The Second Carnatic War

Introduction

The wars were fought in the 18th century when several contending rivals from the European continent took sides to wage a war between the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Carnatic. The war was fought from 1749 to 1754 and took over the coastal region of Carnatic which is commonly known as the Coromandel Coast in modern India.

Image 1: South India Between Carnatic Wars

Second Carnatic War: Causes

The Second Carnatic War was fought due to the unparalleled ambitions of the governor from France. Governor Dupleix started to harbour immense hopes after winning the first war and decided to enhance the French power by looking out for new ways to indulge in political parties. The reason was that under his leadership the forces from France were able to win the first time. The prime cause for this war situation is because of political upheaval in Hyderabad and Carnatic regions.

When the Governor played his cards in the local politics of Hyderabad to instigate war and defeat the British unrest started in the region. With the death of Nizam of Hyderabad NizamulMulk, there was a political crisis for the contenders for the throne.

The newly installed Nizam was throned by Nasir Zang, the second son of the King, who won against his opponent, Muzaffar Jang, grandson of the Nawab. The Nawab had a grandson whose name was Muzaffar Jang who was posing as a threat to the throne of Hyderabad by posing as a successor.

In an arbitrary move, the grandson of the Nawab claimed to be the Governor of Carnatic under the approval of the Mughal Empire. The scene in Carnatic was when Chanda Sahib was set free by the Marathas. This prisoner was the son-in-law of Dost Ali who was the person set to rule over the region. The release of Chanda Sahib happened shortly after Muzaffar Jang proclaimed himself to be the Governor of the Carnatic.

Image 2: Muhammad Anwaruddin

Anwar ud din Khan, who was the first ruler of Arcot was installed as the Nawab of the region. The moment this ruler of the Rowther Dynasty was set up as the Nawab, the act took away the right to Nawabby Chanda Sahib.

Course of war

The war took place after the Governor-General of France used this unrest as leverage to make both sides fight one another. Dupleix, the Governor-General, who fuelled this political crisis in the region showed his undying support to Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Shaib who wanted to succeed the throne of Hyderabad and Carnatic. The British forces started to back the claim of Anwar ud din Khan for the Nawabship of Carnatic and Nasir Jang who was set to rule over Hyderabad. This led to the Battle of Ambur in August 1749 which was fought between the garrisons of British and French soldiers.

This battle led to the death of Anwar ud din Khan when the trio alliance of the French army, forces led by Chanda Sahib and the troops sent by MuzaffarJang. Due to the death of Anwar Khan, Muzaffar Jang became the Subedar of Deccan and Chanda Sahib became the Nawab of Carnatic in the year 1751. To launch an attack Robert Clive made a surprise attack on Arcot to take away Chanda Sahib from Trinchopoly. After a failure to recover the capital of Carnatic, Chanda Sahib was arrested and executed by Muhammad Ali in 1752.

Result of the war

Image 3: Result of the Second Carnatic War

The results of the war are as follows −

• Dupleix was removed from the position after France suffered from financial losses.

• The new Governor-General of France was Godeheu who took charge of French colonies in the country.

• The Governor-General was able to negotiate with the British which eventually led to the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754, meaning, end of the war.

Treaty of Pondicherry

The clauses under which the Treaty of Pondicherry was signed are as follows −

• British and French forces decided to stop interfering in Indian politics.

• The presence of the French army in Hyderabad under the command of De Bussy was accepted by all. Neither side won any territories that were occupied by them after the end of the war.

The battle was fought on 3rd August 1749 when Anwar Khan was killed by the French forces. The Nizam sought alliance from the Marathas with the help of Dupleix as they released Chanda Sahib from the Maratha prisons.

The son-in-law of Dost Ali raised 3500 soldiers, the French gave 2400 strong troops and Muzaffar Jang had 30000 troops of his own. This alliance invaded the fort of Arcot that fought Anwar Khan’s 20,000-strong troops.

The odds were against the Nizam from the start as they were outnumbered by an alliance of three rulers. Once the battle was over, Nizam was killed and Trinchimnopoly became a refuge for his son Muhammad Ali from where he started to build troops for the war.

Conclusion

The tutorial explained the causes of the Second Carnatic War that started due to the instigation of Dupleix. The war was won by the French at first as the troops sent by the Nizam were outnumbered and followed traditional military tactics. The forces brought an end to the war after England and France signed the Treaty of Pondicherry. The treaty promised no European forces would interfere with the politics of the Indian rulers and on a few other terms.

FAQs

Q1.What is the name of the Nawab of Carnatic and the Nizam of Hyderabad who fought during the Second Carnatic War?

Ans.The name of the Nawab of Carnatic and the Nizam of Hyderabad who fought during the Second Carnatic War is Muzaffar Jang. The Nawab of Carnatic was Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah.

Q2.Who lost the Second Carnatic War?

Ans.The Second Carnatic War was lost by the forces from France who had failed to win the Battle of Trichinopoly. The other reason for the loss of France was that they were not able to check the growing power of the British military.

Q3.Who was the Nawab of Carnatic after the Treaty of Pondicherry was signed?

Ans.The Nawab of Carnatic after the Treaty of Pondicherry was signed by the British and the French forces were Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah.