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1st Anglo-French War or First Carnatic War (1746–1748) – UPSC Notes

Colonial rivalry between France and Britain over trade in India and colonies in America. Trigger: Outbreak of the War of Austrian Succession
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📚 First Carnatic War (1746–1748) – UPSC Notes

First Carnatic War

🕰️ Background and Causes

  • Main cause: Colonial rivalry between France and Britain over trade in India and colonies in America.

  • Trigger: Outbreak of the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748) in Europe where France and Britain were on opposite sides.

  • Context in India:

    • The French East India Company was strong in South India.

    • The English East India Company wanted a trade monopoly, hence wanted to remove the French.

⚔️ Outbreak of War in India

  • 1745: English navy attacked French ships off the Coromandel coast.

  • French had no naval fleet in India initially; waited for help from Mauritius.

  • 1746: French fleet arrived; Governor-General Dupleix captured Madras from the British.

    • This marked the start of the First Carnatic War.

🕌 Role of Nawab of Carnatic

  • Nawab Anwar-ud-din ruled the region where Madras was located.

  • The British sought his help to regain Madras.

  • Though he had no naval power, he wanted to assert his authority and sent his son Mahfuz Khan to attack the French.

⚔️ Battle of Adyar (St. Thome) – 1746

  • Location: Near Adyar River, close to modern Chennai.

  • French force: ~930 (230 Europeans + 700 Indian sepoys trained in Western style).

  • Nawab's force: ~10,000 traditional Indian soldiers.

  • Result: Decisive French victory.

    • Showed European military superiority in discipline, training, and modern warfare.

  • 🔍 Historian William Dalrymple: This battle proved Mughal-era military tactics were outdated.

🕊️ Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)

  • Signed in Europe to end the War of Austrian Succession.

  • Terms for India:

    • Madras returned to the British.

    • French colonies in North America also restored.

  • ❗However, rivalry between British and French continued in India.

🧭 Significance of the First Carnatic War

  • First time European-style warfare was used on Indian soil.

  • Exposed the weakness of Indian armies and rulers.

  • Proved that small, trained European forces could defeat large Indian armies.

  • Increased ambition of both companies (British and French) for territorial expansion in India.

  • Set the stage for future Anglo-French conflicts in India.

📝 Prelims MCQs

1. The First Carnatic War (1746–1748) was a part of which European conflict?
A) Seven Years’ War
B) War of Austrian Succession
C) War of Spanish Succession
D) Napoleonic Wars
✅ Answer: B) War of Austrian Succession

2. Who was the French Governor-General during the First Carnatic War?
A) Bussy
B) Lally
C) Dupleix
D) Labourdonnais
✅ Answer: C) Dupleix

3. The Battle of Adyar proved which of the following?
A) Indian armies were stronger than the French
B) Indian naval power was superior
C) Traditional Indian warfare was outdated compared to European techniques
D) French withdrew from India after defeat
✅ Answer: C) Traditional Indian warfare was outdated compared to European techniques

4. What did the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) decide regarding Madras?
A) Gave it to the French permanently
B) Made it an independent port
C) Returned it to the English
D) Annexed it to Mughal territory
✅ Answer: C) Returned it to the English

5. Which Nawab's army was defeated in the Battle of Adyar?
A) Siraj-ud-Daulah
B) Anwar-ud-din
C) Murshid Quli Khan
D) Shuja-ud-Daulah
✅ Answer: B) Anwar-ud-din

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