Carnatic Wars

The Carnatic Wars were a series of wars and confrontations that took place in India between the forces of the British and French India Companies and their respective allies, during 6 decades of the 18th and early 19th centuries. They are subdivided into 5 main wars, listed from the first to the fifth Carnatic War, all but the second being considered as part of other wars in Europe, such as the Austrian War of Succession or the Seven Years' War.

## Conflict

### First Carnatic War

The origins of the first conflict must be sought from the death of Aurangzeb in 1707. Several former colonies rebelled against the Mughal Empire, including Karnataka and Hyderabad. Karnataka was ruled by the Nawab Dost Ali despite being under the legal supervision of the Hyderabad Nizam. The ruler's death sparked a fight between the nizam candidate Anwar-ud-Din and Ali's son-in-law, Chanda Saheb. The British enlisted the help of Anwar-ud-Din to drive the French out of Madras. The governor of the French East India Company, Joseph François Dupleix had the goal of establishing a French colony in India. Shortly after his arrival, he first organized Indian battalions under French command.

The British and French were at war for the succession to the Austrian throne, which included a bid for the expansion of the American colonies. As the power of the Mughal Empire was in decline, British and French trading companies saw a good opportunity to establish their rivalry in India. It is important to note that while both countries were fighting in Europe, trading companies maintained good relations in India until then.

After the British captured a few French ships, the French brought reinforcements from Mauritius, capturing the city of Madras on September 21, 1746. With the end of the War of the Austrian Succession, the First Carnatic War was also ended: by means of the Treaty of Aachen (1748) Madras was returned to the British in exchange for the return of the Fortress of Louisburg, captured by the British in the current Canada.

### Second Carnatic War

The second conflict was the only one not directly linked to a conflict in Europe, but rather a continuation of the hostilities of the first war without an open declaration of hostilities. It was characterized by the succession dispute to the Hyderabad throne between the pro-British candidate Nasir Jung and the pro-French Muzaffar Jung, resulting in a French victory in which Salabat Jung (the late Muzaffar's nephew) succeeded in asserting himself as Nizam of Hyderabad. On the other hand, further south another succession dispute took place in the Principality of Arcot, also resulting in a French victory in which Chanda Sahib managed to gain control of the majority of the Carnatic, under French influence.

### Third Carnatic War

The third war was directly linked to the Seven Years' War in Europe. The conflict began in Bengal, where the local prince had favored the French over the British, who mounted an offensive on the French square of Chandanagar, resulting in an astonishing success in the Battle of Plassey where thanks to the change of sides in battle of a Bengali regiment and the superiority of fire of the British, they were able to obtain an overwhelming victory that was settled not only with the taking of Chandanagar but of all Bengal. With the north secured, British forces headed south to secure the Coromanchel coast and the core of French influence on the Carnatic. The British forces were superior in number and had a large corps of sepoys, but the tactical brilliance of Governor Dupleix allowed the French forces to extract a great triumph at the Battle of Wandiwash and repel the British assault, counterattacking with a siege to the fortified Madras square.