British colonialist Lord Robert Clive, who looted India, became a pauper in his last days due to his addiction to opium

The British East India Company was instrumental in wreaking havoc on the Indian subcontinent. It was instrumental in the wars, looting, and famines that India suffered during the colonial period. One such top official of the East India Company was Lord Robert Clive, who is said to have amassed immense wealth by looting India but later became a pauper due to his addiction to opium. <br><br>Let us know how he got addicted to opium and what was his last condition.<br><br>Lord Clive's antics in India and the subsequent wealth he amassed<br>-----------------------------------------------<br><br>Clive, who is known as the founder of the British Empire in India, served as the Governor of the Presidency of Fort William in India from 1758 to 1760, again from 1765 to 1767, and for the third time in 1764–65. During his rule, he took advantage of India's wealth to amass wealth through various means. <br><br>Clive was familiar with the intricacies of Indian society and exploited this knowledge to expand British rule in India. He acquired Bengal in 1757 and then defeated Sirajuddaula in the Battle of Plassey. He was awarded Rs 2.4 crore and jagirs worth Rs 30,000 per year for his success. It is said that he took an additional bribe of Rs 32 million from Mir Jafar. <br><br>However, in 1772, Clive was accused of exploiting India's wealth to amass wealth by various groups in the British Parliament. However, he was later absolved of this charge as there was no evidence to prove this.<br><br>Clive's addiction to opium and its side effects<br>---------------------------<br><br>Clive had become an addict by the time he arrived in India for the first time in 1743. It is said that he was so addicted that he used to take 60 grains of opium in a day.<br><br>Clive's addiction also started affecting his health. On November 22, 1774, at the age of 49, Clive died in his Berkeley Square mansion in London. The official account of his death at the time suggested that he stabbed himself in the chest. However, contemporary accounts and some officials have reported that he had been in poor health for a long time and had been suffering from an opium overdose. <br><br>In fact, it is also said that Clive's addiction had left him impoverished by the time of his death. <br><br>In a contemporary biography, the author writes, "Clive was so addicted to opium that when he died in 1774, he was so indebted that nothing was left for his descendants."<br><br>Opium addiction, which has its roots in China, was first introduced in India by the Arabs. Clive's antics also suggest that he was familiar with opium.