Third Carnatic War

The Third Carnatic War (1756–1763) was the final and most decisive conflict in the series of Carnatic Wars fought between the British East India Company and the French East India Company in southern India. These wars were extensions of the European struggle for supremacy, particularly the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763) between Britain and France, and they ultimately determined the fate of European colonial power in India. The Third Carnatic War ended with the British victory, leading to the downfall of French political ambitions in India and establishing the foundations of British supremacy over the subcontinent.

Background

The Carnatic region, corresponding roughly to the coastal areas of modern Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh, became a battleground between the British and the French in the mid-eighteenth century. The earlier conflicts — the First Carnatic War (1746–1748) and the Second Carnatic War (1749–1754) — had already exposed the rivalry between these two European powers.
The Treaty of Pondicherry (1754), which ended the Second Carnatic War, failed to bring lasting peace. Both sides continued to compete for influence over local Indian rulers. When the Seven Years’ War broke out in Europe in 1756, hostilities were renewed in India, marking the beginning of the Third Carnatic War.
The global conflict between Britain and France automatically spread to their colonial possessions, including India and North America, where they fought the French and Indian War.

Causes of the War

The major causes of the Third Carnatic War were:

• Anglo-French Rivalry: The ongoing struggle between Britain and France for global colonial and commercial supremacy extended to India.
• Failure of the Treaty of Pondicherry: The earlier peace agreement could not resolve the underlying political and commercial rivalry.
• European War Connection: The outbreak of the Seven Years’ War in Europe provided a pretext for renewed conflict in India.
• Competition for Indian Allies: Both powers sought to strengthen their influence by supporting rival claimants to Indian thrones, particularly in Hyderabad and the Carnatic.

Course of the War

French Leadership under Count de Lally

In 1758, the French government sent Count Thomas Arthur de Lally to India to restore its fortunes. Lally was a brave soldier but lacked diplomatic tact and understanding of Indian political conditions. He arrived in India with fresh troops and ambitious plans to capture British possessions.

• Capture of Fort St. David (1758): Lally’s first success came when he captured Fort St. David, a key British stronghold near Cuddalore. He then attacked Tanjore, but his campaign failed due to poor coordination and lack of support from Indian allies.
• British Counter-attack under Robert Clive and Eyre Coote: Meanwhile, British power in India had grown substantially after Clive’s victory at the Battle of Plassey (1757) in Bengal, which secured immense financial resources for the East India Company. These resources helped fund British military operations in southern India.
• Siege of Madras (1758–1759): Lally laid siege to Madras, the headquarters of British operations in southern India, but the British garrison resisted heroically. The arrival of a British naval fleet forced the French to withdraw.
• Battle of Wandiwash (1760): The decisive battle of the war was fought at Wandiwash (Vandavasi) near Villupuram in January 1760.
  • The French forces, commanded by Count de Lally, were defeated by the British army under Sir Eyre Coote.
  • The French general Bussy was captured, and their hopes of regaining supremacy in India were shattered.
  • This victory firmly established British dominance in southern India.
• Fall of Pondicherry (1761): Following their defeat at Wandiwash, the French retreated to Pondicherry, their main stronghold. After a prolonged siege, Pondicherry fell to the British in January 1761. Other French settlements like Mahe, Karikal, and Yanam were also captured.

With the fall of Pondicherry, French military and political power in India was effectively destroyed.

The Treaty of Paris (1763)

The Seven Years’ War ended in Europe with the Treaty of Paris (1763), which also determined the fate of French possessions in India. According to the treaty:

• The French regained Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe, and Chandernagore, but only as trading posts.
• They were prohibited from fortifying these settlements or maintaining military forces there.
• France agreed not to interfere in the political affairs of Indian rulers.

This effectively ended French political ambitions in India, restricting them to commercial activities under British supervision.

Consequences of the War

1. End of French Political Power: The Third Carnatic War marked the end of France’s role as a political and military power in India. The French influence was confined to a few trading posts, and their future activities were strictly commercial.
2. British Supremacy Established: The British East India Company emerged as the paramount European power in India. Their control over Bengal and southern India laid the foundation for territorial expansion across the subcontinent.
3. Fall of the French Allies: The Indian rulers who had allied with the French, including the Nawab of Carnatic and the Nizam of Hyderabad, shifted allegiance to the British following France’s defeat.
4. Strengthening of the British Navy: The war demonstrated the decisive role of naval power in colonial conflicts. British naval superiority ensured control over sea routes and trade.
5. Prelude to British Empire in India: With French competition eliminated, the British faced little European resistance in expanding their control. Within a few decades, they transformed from traders into rulers of India.
6. Impact on Indian Politics: The Indian rulers realised that European powers could not be relied upon as allies in their regional conflicts. The balance of power shifted decisively in favour of the British.

Significance

The Third Carnatic War was one of the turning points in Indian history. It decided the fate of European rivalry on Indian soil and paved the way for the establishment of British colonial dominance. The war’s outcome not only strengthened the East India Company but also reshaped India’s political and economic future under British rule.