The kingdom of Chandradwip declined and then became a small zamindari during the 18th Century. Below are the causes of its decline:-
(1) Weakness of Later Kings- The descendants of king Ramchandra were weak and many of them were unable to fight against the Muslims. During the time of king Pratapnarayan, parts of Chandradweep were conquered by Muslims. Henceforth, the Chandradweep king had to pay taxes to Delhi and Dhaka. king Kirtinarayan was converted by Dhaka Nawab and king Udaynarayan was deposed by Nawab. After Ramchandra, the Hindu Kings of Chandradweep ceased to fight the Muslims, although they had to fight occassionally with the Portuguese and Magh Pirates. Henceforth, the kings shifted their attention from warfare to welfare activities. Many temples were built during this time and many Brahmanas were given lands, but Chandradweep was no longer a great power.
(2) Muslim Pressure- From the beginning, Chandradweep had to face the Muslim Pressure. In the beginning, the Delhi Sultans put pressure on the Deb kings, later the Mughals and after that the Bengal Nawabs. The latter was able to win due to the weakness of Mitra Mazumdar Dynasty. Besides there were Pirs, local Muslim Chiefs, and adventurers. The Muslims failed to conquer the kingdom till the time of king Pratapnarayan, but they often converted many high class Hindu subjects to put pressure on Kayastha society. These Hindu converts later acted as spies and Chandradweep king Kirtinarayan had to make peace with the Muslim Nawab due to it.
(3) Permanent Settlement- The direct cause of the final end of Chandradweep rule is Permanent Settlement, started by Lord Cornwallis, with an objective to weaken the indigenous Zamindars and kings, and to create a new class of zamindars who would be loyal to the English. In 1790, the proposal of Permanent Settlement was sent to London and after the approval of East India Company Directors, it was implemented in 1793. It was the same Cornwallis whose defeat and surrender at Yorktown in 1781 ended the American War of Independence. Although unsuccessful in America, he was highly successful in India and Ireland later. In both the countries, he established British rule on strong basis. Due to Permanent Settlement, the Chandradweep king Joynarayan lost 39 Parganas, and it resulted in economic ruin for him. A new class of petty Zamindars rose from the ashes of Chandradweep Raj, who not only helped to expand the British Dominion, but also spread English education in Bakarganj.
(4) Economic Decline- Like all the kingdoms of Medieval Bengal, Chandradweep's prosperity depends on land revenue and commerce. The Chandradweep kings had trade relations with the Portuguese, and with other powers. They faced competition from Arakan and Tripura as well as from the Mughals. Later the English entered the scene. Another source of wealth was conquest. The conquest of Bhulua ( Noakhali ) during the time of king Ramchandra, increased the revenue of the kingdom. The economic decline started due to Taluk System and due to the end of commerce. During the 18th Century, the trade in Bengal was mainly controlled by European traders and the Chandradweep lost mastery over the sea routes.
(5) Failed to struggle with the English- It was the East India Company who gave final blow to Chandradweep Raj. In warfare and diplomacy, the Chandradweep kings could not compete with the English and they finally bacame a small zamindar under the British Raj.
(6) Demographic Change-From the time of King Kirtinarayan, the kingdom witnessed demographic change. During the time of Ramchandra, a large no of Portuguese, hilly tribes, and Buxaris settled in Chandradweep.They were employed in Chandradweep Army and Navy as mercenaries. The king allowed them to settle in different parts of his kingdom. As a result, the Bengali population decreased, while the population of Portuguese and hilly tribes increased. Towards the end of the 17th Century, the Muslims also increased their population because many high class Hindu families became Muslims. For example, the Miyas of Shreerampur, Chowdhuris of kotalipara. As a result, the Chandradweep Society became multicultural and the social status of Kayasthas declined, because the Muslims refused to obey the Kayasthas. Also the Portuguese Christians settled in small colonies and married local girls. It was only during the 19th Century that the Bengali Society was able to assimilate the Portuguese, who by then started to speak Bengali. Sahebganj was an important Portuguese settlement during the time of king Udaynarayan, which was later assimilated. The Christians of Sahebganj spoke Bengali during the 19th Century and dressed like the Bengalees.
(7) Lack of Alliances- The later kings of Chandradweep had no allies and they often fought without alliance. It was totally different during the time of king Kandarpanarayan, who made alliance with Maharaja Pratapaditya in order to unite the Bengali kings against the Muslim rule. King Danujmardan had also such foresight. So had Ramchandra, the son of Kandarpanarayan. In order to increase the strength of his army, Ramchandra not only allied himself with the Portuguese, but also employed them to train his army. The later kayastha kings failed to understand the diplomacy of Kandarpanarayan and Ramchandra.
(8) Betrayal by relatives and servants- The Royal Family of Chandradweep was betrayed by their relatives and it weakened the bond among the kayasthas. During the Permanent Settlement, these relatives also misguided the king. Sometimes they also encouraged their enemies, the Dhaka Nawab and the English, and passed secret information to them.
(9) Taluk System- The Taluk System of king Udaynarayan decreased the revenue and created petty zamindars.
