Third Carnatic War (1758-63)

Third Carnatic War (1758-63)

Background:

The outbreak of the Seven Years’ War (1756 to 1763) in Europe in 1756 resulted in renewed conflict between French and British forces in India. Britain and France were once again on the opposite sides.

The course of war:

• In 1758, under Count de Lally, the French army captured the English fort of St. David and Vizianagaram.
• The English became offensive and in Bengal, the British forces captured the French settlement of Chandernagore (now Chandannagar) in 1757.
• However, the war was decided in the south, and the British successfully defended Madras, and Sir Eyre Coote decisively defeated the French, under the command of the Comte de Lally at the Battle of Wandiwash in 1760.

The battle of Wandiwash: It was the decisive battle of the third Carnatic war. The war was initiated by The English on 22^nd January 1760 at Wandiwash in Tamil Nadu. After Wandiwash, the French capital of Pondicherry fell to the British in 1761.

• For eight months Lally defended Pondicherry before his surrender on 16 January 1761.
• The French Lost possession of Jinji and Mahe, and their power in India was reduced.
• Lally taken as a prisoner of war at Landon returned to France and there he was executed in 1766.
• The war ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763.

Result of Third Carnatic War:

• The war concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Peace of Paris in 1763, which returned Chandernagar and Pondicherry to France
• The French were allowed to have “factories” (trading posts) in India but forbade French traders from administering them. So, they could only get involved in trading activities, and the political power of the French disappeared.
• The French agreed to support British client governments, by this the French ambitions of an Indian empire and making the British the dominant foreign power in India were completely ended.
• The English became the supreme European power in the Indian subcontinent.
• As the main significance even, after the decisive victory at Wandiwash, there was no European rival in India with east India Company.
• significantly after the victory, the establishment of Colonial rule over the country started.

Cause of Failure of the French:

• They have not enough military and financial support.
• The involvement of France in Europe.
• The management policy of imperial France was not strong.
• The commercial incentive was very low or negligible
• The well-managed commercial base of the English company.

You Can Also Read:

• First Carnatic War – 1740-48
• Second Carnatic War (1749-54)
• The advent of Europeans – British in India

References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnatic_Wars

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