First and Second Carnatic Wars
Modern History › Advent of the Europeans in India · Topic 2.8
The First Carnatic War (1740-48) was an extension of the European war of the Austrian Succession, in which the French took Madras in 1746. In the Second Carnatic War (1749-54) Dupleix and Clive fought through Indian allies, and Clive's seizure of Arcot in 1751 turned the tide.
8 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Advent of the Europeans
At a Glance
- What it is The first two wars between the English and French companies in South India
- First Carnatic War 1740-48; ended by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle
- Second Carnatic War 1749-54; fought over succession in Hyderabad and the Carnatic
- Turning point Clive’s capture of Arcot in 1751 with 210 men
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Advent of the Europeans
Where Does It Fit?
This is the eighth topic of the category on the advent of the Europeans. After the French settled at Pondicherry, they and the English were drawn into the politics of South India. This topic covers the first two wars, and the next covers the third, decisive one. Previous topic: The French in India: Foundation of French Centres.
What Was the Background of the Anglo-French Rivalry?
Though the British and the French came to India to trade, both were drawn into the politics of India, and both had visions of political power. Their rivalry in India reflected the long rivalry between England and France. It began with the outbreak of the Austrian War of Succession and ended with the end of the Seven Years’ War. In India it took the form of three Carnatic Wars, which settled that the English and not the French would be the masters of India.
In 1740 the political situation in South India was uncertain. Nizam Asaf Jah of Hyderabad was old and busy fighting the Marathas, and his subordinates were speculating about what would happen after his death. South of his kingdom lay the Coromandel coast with no strong ruler to hold the balance. There were the remnants of Vijayanagara in interior Mysore, Cochin and Travancore on the Malabar coast, and small states in the east such as Madura, Tanjore and Trichinopoly. The Maratha kingdom of Tanjore gave the Peshwa an excuse to interfere whenever he pleased. The decline of Hyderabad was the signal for the English adventurers to make their plans.
How Did the First Carnatic War (1740-48) Begin?
The First Carnatic War was an extension of the Anglo-French War in Europe, caused by the Austrian War of Succession. Carnatic was the name Europeans gave to the Coromandel coast and its hinterland.
France, aware of its weaker position in India, did not want the war to spread to India. But the English navy under Barnet seized some French ships to provoke France. In 1746 France retaliated by seizing Madras with the help of a fleet from Mauritius, the Isle of France, under Admiral La Bourdonnais, the French governor of Mauritius. Madras fell on 21 September 1746.
What Happened at St Thome and the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle?
The war ended in 1748 when the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ended the Austrian War of Succession. Under it Madras was handed back to the English, and the French got their territories in North America in return.
The war is remembered for the Battle of St Thome, on the banks of the Adyar in Madras. A small French army under Captain Paradise defeated the strong army of Anwar-ud-din, the Nawab of the Carnatic, under Mahfuz Khan. The Nawab had been asked for help by the English. The battle was an eye-opener for Europeans in India. It showed that even a small disciplined army could easily defeat a much larger Indian army. The war also brought out the importance of naval power in the Anglo-French conflict in the Deccan.
Why Did the Second Carnatic War (1749-54) Begin?
The Second Carnatic War grew out of rivalry in India. Dupleix, the French governor who had led the French forces in the first war, wanted to widen French power in South India by interfering in local succession disputes and defeating the English.
The chance came with the death of Nizam-ul-Mulk, the founder of the independent kingdom of Hyderabad, in 1748, and the release of Chanda Sahib, son-in-law of Dost Ali, the Nawab of the Carnatic, by the Marathas in the same year. Nasir Jang, the Nizam’s son, took the throne of Hyderabad, but Muzaffar Jang, the Nizam’s grandson, opposed him, claiming that the Mughal emperor had made him governor of the Carnatic. In the Carnatic, Chanda Sahib resented the appointment of Anwar-ud-din Khan as nawab.
The French backed Muzaffar Jang in the Deccan and Chanda Sahib in the Carnatic, while the English backed Nasir Jang and Anwar-ud-din.
How Did the Second Carnatic War Unfold?
- Battle of Ambur, 1749 The combined armies of Muzaffar Jang, Chanda Sahib and the French defeated and killed Anwar-ud-din near Vellore. Muzaffar Jang became subahdar of the Deccan, and Dupleix was appointed governor of the Mughal territories south of the River Krishna. A French army under Bussy was stationed at Hyderabad, and territories near Pondicherry and parts of the Orissa coast, including Masulipatnam, were ceded to the French
- Arcot, 1751 The English failed to help Muhammad Ali at Trichinopoly. Robert Clive, then an agent of the company, proposed a diversionary raid on Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic, to relieve Trichinopoly. In August 1751, with only 210 men, Clive captured Arcot
- Siege of Arcot Chanda Sahib hurried back with 4,000 men from Trichinopoly but failed to retake the fort after a siege of 53 days, from 23 September to 14 November
- Relief of Trichinopoly Mysore, Tanjore and the Maratha chief Morari Rao aided Clive and Stringer Lawrence. Trichinopoly was relieved, and General Law with Chanda Sahib was cooped up at Srirangam
- End of Chanda Sahib They surrendered in June 1752, and Muhammad Ali executed Chanda Sahib without British interference
Dupleix was recalled in 1754 because the French lost heavily in the war and the company bore heavy costs. Godeheu succeeded him and made a treaty with the English by which both agreed not to interfere in the quarrels of Indian princes, and each kept the territories it then held.
