• The French East India Company was established in 1664

• French state enterprise

• Workshop at Surat (1667) and Masulipatnam (1669)

• Bijapur to 1674 Pondicherry and 1690 Chandranagar (Bengal)

• Permission to mint coins in Pondicherry in the month E (1725) and 1735

• The political dynamism of the 18th century gave foreigners the opportunity to expand their political

influence and control over the affairs of the South Indian states. But the British were not alone in making

commercial and political claims. While they had eliminated their Portuguese and Dutch rivals by the end

of the 17th century, France had emerged as a new rival. For almost 20 years from 1744 to 1763, the

French and the British had to wage war to control India's trade, wealth and territory. The French East

India Company was established in 1664. It made rapid progress after it was reorganized in 1720 and

soon began to catch up with the English Company. It was firmly established at Chandranagara near

Calcutta and Pondicherry on the east coast. The latter were completely fortified. The French company

had a few other factories at the Eze and several ports on the west coasts. It also gained control over the

islands of Mauritius and Reunion in the Indian Ocean.

• The English are making more profit than the French

• The French East India Company was heavily dependent on the French government which helped it

with treasury grants, subsidies, and sanctions, and many other ways. As a result, it was largely controlled

by the government which appointed its directors after 1723. In addition, large shares in the company

were held by nobles and other renters, who were more interested in quick dividends than in making the

company a lasting commercial success. As long as loans and subsidies from the government enabled the

directors to declare dividends, they did not care much about the success or soundness of its commercial

enterprises. State control of the company proved detrimental to him in another way. In 1742, war broke

out in Europe between France and England. One of the major causes of the war was the rivalry over the

colonies in America. Another was their business rivalry in India. This rivalry was intensified by the

knowledge that the Mughal Empire was disintegrating and therefore the rewards of trade or territory

were likely to be much larger than in the past. The Anglo-French conflict in India lasted for about 20

years and British power was established in India.

• The British company was private with the British Parliament as members while owned by the French

government and lacked competitive enthusiasm

• English Navy better than French

First Carnatic War (1746-48)

• The English Company was the richest of the two because of its superiority in trade. The TT also had

naval superiority. Furthermore, its wealth in India was longer held and was better fortified and more

prosperous. Materially, therefore, the advantage lay with the British. In Europe the war between

England and France soon spread to India where the two East India Companies clashed. In 1745, the

English navy captured French ships off the southeast coast of India and threatened Pondicherry. The

French Governor-General Duplex in Pondicherry at this time was a politician of genius and imagination.

Under his brilliant leadership, the French retaliated and captured Madras in 1746.

• The British appealed to the Nawab of Carnatic, in whose territory Madras was located, to protect their

settlement from the French. The Nawab agreed to intervene as he wanted to convince the foreign

merchants that he was still the master of his territories, he sent an army against the French to prevent

the two foreign trading companies from fighting on his soil. And so the Nawab's 10,000-strong army

clashed with a small French force, 230 European and 700 Indian soldiers trained on the western lines, at

St. The Nawab suffered a decisive defeat. This battle revealed the extreme superiority of the western

armies over the Indian armies due to their belted equipment and organization. In 1748, the general war
between England and France ended and, as a part of the peace settlement, Madras was restored to the

British. Although the war was over, the rivalry over trade and property in India continued and had to be

settled in some way or the other. Moreover, the war had fully exposed the weakness of the Indian

government and the armies and thus fully exposed the treachery of both the companies for territorial

expansion in India.

• Britain and France supporting the opposite sides in the War of the Austrian Succession in Europe

(1740-48)

• The French government asked the Company to keep peace in India but the English government did not

do so, as a result of which the English attacked several French merchant ships.

• The French government's duplex unveils the Nawab Initiated negotiations and agreed to the English

demand to recall Duplex from India in 1754. This proved to be a major blow to the fortunes of the

French company in India.

• Anwaruddin received British help but was killed and his son Muhammad Ali fled to Trichanapoli.

Chanda Sahib became the ruler and gifted 80 villages near Pondicherry to the French
• In Hyderabad also Muzaffar Jung succe eded and gifted 5, 00,000 each to the company and soldiers

along with Masulipatnam. Dupleix also got a jagir of 1,00,000. Duplex commanded the French forces at

the Hyderabad court. Unfortunately Muzaffar Jung died and Salabat Jung became the new Nawab of

Hyderabad who again presented northern governments to the French. French power at its peak under

Duplex

• To help Muhammad Ali, the British, who were besieged by Chanda Saheb's army at Trichanapoli,

attacked Arcot, the capital of Karnataka. Clive captured it with only 500 men. Chanda Sahib and the

French army withdrew from Trichanapali to defend Arcot but were defeated at many places.

