The Carnatic Wars and the Defeat of the French (1746 to 1763)
The Anglo-French rivalry in India, fought in the three Carnatic Wars, ended with the English victory at Wandiwash (1760) and the Treaty of Paris (1763).
Background
The wars were linked to European wars (War of Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War), and to succession disputes in Hyderabad (after Nizam-ul-Mulk's death in 1748) and in the Carnatic (Nawab Anwaruddin v Chanda Sahib). The Carnatic was the south-east coast with the capital at Arcot.
The three wars
| War | Years | Main events |
|---|---|---|
| First | 1746 to 1748 | French under La Bourdonnais captured Madras (1746). At St Thome (Adyar) a small French force defeated the Nawab Anwaruddin's large army, showing the strength of disciplined troops and artillery. Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) returned Madras to the English. |
| Second | 1749 to 1754 | Dupleix backed Muzaffar Jang (Hyderabad) and Chanda Sahib (Carnatic). The English backed Nasir Jang and Muhammad Ali. French won at Ambur (1749) where Anwaruddin was killed. Robert Clive captured and held Arcot (1751) for 53 days. French failed at Trichinopoly. Dupleix was recalled in 1754. Treaty of Pondicherry (1755). |
| Third | 1758 to 1763 | Count de Lally came. Sir Eyre Coote defeated the French at Wandiwash (22 January 1760), and Bussy was captured. Pondicherry surrendered (January 1761). Treaty of Paris (1763) restored French factories but without fortifications. |
Why the French lost
- Naval weakness: the English held the sea, so French reinforcements could not arrive.
- Bengal's wealth: After Plassey (1757) the English had Bengal's money to fund the southern wars.
- Poor support from the French government, which was busy in Europe, while the English Company was a private, profit-driven body with better finances.
- Dupleix's recall (1754). Lally was arrogant and quarrelled with his officers (he was executed in Paris in 1766).
- Better English leaders: Clive, Coote, Lawrence, Saunders.
- Lack of unity between French commanders (Bussy and Lally).
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Prepared for exam revision from standard sources such as NCERT, Bipan Chandra, Spectrum and official records. Historians differ on some dates, figures and interpretations, so check your exam syllabus and a standard textbook. Found a mistake? Tell us.