Kora and Allahabad, which were handed over to Emperor Shah Alam. Clive's objective was to maintain Awadh as a buffer state.
When Warren Hastings assumed office in 1773, he divested the Emperor of these two districts, as the latter had allied with the Marathas. Hastings then sold the districts back to the Nawab of Awadh, the original owner, for a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs under the Treaty of Benaras in 1773. Two years later, a new treaty was concluded, requiring the Nawab to relinquish Benaras and agree to pay an increased subsidy for the maintenance of British troops. Hastings' policy toward Awadh aimed to keep it as a buffer state between the British and the Marathas.
During the tenure of Lord Cornwallis, the Nawab of Awadh requested relief from the expense of maintaining British troops stationed in Awadh. Cornwallis responded by reducing the expenditure to 50 lakhs per year. In 1797, Sir John Shore intervened in a disputed succession in Awadh. Upon the death of Asaf-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh, he was succeeded by his illegitimate son, Wazir Ali. Initially, Shore sanctioned the succession, but upon learning of Wazir Ali’s illegitimacy, he reversed his decision and placed Saadat Ali Khan, the brother of the late Nawab, on the throne. Under a treaty with the new Nawab, the Company assumed responsibility for Awadh’s defence in exchange for an annual subsidy of 76 lakhs of rupees. Additionally, the Nawab was required to cede the fort of Allahabad to the Company and refrain from communication with any foreign power except the British in India. Thus, Awadh effectively became a protected feudatory state under the Company. Shore’s vigorous policy was likely influenced by the potential threat posed by Zaman Shah, the ruler of Kabul, who had invaded Punjab but was forced to retreat to address domestic challenges.
Lord Wellesley turned his attention to Awadh as a strategic necessity to secure the British hold on the northwestern frontier. Although Warren Hastings had intended Awadh to function as a buffer state, misgovernment had weakened the province, turning it into a liability for British interests in India. The constant threat of a powerful adversary occupying Awadh and thereby endangering Bengal motivated Wellesley to strengthen British control. In 1801, he compelled the Nawab of Awadh to accept a new treaty, surrendering vast territories, including Gorakhpur and Rohilkhand, as well as parts of the Doab. The Nawab was also required to increase the number of British troops stationed in Awadh. Consequently, half of Awadh came under British rule, although internal mismanagement and corruption persisted, eventually compelling Lord Cornwallis to treat Awadh as part of the British Empire.
Under Lord Hastings, in recognition of Awadh's financial contributions to the Gorkha War, the Nawab was permitted to assume the title of King. However, Lord Bentinck later warned the Awadh government that failure to improve administrative management could lead to the same drastic measures previously applied in Tanjore and the Carnatic. During Lord Auckland’s tenure, the Company intervened in another succession crisis following the death of Nasiruddin, compelling the new Nawab, Muhammad Ali Shah, to sign a treaty granting the Company authority to manage the kingdom’s affairs in cases of gross misrule.
Relations with Awadh reached a critical point during Lord Dalhousie’s administration. The Subsidiary Alliance system introduced by Wellesley had exacerbated administrative corruption and weakened the rulers’ interest in governance. Lord Dalhousie, known for his expansionist policies, sought to assume direct control of Awadh, reducing its ruler to a mere puppet. Following the recommendations of the Board of Directors, he decided to annex Awadh. In February 1856, this policy was executed, and Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh, was deposed on charges of mismanagement. Thus, Awadh was formally annexed into the British Indian Empire.
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