Carnatic Wars, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Carnatic War, Reasons, UPSC Notes

The Carnatic Wars, fought between the British East India Company and the French East India Company between 1746 and 1763, marked a crucial chapter in Indian history. These wars, fought in the south of India, known as the Carnatic region, were part of the larger global conflict, the Seven Years' War, between Britain and France.

The Carnatic Wars resulted in a shift of power and territorial control, with the British East India Company ultimately emerging as the dominant colonial power in India. These conflicts shaped the course of Indian affairs under British colonial rule and paved the way for significant changes in governance and administration.

Carnatic Wars Background

The Carnatic Wars (Anglo-Carnatic Wars) arose from an intense imperial rivalry between the British and French East India Companies, both contesting for political and commercial hegemony across the Indian subcontinent.

• European Spillover: Geopolitical conflicts in Europe, such as the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, translated directly into military hostility between the British and French trading companies in India.
• Commercial Monopolies: Both powers aggressively pursued exclusive trade rights and commercial dominance over the highly lucrative Coromandel Coast.
• Mughal Power Vacuum: The disintegration and weakening of the central Mughal authority created local fragmentation, allowing European powers to intervene directly in regional dynastic succession disputes, notably in Hyderabad and Arcot.
• Proxy Warfare: To extract territorial grants, revenues, and political leverage, both colonial powers actively supported rival native princes and Nawabs as strategic pawns.

Carnatic Wars Timeline

The Carnatic Wars were a series of three major 18th-century military conflicts fought by the British East India Company and the French East India Company for dominance in India.

• 1746–1748: The First Carnatic War began during the War of the Austrian Succession; the French captured Madras.
• 1748: Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle restored Madras to the British, ending the First War.
• 1749–1754: The Second Carnatic War was fought over succession disputes in Hyderabad and the Carnatic; Robert Clive emerged as a key British leader.
• 1756–1763: The Third Carnatic War coincided with the Seven Years' War.
• 1763: Treaty of Paris ended French political ambitions in India, establishing British supremacy.

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First Carnatic War (1746-48)

First Carnatic War (1746–48), triggered by Europe's Austrian War of Succession, pitted British and French colonial ambitions against each other in South India. The war shifted regional power through the Fall of Madras and revolutionary French military victories.

• Austrian War of Succession: The Austrian War of Succession, fought in Europe, had repercussions in India. These European conflicts between Britain and France also led to disputes over their colonial possessions in North America and India.
• Escalation of Tensions: When the war broke out, Dupleix, the new Governor of Pondicherry, appealed to Morse, the governor of Madras, to remain neutral. However, a British squadron under Commodore Barnett captured some French vessels carrying Indian goods, escalating the tensions.
• Assistance of Carnatic: Shocked by this incident, Dupleix sought assistance from Anwar-ud-din, the Nawab of Carnatic, to avoid war with the English. This led to a period of relative calm.
• French Involvement: Dupleix contacted La Bourdonnais, the French Governor of the Isle of France, who arrived in Indian waters with eight warships. Peyton, leading the English squadron with four ships, intercepted the French squadron.
• Setback: In the battle on July 6, 1746, Peyton suffered setbacks and retreated to Hoogly, Calcutta, while expecting reinforcements from Britain.

Capture of Madras

In 1746, French forces under La Bourdonnais captured Madras from the British. Dupleix subsequently wanted to retain Madras, creating disagreement with La Bourdonnais over its future. The Nawab of Carnatic, Anwar-ud-din, demanded that the French return Madras. When the French refused, the Nawab sent an army against them.

Battle of Adyar/St Thomé

The French defeated the Nawab’s much larger army at the Battle of St Thomé, near the Adyar River in 1746. This battle demonstrated the military strength, discipline, training, and artillery advantage of European forces. The victory showed that a small, well-trained European force could defeat a much larger Indian army lacking modern organisation and military technology. 

Siege of Pondicherry

The British subsequently attempted to capture Pondicherry. Two British attempts led by Rear-Admiral Boscowen to capture Pondicherry failed. However, the French successfully defended the settlement, and the British siege was eventually abandoned. By 1748, France and England had signed the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.

Result of First Carnatic War

The War of the Austrian Succession ended in Europe with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, bringing the First Carnatic War to an end.

• Under the treaty:
  • Madras was restored to the British.
  • France regained Louisbourg in North America from Britain.
  • No major territorial change took place in India.
  • The conflict temporarily ended Anglo-French hostilities in the Carnatic.
• The war was inconclusive in territorial terms, but it revealed the weaknesses of Indian armies and encouraged both European companies to interfere more actively in Indian political affairs.

Second Carnatic War (1749-54)

The Second Carnatic War was different from the first. It was mainly caused by succession disputes in Hyderabad and the Carnatic, rather than a direct European war.

Background

Two major succession disputes in the Carnatic and Hyderabad provided an opportunity for British and French intervention. After the death of Nizam-ul-Mulk, the ruler of Hyderabad, a struggle began between Nasir Jang and Muzaffar Jang for the position of Nizam. At the same time, a succession dispute arose in the Carnatic between Chanda Sahib and Muhammad Ali.

• French Support: Dupleix supported Muzaffar Jung, the grandson of Asaf Jah, as the Nizam of Hyderabad. In the Carnatic region, he supported Chanda Sahib's claim. A triple alliance was formed among the French, the Nizam, and the Nawab of Carnatic.
• English Support: To diminish French influence, the English backed rival candidates Nasir Jung for the throne of Nizam of Hyderabad and Muhammad Ali.

Course of Second Carnatic War

Initially, the French achieved considerable success under Dupleix. Their allies defeated Anwar-ud-din Khan at the Battle of Ambur in 1749. Chanda Sahib became Nawab of Carnatic, while Muzaffar Jang gained control in Hyderabad. Dupleix appeared close to establishing French political dominance in South India.

