A palatial edifice that dates back to the British Raj, Fort William is built on the eastern bank of the beautiful Hooghly River. It covers an expanse of 70.9 acres. The structure that stands at present is the reconstruction of the original fort that was built in the year 1696 by the British East India Company.
Who built Fort William in Calcutta?
Calcutta was founded on the mud flats of Hooghly River, a tributary of the Ganges, by the English merchant Job Charnock in 1690. After 1696, Fort William was constructed under the supervision of John Goldsborough . It was situated near the bank of the river.
Which fort was built in Kolkata?
One of Kolkata’s finest historical monuments, Fort William was built during the time of the Bengal Presidency and is an architectural marvel.
When was Fort William set up in Calcutta?
The British East India Company’s main Bengal trading station was moved from Hooghly (now Hugli) to Calcutta in 1690 after a war with the Mughals. Between 1696 and 1702 a fort was built in Calcutta, with the nawab (ruler) of Bengal’s permission.
Which are the forts built by British in Madras?
Fort Saint George , citadel built by the British East India Company in Madras (now Chennai), India, later becoming the British capital in south India. The fort, named in honour of Britain’s patron saint, is well preserved by the state of Tamil Nadu (formerly Madras).
Who did Black Hole tragedy?
The Black Hole of Calcutta was a dungeon in Fort William, Calcutta, measuring 4.30 × 5.50 metres (14 × 18 feet), in which troops of Siraj ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal , held British prisoners of war on the night of 20 June 1756. John Zephaniah Holwell, one of the British prisoners and an employee of the East India ...
What was Black Hole tragedy?
Black Hole of Calcutta, scene of an incident on June 20, 1756, in which a number of Europeans were imprisoned in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and many died.
What was Fort William originally called?
The settlement that grew around it was called Maryburgh , after his wife Mary II of England. This settlement was later renamed Gordonsburgh, and then Duncansburgh before being renamed Fort William, this time after Prince William, Duke of Cumberland; known to some Scots as “Butcher Cumberland”.
Why is Fort William called Fort William?
Fort William is known as the Outdoor Capital of the UK. The fort was named after King William III . His wife gave her name to the town of Maryburgh. ... Fort William was the first town in Britain to light up its streets using hydroelectricity in 1896.
Are Victoria Memorial and Fort William same?
| Origin Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, West Bengal, India | Destination Fort William, Kolkata, West Bengal, India | Driving Distance 2 kms or 1.2 miles or 1.1 nautical miles |
|---|
Why is the black hole of Calcutta referred to in the story?
The narrator refers to Ranga’s courtyard as the Black Hole of Calcutta because the teeming masses had congested that small space into a similar sort of structure where more and more people seemed to be swallowed up as they went in .
What is the meaning of Black Hole of Calcutta?
Black Hole of Calcutta in British English
1. a small dungeon in which in 1756 the Nawab of Bengal reputedly confined 146 English prisoners , of whom only 23 survived. 2. informal, mainly British. any uncomfortable or overcrowded place.
Why did Siraj Ud Daulah captured Fort William?
The siege of Calcutta was a battle between the Bengal Subah and the British East India Company on 20 June 1756. The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud-Daulah, aimed to seize Calcutta to punish the Company for the unauthorised construction of fortifications at Fort William.
Which is oldest fort in India?
| Jaisalmer Fort | Condition Protected Monument | Site history | Built 1155 AD | Built by Rawal Jaisal |
|---|
Who ruled Chennai before British?
Chennai, originally known as “Madras”, was located in the province of Tondaimandalam, an area lying between Penna River of Nellore and the Ponnaiyar river of Cuddalore. Before this region was ruled by early Cholas during the 1st century CE. The capital of the province was Kancheepuram.
Which is the first British fort in India?
Madras was founded in 1639 by the British East India Company and was the first important English settlement in India. The fort was constructed on the seafront in the early 1640s as a trading post and base for European residents, and became the Company’s headquarters on the Coromandel Coast in 1641.
