1763 – British Military in India – Orme | Indostan, British East India Company

A History of the Military Transactions Of the British Nation in Indostan, from the Year MDCCXV by Robert Orme is one of the foundational histories of British India. Published in London in 1763, this first edition examines the contest for influence and territory between Britain and France on the Indian subcontinent during the eighteenth century. Orme served the British East India Company and became one of the foremost historians of British India. The work discusses the Carnatic Wars, Madras, Bengal, Robert Clive, and the rise of the piracy and the Maratha Confederacy. Of particular importance are the seven maps and three plans, which document military campaigns, territorial developments, and strategic locations central to the expansion of European power in India. These maps are among the most desirable maps of this kind.

This first volume was published in 1763 with subsequent volumes published later. This work is considered complete on its own.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A History of the Military Transactions Of the British Nation in Indostan, from the Year MDCCXV
• Author(s): Robert Orme
• Publisher: London, Printed for John Nourse
• Edition: First edition, 1763.
• Binding: Half leather binding with marbled boards
• Format: (4to), single volume
• Size:  10.5 in x 8.25 in (27 cm x 21 cm)
• Collation: [6], 415 pp, [1]
• Illustrations: 7 maps and 3 plans
• Contents Include:
  • The struggle between Britain and France in India
  • The Carnatic Wars
  • Madras and Bengal
  • Robert Clive
  • The Maratha Confederacy
  • Military and political developments in eighteenth-century India

Condition:

Good. Half leather binding with marbled boards. Exterior shows wear, marks, and scuffs from age and handling. Pages display light age toning and occasional minor marks while remaining generally clean. Maps and plans remain present.

Why Collect This?

• First edition of a landmark history of British India
• Written by the East India Company’s official historian
• Iconic maps and illustrated plans of India campaigns

Item Number: #50519