• Chanda Sahib died. The French government, exhausted by the cost of the war, recalled Duplex and the

war ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754

Third Carnatic War (1758-63)

• The Seven Years' War between England and France in Europe over colonial expansion resumed

hostilities between the two companies in India

between England and France. At the very beginning of the war, the British were able to gain control of

Bengal. This is discussed in the next chapter. After this incident, there was little hope for the French in

India. The rich resources of Bengal decisively turned the scales in favor of the British. Although this time

the French government made a determined effort to drive the British out of India and sent a strong

army under the leadership of Count de Lally, but it was all in vain. The French fleet was driven out of

Indian waters and the French army was defeated in Carnatic. In addition, the British replaced the French

as the protectorate of the Nizam. The decisive Battle of Wai was fought at Wandiwash on 22 January

1760 when Lally was defeated by English general Eyre Coot. Within a year the French had lost all their

possessions in India.

• The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763. French factories in India were restored,

but they could no longer be fortified or adequately surrounded by troops. The French lived in India

under British protection. His dream of empire in India was over. On the other hand, the British ruled the

Indian seas. Freed from all European rivals, they could now set the task of conquering India.

• By 1757 the British had won the Battle of Plassey and drove the French out of Chandranagar

• F. Ranch sent Thomas Arthur, Comte de Lally to fight the British. Lally captured Fort St. David. He tried

to capture Madras but failed but the British captured Masulipatnam

Pondicherry. Hostilities in India ended with the Treaty of Paris signed in 1763 to end the Seven Years'

War.

• In India Pondicherry returned to the French but could not outpost or it was fortified. Sin then CE

remained as French merchants. The political superiority of the British was established in India.

Initiated negotiations and agreed to the English demand to recall Duplex from India in 1754. This proved

to be a major blow to the fortunes of the French company in India.

• Anwaruddin received British help but was killed and his son Muhammad Ali fled to Trichanapoli.

Chanda Sahib became the ruler and gifted 80 villages near Pondicherry to the French

• In Hyderabad also Muzaffar Jung succe eded and gifted 5, 00,000 each to the company and soldiers

along with Masulipatnam. Dupleix also got a jagir of 1,00,000. Duplex commanded the French forces at

the Hyderabad court. Unfortunately Muzaffar Jung died and Salabat Jung became the new Nawab of

Hyderabad who again presented northern governments to the French. French power at its peak under

Duplex

• To help Muhammad Ali, the British, who were besieged by Chanda Saheb's army at Trichanapoli,

attacked Arcot, the capital of Karnataka. Clive captured it with only 500 men. Chanda Sahib and the

French army withdrew from Trichanapali to defend Arcot but were defeated at many places.
• Chanda Sahib died. The French government, exhausted by the cost of the war, recalled Duplex and the

war ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754

Third Carnatic War (1758-63)

• The Seven Years' War between England and France in Europe over colonial expansion resumed

hostilities between the two companies in India

• The temporary peace between the two companies ended in 1756 when another war broke out

between England and France. At the very beginning of the war, the British were able to gain control of

Bengal. This is discussed in the next chapter. After this incident, there was little hope for the French in

India. The rich resources of Bengal decisively turned the scales in favor of the British. Although this time

the French government made a determined effort to drive the British out of India and sent a strong

army under the leadership of Count de Lally, but it was all in vain. The French fleet was driven out of

Indian waters and the French army was defeated in Carnatic. In addition, the British replaced the French

as the protectorate of the Nizam. The decisive Battle of Wai was fought at Wandiwash on 22 January

1760 when Lally was defeated by English general Eyre Coot. Within a year the French had lost all their

possessions in India.
• The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1763. French factories in India were restored,

but they could no longer be fortified or adequately surrounded by troops. The French lived in India

under British protection. His dream of empire in India was over. On the other hand, the British ruled the

Indian seas. Freed from all European rivals, they could now set the task of conquering India.

• By 1757 the British had won the Battle of Plassey and drove the French out of Chandranagar

• F. Ranch sent Thomas Arthur, Comte de Lally to fight the British. Lally captured Fort St. David. He tried

to capture Madras but failed but the British captured Masulipatnam

• In the decisive battle of Wandiwash (1760), Sir Eyre Coote defeated the British general and captured

Pondicherry. Hostilities in India ended with the Treaty of Paris signed in 1763 to end the Seven Years'

War.

• In India Pondicherry returned to the French but could not outpost or it was fortified. Sin then CE

remained as French merchants. The political superiority of the British was established in India.