First Carnatic War (1746-48 AD)
Causes and Consequences - General Knowledge (gk) of Modern India. Main point, First Carnatic War, Anglo-french Conflict, Dupleix, Dupleix vs Nawab of Karnataka, French vs English and Result of the First Carnatic War.
First Carnatic War : Role
After the fall of the Mughals, along with the native rulers, foreign powers also struggled for political dominance. The native forces were mainly the Marathas, while the real battle among the foreign forces was between the British and the French. This struggle for dominance between these two powers lasted for 60-70 years and ended in favor of the British after the fall of Napoleon. In this context, the first major battle between the two powers took place in the Karnataka region. In this, the Governor of France was Dupleix and the Nawab of Karnataka on the one hand and the Governor of the English East India Company on the other. This war is called the First Carnatic War which lasted from 1746 AD to 1748 AD. It is said that the conflict between England and France in the war of Austrian succession in Europe resulted in the First Carnatic War in India.
Read More GK: Partition of Bengal 1905 - General Knowledge of Modern India
Anglo-french Conflict
The history of the Anglo-French conflict in India is divided into four parts - from 1746 AD to 1748 AD, 1749-1754 AD, 1758 AD to 1763 AD and 1778 AD to 1815 AD. The first three parts were mainly related to South India. In these three periods, French power was destroyed from South India. In the last phase, with the help of the Indian monarchs, the French tried unsuccessfully to destroy the power of the British.
The War of the Austrian Succession began in Europe in 1740 AD. Initially the Prime Minister of England Walpole did not participate in the war. Walpole was an advocate of peace loving policy. But after Walpole's resignation in 1742, England joined the Austrian War of Succession. In Europe, England and France were each other's opposition. So the natural reaction to the European war took place in India as well.
Dupleix
The governor of the French company was Joseph François Dupleix. He wrote a letter to the British governor in Madras advising him to stop the war. In the north, the British governor had also given assurance to maintain peace. The officials of both the companies (English and French companies) had pleaded with their respective governments not to go to war. The French government accepted Dupleix, but the British government did not pay heed to it and sent a fleet led by Commander Barnet to attack the French. War was declared between the two companies in 1746 AD. The English Navy was ready to attack Pondicherry. But Dupleix was successful in defending Pondicherry from the intervention of Anwaruddin, the Nawab of Karnataka. But the British Commander Barnet sank the French ships in which Dupleix also had a ship. Enraged at this behavior of the British commander, Dupleix sought assistance from the Governor of Mauritius and the General of the French Navy, La-Bardino. British commander Barnett had reached Pondicherry. By chance Barnett died and Peyton was appointed the new commander in his place. In 1746 AD, La-Bardino forced Peyton to move towards Hooghly and in September 1746 AD invaded Madras and took it under his control.
Dupleix vs Nawab of Karnataka
After the conquest of Madras, there was a difference of opinion between La Bardino and Dupleix. Dupleix wanted to destroy the power of the British forever by invading Bengal after taking over Madras. But La-Bardino was in favor of bargaining with the British and returning them to Madras. After negotiating with the British officers, he wanted to settle with the British by taking three lakh rupees for the French company and one lakh rupees for himself. He had received Rs 60,000 from the British as advance money. Therefore, against the wishes of Dupleix, La-Bardino handed over Madras to the British and left for Mauritius. Dupleix rejected the agreement of La-Bardino and attacked Madras. The British requested the help of Anwaruddin, the Nawab of Karnataka. Nawab Anwaruddin ordered the French to leave Madras. But Dupley's pole was soon exposed. He had kept all the money of the loot of Madras with him. The disgruntled Nawab sent his son to attack Madras against the French. A battle took place between Dupleix and the Nawab's army at a place called St. Thomy. A few French soldiers, led by Dupleix, defeated the Nawab's army.
French vs English
Defeating the Nawab's army boosted the spirit of Dupleix (Joseph François Dupleix). He started dreaming of establishing a French Empire in India. For this purpose, he attacked the English fort of St. David in Madras. St. David's Fort was only 12 miles away from Madras. But despite 18 months of tireless effort, Dupley could not take possession of St. David. Meanwhile, on August 6, 1748, a British fleet reached there. The British laid siege on Pondicherry. But soon the British had to lift their siege from Pondicherry. The failure of the British in Pondicherry increased the prestige of Dupleix.
In 1748, the Austrian War of Succession ended with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in Europe. In India also the war between the British and the French stopped. According to the treaty, Madras had to be returned to the British and in return France received the territory of Luber in America.
Result of the First Carnatic War
The Aix la Chapelle Treaty dashed the hopes of Dupleix. The dream of establishing the French Empire Empire in India could not be fulfilled. The power of the British was not destroyed. The power of the British was not destroyed. Victory or defeat could not be decided. Externally, the outcome of the first war of Carnatic was not particularly important from the point of view of Indian politics. Mainly this rise took place between the British and French companies. The war was the result of a European political cycle. The English and French companies remained unchanged. There was no change in the rights and limits of both. But the first war of Karnataka is considered to be an epoch-making event in Indian history internally. This war made the hollowness of Indian politics completely clear. The British and the French became acquainted with the method of warfare and military weakness of the Indian kings. Till now the British and the French were emphasizing only on the development of maritime power. But seeing the weakness of the Indian kings, encouraged them to establish political dominance.
The Nawab of Carnatic Anwaruddin tried to stop the war. But the huge army of the Nawab was defeated in the battle with the French. With the victory of the French it became clear that a little trained European army could easily defeat the largest Indian army. This victory not only increased the prestige of the French, but also in diplomacy, the Nawab of Karnataka was defeated by the French. The mutual struggle of the Indian kings, their military weakness, lack of navy, all these elements together inspired the foreigners to establish an empire in India.