(10) Attacks by Maghs and Portuguese-
(1) Weakness of Later Kings- The descendants of king Ramchandra were weak and many of them were unable to fight against the Muslims. During the time of king Pratapnarayan, parts of Chandradweep were conquered by Muslims. Henceforth, the Chandradweep king had to pay taxes to Delhi and Dhaka. king Kirtinarayan was converted by Dhaka Nawab and king Udaynarayan was deposed by Nawab. After Ramchandra, the Hindu Kings of Chandradweep ceased to fight the Muslims, although they had to fight occassionally with the Portuguese and Magh Pirates. Henceforth, the kings shifted their attention from warfare to welfare activities. Many temples were built during this time and many Brahmanas were given lands, but Chandradweep was no longer a great power.
(2) Muslim Pressure- From the beginning, Chandradweep had to face the Muslim Pressure. In the beginning, the Delhi Sultans put pressure on the Deb kings, later the Mughals and after that the Bengal Nawabs. The latter was able to win due to the weakness of Mitra Mazumdar Dynasty. Besides there were Pirs, local Muslim Chiefs, and adventurers. The Muslims failed to conquer the kingdom till the time of king Pratapnarayan, but they often converted many high class Hindu subjects to put pressure on Kayastha society. These Hindu converts later acted as spies and Chandradweep king Kirtinarayan had to make peace with the Muslim Nawab due to it.
(3) Permanent Settlement- The direct cause of the final end of Chandradweep rule is Permanent Settlement, started by Lord Cornwallis, with an objective to weaken the indigenous Zamindars and kings, and to create a new class of zamindars who would be loyal to the English. In 1790, the proposal of Permanent Settlement was sent to London and after the approval of East India Company Directors, it was implemented in 1793. It was the same Cornwallis whose defeat and surrender at Yorktown in 1781 ended the American War of Independence. Although unsuccessful in America, he was highly successful in India and Ireland later. In both the countries, he established British rule on strong basis. Due to Permanent Settlement, the Chandradweep king Joynarayan lost 39 Parganas, and it resulted in economic ruin for him. A new class of petty Zamindars rose from the ashes of Chandradweep Raj, who not only helped to expand the British Dominion, but also spread English education in Bakarganj.
(4) Economic Decline- Like all the kingdoms of Medieval Bengal, Chandradweep's prosperity depends on land revenue and commerce. The Chandradweep kings had trade relations with the Portuguese, and with other powers. They faced competition from Arakan and Tripura as well as from the Mughals. Later the English entered the scene. Another source of wealth was conquest. The conquest of Bhulua ( Noakhali ) during the time of king Ramchandra, increased the revenue of the kingdom. The economic decline started due to Taluk System and due to the end of commerce. During the 18th Century, the trade in Bengal was mainly controlled by European traders and the Chandradweep lost mastery over the sea routes.
(5) Failed to struggle with the English- It was the East India Company who gave final blow to Chandradweep Raj. In warfare and diplomacy, the Chandradweep kings could not compete with the English and they finally bacame a small zamindar under the British Raj.
(6) Demographic Change-From the time of King Kirtinarayan, the kingdom witnessed demographic change. During the time of Ramchandra, a large no of Portuguese, hilly tribes, and Buxaris settled in Chandradweep.They were employed in Chandradweep Army and Navy as mercenaries. The king allowed them to settle in different parts of his kingdom. As a result, the Bengali population decreased, while the population of Portuguese and hilly tribes increased. Towards the end of the 17th Century, the Muslims also increased their population because many high class Hindu families became Muslims. For example, the Miyas of Shreerampur, Chowdhuris of kotalipara. As a result, the Chandradweep Society became multicultural and the social status of Kayasthas declined, because the Muslims refused to obey the Kayasthas. Also the Portuguese Christians settled in small colonies and married local girls. It was only during the 19th Century that the Bengali Society was able to assimilate the Portuguese, who by then started to speak Bengali. Sahebganj was an important Portuguese settlement during the time of king Udaynarayan, which was later assimilated. The Christians of Sahebganj spoke Bengali during the 19th Century and dressed like the Bengalees.
(7) Lack of Alliances- The later kings of Chandradweep had no allies and they often fought without alliance. It was totally different during the time of king Kandarpanarayan, who made alliance with Maharaja Pratapaditya in order to unite the Bengali kings against the Muslim rule. King Danujmardan had also such foresight. So had Ramchandra, the son of Kandarpanarayan. In order to increase the strength of his army, Ramchandra not only allied himself with the Portuguese, but also employed them to train his army. The later kayastha kings failed to understand the diplomacy of Kandarpanarayan and Ramchandra.
(8) Betrayal by relatives and servants- The Royal Family of Chandradweep was betrayed by their relatives and it weakened the bond among the kayasthas. During the Permanent Settlement, these relatives also misguided the king. Sometimes they also encouraged their enemies, the Dhaka Nawab and the English, and passed secret information to them.
(9) Taluk System- The Taluk System of king Udaynarayan decreased the revenue and created petty zamindars.
(10) Attacks by Maghs and Portuguese-
