ADVENT OF BRITISH RULE IN INDIA
TRADE WARS AND STRUGGLE
We see the entry of a new element- British merchants against the backdrop of division and fragmentation of India into several localised centres of power. Since the British traders were ousted from their erstwhile colonies in the New World (America), and in gloriously turned by the Dutch East Indies, they changed their attention towards the subcontinent, where the East India Company eventually set up a beach head at Calcutta.
Thus, an unknown new element had been introduced in the political field of India, one that was to have far-reaching effects. The British did not do anything in hurry; they proceeded carefully, gaining familiarity with their new environment. Within twenty years, a big portion of the country came under the direct control of the British East India Trading Company. Simultaneously similar trading companies of other European countries such as Holland, Portugal, France and Denmark had also set up their centres in various portions of India. But in time, the British either forced them all out or restricted them to very small isolated pockets of territory, like the Portugese in Goa.
EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS IN INDIA
The Portuguese In 1502 AD a factory was set up by Vasco da Gama. In 1503, it was followed by one more set up by Alfonso de Albuquerque. The actual founder of the Portuguese Empire in the East was Alfonso. Almeida, the first governor, was succeeded by him in 1509. He occupied Goa in 1510 AD from the Bijapur ruler. Goa,death in 1742 and Chanda Sahib was attacked and imprisoned by the minor son of Safdar Ali, Anwar killed the minor prince and became the Nawab. After the invasion of Nadir Shah, the British and the French both sought political power, as they found the Mughal Empire weak enough to challenge successfully. The two countries were traditional rivals and thus there was intense rivalry between the two companies. The obvious result was a war between them which lasted for about twenty years. This long war was fought in the Carnatic region in south India, because both the companies had important possessions in that part and they wanted to occupy these lands. These wars are collectively known as the Carnatic Wars.
The First Carnatic War (1746-1748)
In 1740, a war known as the Austrian War of Succession broke out in Europe. In this war, England and France took opposite sides. This naturally resulted in war between the English and French Trading Companies in India a war known as First Carnatic War. In the events that followed, Duplex the French Governor of Pondicherry, captured Fort St. George in Madras in 1746. The British tried to recapture it but failed to do so. Meanwhile, the Austrian war of succession ended in 1748 with the signing of the treaty of Aix la chappels and so did the First Carnatic War. Under the terms of the treaty, Madras was returned to the English East India Company.
The war raised the prestige of Duplex, because apart from seizing Fort St. George, he had also defeated Nawab Anwar ud din of Archit. It so happened that when Duplex captured Madras, the French naval commander returned it to the British for a bribe. Now Duplex sought the help of Anwar ud din, the Nawab of Carnatic and promised to hand over Madras to him if he helped Duplex to recapture it. The Nawab helped Duplex but Duplex failed to keep his promise because, under the provisions of the treaty of Aix la Chappell Madras was to be returned to the English. In a battle near Adyar in Madras, the disillusioned Anwar ud din fought with Duplex, but was defeated.
