ANGLO FRENCH CONFLICTS - The Third Carnatic War (1757-1763 AD.)

The Third Carnatic War (1757-1763 AD.)

The seven Year’s War broke out in Europe in 1756 A.D. In this War England and France joined opposite camps. Its repercussion was immediately felt in India. The two Companies renewed their hostility. Thus began the Third Carnatic War. This time the war passed beyond the limits of the Carnatic and reached Bengal as well, where the English captured the French possession of Chandernagore in 1757. But as the most decisive battles of the wars were fought in the Carnatic, it is rightly called as the Third Carnatic War.

This time the French Government made a determined effort to oust the English from India. For this purpose the French sent a strong contingent of force headed by Count-de-Lally.

Lally started his work vigorously. He attacked Fort St. David and captured it and other small English possessions in this region. He then made an attack on Madras. This attack ended in failure and the French troop became demoralized. At this critical juncture Lally committed another great blunder by recalling Bushy from the Nizam’s court and the French influence at Hyderabad at once collapsed. An English army under Colonel Forde sent from Bengal occupied the Northern Circar, so long held by the French. The Nizam, Salabat Jang, switched over to the English and ceded the Northern Circar to them. The battle still continued but Lally was eventually defeated decisively at the Battle of Wandiwash in 1760. He retreated to Pondicherry which was besieged by the English. Lally defended it gallantly for some time but was starved into submission in 1761. The fall of Pondicherry sounded the death knell of French dominions in India.

The Third Carnatic War ended officially in 1763 with the conclusion of the Peace of Paris. Pondicherry and other French possessions in India were restored to France. But these could be held only as mere trading centers without any fortifications and armies. Thus the French dream of building an empire in India was shattered. It cleared the way for the establishment of the British Empire in India unhampered by any European rival.

Reaction of the Rulers of the Carnatic: At first the Nawabs of the Carnatic did not like the Anglo-French conflicts within their kingdom. They tried to chastise the offenders. But soon they realized that militarily they were no match for the foreigners. They accepted the position of this inferiority. Subsequently, during their rivalries for the power, they did not hesitate to seek the assistance of either the French or the English. By the end of the Third Carnatic War, the Nawab of the Carnatic practically became a client of the East India Company.