1. Introduction : British and French were rivals in India, because the objective of the British which was to establish complete monopoly over trade and commerce in India brought them into conflict with the French. They fought for seventeen years (1746-1763) to establish their supremacy in the Deccan. This rivalry with the French led to the Carnatic wars.
2. First Carnatic war (1746-1748) : The first Carnatic war took place between the British and the French during 1746-1748 in the Carnatic area. This war was a part of the **** war, between the two countries over the Austrian succession issue (1740-1748) in Europe.
3. Course of the war: British commander Burnett captured some French ships. At this juncture Dupleix appealed to Anwaruddin, the Nawab of Arcot to prevail upon the British to desist from hostile action. British did not take any action. In 1746, Dupleix (French Governor) besieged and captured Madras.
British sought the help of Anwaruddin who ordered the French to free Madras. Dupleix refused to free it. So, Anwaruddin sent an army against the French. A battle was fought at St. Thome (battle of Adyar), in which the French were defeated. The Austrian succession war came to an end in Europe by the treaty of Aix-laChaipel in 1748. Thus, the first Carnatic war also came to an end.
Result: Treaty of Aix-la-Chapel in 1748.
- The British and the French agreed to stop their hostilities in India forthwith.
- The French agreed to return Madras to the British and prisoners of war were released from both the sides.
4. Second Carnatic war (1748-1754) : The second Carnatic war broke out due to two succession disputes – one at Hyderabad and the other at Arcot, for which the British and the French took sides. There were civil wars of succession between Anwaruddin and Chandasaheb at Arcot and Nasir Jung and Muzaffar Jung at Hyderabad.
Dupleix and the French supported Chandasaheb (Arcot) and Muzaffar Jung (Hyderabad) whereas the British supported Anwaruddin (Arcot) and Nasir Jung (Hyderabad) This struggle led to the second Carnatic war (1748-1754).
5. Course of the war : The French troup defeated and ** Anwaruddin in the battle of Amber. His son Mohammad Ali fled to Trichinapalli. Dupleix proclaimed Chandasaheb as the Nawab of Arcot. Dupleix was equally successful in Hyderabad. Nasir Jung was ** and Muzaffar Jung was made the Nizam of Hyderabad.
Dupleix and Chandasaheb besieged Trichinapalli to Mohammad Ali, The British were aware that Chandasaheb was an ally of the French and his succession to throne would adversely affect the British trade. Robert Clive (British) siege to Arcot. Chandasaheb rushed to protect his capital.
He was defeated and ** in the battle of Arcot in 1752. As a result, British crowned Mohammad Ali as the Nawab of Arcot. Dupleix was defeated in the war and was recalled by the French Government. The war ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754. Both the parties agreed not to interfere in the internal affairs of the Indian states. They also agreed to return the territories conquerred from each other.
4. Third Carnatic war (1758-1763) : The seven years war (1756-1763) was fought between the French and the British in Europe. The tension between the two in India also increased and ultimately took the shape of the third Carnatic war.
6. Course of the war : Robert Clive (British) captured Chandranagore, a French settlement. The French were determined to end the British settlements in India and sent Count-de-Lally as Governor to India. He launched an ** on Madras and recalled Bussey from Hyderabad to help him.
The British attacked Hyderabad and captured it. Count-de-Lally was defeated by the British ( Sir Eyrecoote) in the battle of Wandiwash in 1760. In 1761, the British captured Pondicheny and other French settlements in India. The seven years war came to an end by the treaty of Paris in 1763. The war in India also ended.
7. Treaty of Paris in 1763 :
- The trading centres of the French were returned with restrictions, that they would not fortify them.
- The Anglo-French rivalry in India ended with the success of the British and *** of the French.
