ANGLO FRENCH CONFLICTS - The First Carnatic War (1746-48)

The First Carnatic War (1746-48)

The War of the Austrian Succession broke out in Europe in 1740. In this war Britain and France joined opposite camps. As a result the English and the French Companies also became engulfed in the war. Thus the First Carnatic War was started.

At first a British fleet under Barnett captured some French ships and even endangered Pondicherry. Dupleix, the Governor General of French, then sent an appeal to La Bourdonnais, governor of Mauritius, to assist him with his fleet. With the help of this fleet Dupleix captured Madras. But soon differences flared up between Dupleix and Bourdonnais. La Bourdonnais went back with his fleet. The English then made a naval attack on Pondicherry but was repulsed with heavy loss.

Anwaruddin, the Nawab of Carnatic, did not like these hostilities in his kingdom. The English appealed to him to come to their rescue. Responding to their request the Nawab asked the French to quit Madras. Dupleix at first tried to appease him by saying that he would hand over Madras to the Nawab at an appropriate time. But the Nawab was not satisfied with this vague reply. He sent a large army to fight against the French. But to the surprise of all, a handful of French army and some properly trained Indian soldiers routed Anwarud­din’s vast army at Mylapore near St. Thomas in 1746. This exposed the military weakness of the Indian rulers. It also revealed the helplessness of an Indian army against a small body of properly trained European soldiers. Dupleix realized that a small but efficiently trained army might play a decisive role in the rivalries among the local princes. This would also ensure French influence in the courts of the Indian princes.

In the meantime the War of Austrian succession came to an end by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) on the basis of mutual restitution of conquests. Madras was restored to the English and the territory the English and the French positions remained unaltered.

But the First Carnatic War had far reaching consequences. The First Carnatic War totally changed the character of the commercial companies.