Richard Wellesley vs Zhang Tingyu

Wellesley formalized the Subsidiary Alliance system, requiring Indian states to accept British troops and a British resident in exchange for protection. States like Hyderabad, Mysore, and the Maratha Peshwa accepted these alliances, effectively making them British protectorates and expanding British influence without direct rule.

Richard Wellesley was appointed Governor-General of India in 1798. He pursued an aggressive policy of territorial expansion through the Subsidiary Alliance system, which brought many Indian states under British control without direct annexation.

Wellesley ordered the invasion of Mysore in 1799, leading to the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. British forces captured Seringapatam and killed Tipu Sultan. The kingdom was divided, with the British taking direct control of large territories and restoring the Wodeyar dynasty as a client state.

Wellesley launched the Second Anglo-Maratha War in 1803, defeating the Maratha Confederacy in a series of battles including Assaye and Laswari. The war resulted in the British gaining control of Delhi, Agra, and large parts of central India, and the Maratha Peshwa becoming a British dependent.

Zhang Tingyu was appointed Grand Secretary of the Qing Empire, serving under the Yongzheng Emperor. He became a central figure in the administration, overseeing state affairs and drafting imperial edicts.

Upon the death of the Yongzheng Emperor, Zhang Tingyu was appointed as one of the regents for the young Qianlong Emperor. He helped manage the transition of power and continued to advise the new emperor during the early years of his reign.

Zhang Tingyu oversaw the compilation of the official 'History of Ming' (Mingshi), a comprehensive dynastic history of the Ming Dynasty. The work was completed in 1739 and became the standard historical reference for the Ming period.

Zhang Tingyu retired from his official positions after serving three emperors (Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong). His retirement marked the end of a long and influential career in the Qing bureaucracy.