John Cartier, who was the Governor of Bengal from 1769 to 1772, was born on this day.

Cartier had joined the service of the British East India Company in Dacca (Dhaka, now in Bangladesh), from where he was expelled. He joined Robert Clive before the Battle of Plassey (1757), which established British rule firmly in Bengal, and India, and Cartier’s career got a boost, too. He was appointed the chief of the Dacca factory and became second in position in the Calcutta Council.

He succeeded Harry Verelst as Governor of Bengal. It was during his tenure that the Great Bengal Famine of 1770 occurred. A large part of the population died. Cartier was accused of ignoring warnings about the famine.

He was replaced by Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of Bengal Presidency.

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