What Did These Wars Show?
It became clear that the backing of Indian authority was no longer needed for European success. Instead, Indian rulers were becoming dependent on European support. Muhammad Ali in the Carnatic and Salabat Jang in Hyderabad became clients and not patrons. As an analytical point, European companies had learned to win power by taking sides in Indian successions, a method the English would use again in Bengal.
| War | Cause | Key event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Carnatic War, 1740-48 | Austrian War of Succession | French take Madras in 1746; Battle of St Thome | Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle returns Madras to the English |
| Second Carnatic War, 1749-54 | Succession disputes in Hyderabad and the Carnatic | Ambur 1749; Clive at Arcot 1751 | Dupleix recalled in 1754; no-interference treaty |
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Rise of the English These wars set the English on the path to supremacy in South India
- Direct facts Aix-la-Chapelle, St Thome and Arcot are frequent Prelims items
- Method of conquest Intervention in Indian successions became the model for later expansion
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Third Carnatic War, the Battle of Wandiwash and the Treaty of Paris of 1763. Next topic: Third Carnatic War and the Treaty of Paris.
Key People and Terms
- Carnatic The name Europeans gave to the Coromandel coast and its hinterland
- La Bourdonnais The French governor of Mauritius whose fleet helped to take Madras in 1746
- Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle The 1748 treaty that ended the Austrian War of Succession
- Chanda Sahib The claimant to the Carnatic backed by the French
- Muzaffar Jang The claimant to Hyderabad backed by the French
- Arcot The Carnatic capital that Clive seized in 1751
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- First Carnatic War: 1740-48; Madras taken in 1746; Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1748.
- Battle of St Thome: Captain Paradise beat Mahfuz Khan; it showed a small drilled army could beat a large one.
- Second Carnatic War: 1749-54; Battle of Ambur, 1749.
- Clive took Arcot with 210 men in 1751; the siege lasted 53 days.
- Dupleix was recalled in 1754; Godeheu succeeded him.
Do Not Confuse With
- La Bourdonnais and Dupleix La Bourdonnais led the fleet that took Madras; Dupleix was the governor at Pondicherry
- Muzaffar Jang and Nasir Jang The French backed Muzaffar Jang; the English backed Nasir Jang
- Chanda Sahib and Muhammad Ali Chanda Sahib was the French-backed claimant; Muhammad Ali was the English ally at Trichinopoly
Memory Hook
First war: ships, Madras and a treaty. Second war: puppets, Arcot and a recall.
Mains Angle
Questions ask how a trading rivalry became political war. These points add depth.
- European wars in India Wars in Europe were carried to India by the two companies
- Military lesson St Thome showed the value of disciplined troops and naval strength
- Political lesson Taking sides in Indian successions turned companies into kingmakers
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“How did the First and Second Carnatic Wars change the position of European powers in South India?”
How to Answer
- First war Outline the causes, Madras and St Thome, and the Treaty of 1748.
- Second war Explain the succession disputes and Clive’s Arcot.
- Lesson Indian rulers became clients of European powers.
- Conclude Say that the wars prepared the decisive third war.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the First Carnatic War?
The First Carnatic War (1740-48) was an extension of the Anglo-French war in Europe caused by the Austrian War of Succession. It began in India when the English navy under Barnet seized French ships and the French took Madras in 1746 with a fleet under La Bourdonnais.
What was the Battle of St Thome?
The Battle of St Thome, fought on the banks of the Adyar in Madras, saw a small French army under Captain Paradise defeat the large army of the Nawab of the Carnatic. It showed that a small disciplined army could beat a much larger Indian army.
What was the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle?
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748 ended the Austrian War of Succession and with it the First Carnatic War. Madras was returned to the English, and the French received their territories in North America in return.
Why was the Second Carnatic War fought?
The Second Carnatic War (1749-54) was fought over succession disputes in Hyderabad and the Carnatic. Dupleix backed Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Sahib, and the English backed Nasir Jang and Anwar-ud-din, which turned a trading rivalry into political war.
How did Robert Clive capture Arcot?
In August 1751 Robert Clive, then an agent of the English company, captured Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic, with only 210 men, to draw Chanda Sahib away from Trichinopoly. Chanda Sahib failed to retake it in a siege of 53 days, from 23 September to 14 November.
Why was Dupleix recalled in 1754?
The French authorities recalled Dupleix in 1754 because of the initial defeat of the French in the Second Carnatic War and the heavy cost of his political plans. Godeheu replaced him and made a treaty with the English not to interfere in the quarrels of Indian princes.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The French seized Madras in 1746 with a fleet under La Bourdonnais.
The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle returned it in 1748.
2 The Battle of St Thome showed that a small disciplined army could defeat a larger Indian army.
A French force under Captain Paradise won.
3 In the Second Carnatic War the English backed Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Sahib.
The French backed them; the English backed Nasir Jang and Anwar-ud-din.
4 Clive captured Arcot with 210 men in 1751.
The siege that followed lasted 53 days.
5 Dupleix was recalled in 1754 and succeeded by Godeheu.
Godeheu made a no-interference treaty with the English.
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