Warren Hastings (Churchill, Oxfordshire, December 6th 1732 - August 22nd 1818), British politician , is the first general governor of British India, named after Robert Clive, a mandate which it occupies of 1774 with 1785.

It makes its studies with the Westminster School before joining the English Compagnie of the Eastern Indies in 1750 as clerk. In 1757, he becomes resident British - i.e. responsible administrative - of Murshîdâbâd to the Bengal. It is named with the council of Calcutta in 1761 then turns over in Great Britain in 1764. It returns to India in 1769 like member of the council of Madras, and at once puts in building site a legal and financial reform, a coding of the local laws, and a fight against the Dacoït S which poses the bases of the British Raj. It is named governor of Bengal in 1772. In 1773, it becomes the first General governor of the Indies.

While Clive maintained the convenient fiction Bengal independent directed by its Nawab and vassal only of the government Moghol of Delhi, Hastings does not hide any more the seizure of CAIO on the area. Nawab is stripped of its remaining prerogatives and the annual tribute paid with the emperor moghol is removed. Hastings helps the kingdom of Awadh against the raids of the Rohilla S, chiefs of clan of Afghan origin , and takes measures to contain the threat Marathe, without however preventing that it seizes the towns of Âgrâ, of Mathura, and even of Delhi, the capital moghole. Hastings however concludes several treaties with Indian leaders and seeks to form alliances against the forces of Haidar Alî in the South of India. However, its interventions, and in particular of the sendings of troops, to help the presidencies of Bombay, in its conflict with Marathes, and of Madras, in its war against Haidar Ali, are considered interferences in the provincial governments.

In order to carry out these wars, Hastings “borrows” large sums from the Bégum S of Oudh and from the râja Chait Singh of Bénarès. These ways of doing as of other debatable choices of manner of Indian policy will form the base of the procedure of impeachment launched by the Parliament in its opposition after its resignation in 1784 and its return to Great Britain. The accusation of corruption supported by Edmund Burke and Sir Philip Francis - that it had wounded in duel in India - involves a lawsuit which lasts of 1788 with 1795 at the conclusion which it is recognized innocent, in spite of the attacks of Burke, Francis, Richard B. Sheridan and Charles James Fox, but who leaves it ruined.

Warren Hastings occupies a not very common position in annals of British India, except his role of first general governor. He supports the study of the Indian world and shows an lively interest for the literature and the philosophy of the sub-continent. Cest thanks to its support and its encouragement, for example, that Charles Wilkins produces the first translation of the Bhagavad-Gîtâ in English, and its foreword with this edition shows that he was a man of culture.

June 25th 1801 -->