The bitter struggle between the British and the French to secure
political authority in South India lasted from 1744 to 1763 AD.
The central authority had weakened in South India after Auranzeb's death.
This has resulted in politically unsettled conditions and
administrative disorganization. These conditions gave the foreigners an
opportunity to expand their political influence over the South Indian states.
The English East India Company was not alone in putting forward commercial
and political claims. While it was able to eliminate the Dutch and the
Portuguese from South India by the end of 17th century, France had appeared
as a new rival. For nearly twenty years from 1744 to 1763 AD the French and
the British indulged in bitter warfare for control over the trade, wealth
and territory of India.
This struggle is famous by the name of the Three Carnatic Wars.
The first Carnatic war took place between 1746 -1748 AD,
when both the French and the English fought to gain monopoly
over Indian trade and territory. The war that was fought between
these two rivals in Europe was now extended in India.The British
conquered Madras and the French tried to increase their influence
in other parts of South. The second Carnatic war took place from
1749 to 1754 AD . A civil war broke out in south between Nasir Jung
and Muzaffar Jung after the death of Nizam of Hydrabad. Also,
Chanda sahib began to conspire against the Nawab Anwaruddin in
Carnatic.The ambitious French officer Dupleix seized this opportunity
to conclude a secret treaty with Chanda sahib and Muzaffar Jang
to help them with his well trained French forces. The three allies
soon defeated both, Nasir Jang and Nawab Anwauddin. In return the
French received many gifts as well as trading monopoly in South.
But the English were not silent spectators to the rising French power.
To offset the French influence, they intrigued with Nasir Jang and
Muhammad Ali (son of deposed Nawab Anwaruddin) . Muhammad Ali, with
the support of British army, attacked Arcot, the capital of Carnatic.
The French forces were repeatedly defeated and Chanda Sahib was captured
and killed. The French fortunes were at ebb after the defeat. They
negotiated peace with British in 1754. The temporary peace between
the two companies ended in 1756 when another war broke out between
the English and the French which was mainly an extension of the seven
-years war between the two in Europe.In 1760, British commander,
Sir Ayer Coot defeated the French disastrously at Wande Wash. The British
occupied Pondicherry after defeating the French completely. The war ended
with the Treaty of Paris in 1763 AD. This war was the third and the last
Anglo -French war. After this, the French influence in India ended forever
and British were now facilitated to expand their dominion in India.
Courtesy --- karthik.N
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