• French Success: The Battle of Ambur was followed by the victorious forces' entry into the Deccan. The French army killed Nasir Jung, and Muzaffar Jung was appointed as the Nizam of Hyderabad in December 1750.
• Death of Nasir Jung: When Muzaffar Jung sought French protection, Dupleix sent Bussy, a French general, with a sizeable force. However, Muzaffar Jung's reign was short-lived, as he was assassinated by the same group that killed Nasir Jung. Salabat Jung, Nazir Jung's brother, was immediately seated on the throne.
• Decision to Capture Tiruchirappalli: With the help of the French and the Nizam, Chanda Sahib decided to seize Tiruchirappalli to oppose British influence and capture Mohammad Ali.
• Robert Clive and Siege of Arcot: To break the French siege at Tiruchirappalli, British Commander Robert Clive executed a brilliant diversionary attack on Arcot, turning the tide of the war and establishing British dominance in the Carnatic.
  • In 1751, Clive captured Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic, with a relatively small force. Clive successfully defended Arcot against the forces of Chanda Sahib and the French.

• Decline of French: The British victory weakened the French-backed alliance and strengthened Muhammad Ali’s claim to the Carnatic throne. The French government became increasingly dissatisfied with the financial and political costs of Dupleix's intervention. Dupleix was recalled to France in 1754.

Result of Second Carnatic War

The Second Carnatic War ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754. Its major results were:

• Muhammad Ali was recognised as the Nawab of Carnatic.
• British influence in the Carnatic increased significantly.
• Dupleix was recalled to France because of the high cost and failure of French policy.
• The French political position in South India weakened.
• The British gained confidence in using Indian political disputes for territorial expansion.

Third Carnatic War ( 1756-63)

The Third Carnatic War was linked to the Seven Years’ War between Britain and France in Europe. It was the final and most decisive conflict between the British and French East India Companies in India.

• Seven Years' War: The Seven Years' War was a global conflict between Britain and France, their long-standing rivals. It encompassed battles in various regions, including North America and West Africa.
• Manifestation in India: Once again, hostilities in Europe spread to India. This time, however, the British emerged decisively victorious.

Course of the Third Carnatic War (1756-63)

With the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, Robert Clive captured Chandranagore, the French settlement in Bengal, effectively ending French influence in that region. However, the French still maintained their power in the South.

• Count de Lally: The French government appointed him as the Supreme Commander of the French forces in India. Lally swiftly secured Fort St. David after a brief siege, as the British were actively involved in Bengal.
• Developments in Deccan: In the Deccan region, the political situation quickly changed against the French, resulting in the loss of both Rajahmundry in 1758 and Masulipatam in 1759.
• Nizam’s agreement with the British: The Nizam of Hyderabad, Salabat Jung, without engaging in battle, signed an agreement with the British, transferring Masulipatam and the Northern Circars from French control to the English.
• Siege of Madras: The Siege of Madras commenced in December 1758, and although both sides suffered casualties, the French could not make significant progress.
  • Eventually, General Pocock arrived with a fleet to provide relief for Madras, forcing Lally to lift the siege and retreat to Kanchipuram.

Battle of Wandiwash and the Fall of Pondicherry

The decisive event of the Third Carnatic War was the Battle of Wandiwash, fought on 22 January 1760 in present-day Tamil Nadu. The British army, commanded by Sir Eyre Coote, defeated the French army led by Count de Lally. The battle destroyed French military power in South India. After Wandiwash:

• The British captured Pondicherry in 1761. In the same year, the British also gained control of Mahe, another French possession on the west coast.
• The French lost most of their military and political influence in India.
• French ambitions to establish an empire in India were effectively ended.

Result of Third Carnatic War

The hostilities eventually concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763, marking the end of the Seven Years' War. As per the treaty, Pondicherry and Chandranagore were restored to the French.

• French Confinements: The French were subsequently limited to Pondicherry, Karaikal, and Yanaon (all in the Union Territory of Puducherry), Mahe (in the Kannur district of Kerala), and Chandranagore (in Chandannagar, Bengal).
• British as Dominant Power: With the culmination of the war, the English emerged as the dominant colonial power in India. The East India Company had transitioned from a trading company to a territorial power, solidifying British control over significant parts of the Indian subcontinent.

Reasons for British Success in Carnatic Wars

The outcome of the Carnatic Wars was determined by contrasting structural, naval, and financial advantages that enabled the British to outmanoeuvre the state-controlled French East India Company.

• Naval Supremacy: The British Royal Navy dominated the seas, securing transport lines for troops and supplies while blocking French outposts from receiving crucial European reinforcements.
• Corporate Autonomy: Operating as a private corporate entity, the English East India Company enjoyed high decision-making flexibility and a clear commercial focus.  The French company functioned as a rigid, slow-moving state concern controlled and regulated by the French government.
• Territorial and Financial Assets: Holding three secure hubs in Calcutta, Madras, and Bombay, the British leveraged Bengal’s vast wealth to fund long campaigns, while the French remained isolated at Pondicherry.
• Strategic Leadership: Outstanding commanders like Robert Clive and Eyre Coote provided superior direction, which, combined with the premature recall of French governor Dupleix, created a critical leadership deficit.

Carnatic Wars UPSC PYQs

Q1: Clarify how mid-eighteenth-century India was beset with the spectre of a fragmented polity. (UPSC Mains 2017)

Q2: With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC Prelims 2021)

1. The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State.
2. The Mysore Kingdom emerged from the Vijayanagara Empire.
3. The Rohilkhand Kingdom was formed out of the territories occupied by Ahmad Shah Durrani.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Ans: (b)