First Carnatic War (1740-1748)
- Background: The war was an extension of the Anglo-French conflict in Europe due to the Austrian War of Succession.
- Immediate Cause: The English navy provoked France by seizing French ships, and France retaliated by capturing Madras in 1746.
- Result: The war ended in 1748 with the Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle, restoring Madras to the English and giving France back its territories in North America.
- Significance: The war revealed the effectiveness of small disciplined armies against larger Indian armies and highlighted the importance of naval power in the Anglo-French conflict.
Second Carnatic War (1749-1754)
- Background: French governor Dupleix aimed to increase French power and influence in southern India by interfering in local disputes and weakening the English.
- Immediate Cause: The death of Nizam-ul-Mulk in 1748 and the release of Chanda Sahib created a power struggle. French supported Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Sahib, while the English sided with Nasir Jang and Anwar-ud-din.
- Result: Dupleix was recalled in 1754 due to heavy financial losses, and Godeheu, the new French governor, made peace with the English.
- Significance: The war ended with a treaty between the French and English to stop interfering in local disputes and maintain control over their occupied territories.
Third Carnatic War (1758-1763)
- Background: The Seven Years War in Europe reignited Anglo-French conflict.
- Course of War in India: The French captured English forts, but the English inflicted losses on the French fleet.
- Battle of Wandiwash: The English won the decisive battle at Wandiwash in 1760, defeating the French army under Count Thomas Arthur de Lally and taking Bussy as a prisoner.
- Result and Significance: The Treaty of Peace of Paris (1763) restored French factories in India, but French political influence waned. The victory at Wandiwash left the English East India Company without European rivals in India, paving the way for British rule over the entire country.
Reasons for English Success and French Failure
- The English navy was superior and could cut off French supply routes.
- The English held major strategic locations like Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, while the French had only Pondicherry.
- The English had strong commanders like Sir Eyre Coote and Robert Clive, while the French mainly had Dupleix.
