BATTLE OF WANDIWASH - MODERN HISTORY
News: The
famous Battle of Wandiwash ‘which gave India’ to the British
What's in the news?
● The
reference was to the famous Battle of
Wandiwash (sometimes called Wandewash, all Anglicized versions of
Vandavasi) of January 1760.
● It
was at Vandavasi (about 120 km from Chennai in the present-day Tiruvannamalai
district) that the British defeated the French.
Key takeaways:
● Talking
of the importance of the battle, the article, published by this newspaper 55
years ago, says, “If it was Plassey in
the North, in the South it was Wandewash that changed the course of Indian
history, that paved the way for laying the foundation of the British
domination exterminating the French out of the scene.”
● A.
Marimuthu, author of the Tamil book, Vandavasi-Porum Varalarum (Vandavasi-War
and History), emphasises that “not only the Battle of Plassey but also the
Battle of Vandavasi is an epoch-making battle in the history of India.”
Battle of Wandiwash:
● The
Seven Years War (1756-63) in Europe was
a result of the Anglo-French which also extended to India and resulted in
the Battle of Wandiwash, also known as the third Carnatic war.
● Seven
years of war was the result of Austrian aspiration to recover Silesia in Europe
which renewed the Anglo-French Rivalry.
Events leading to Battle of Wandiwash:
● Seven years war:
In 1756, seven years of war broke out in Europe, intensifying the Anglo-French
rivalry but hostility in India started only in 1757.
● Battle of Plassey 1757:
British won the Battle of Plassey 1757 from Nawab of Bengal. During the course
of war Britishers also snatched the Chandannagar (in Bengal) from French
control.
● This
irritated the French in India who were fighting for dominance in India, leading
the Battle of Wandiwash in 1760.
Battle of Wandiwash:
● Count
de Lally led the French army captured
Fort St. George and further attacked Britishers to take full control of
Madras.
● However,
British forces under Sir Eyre Coote
defeated the French army in the Battle of Wandiwash in 1760.
● The
French in India lost Pondicherry, Mahe, Gingee and Karaikal to the British.
Treaty of Paris:
● The
third Carnatic war (Battle of Wandiwash) was ended with the Paris treaty in
1763.
● Under
the Paris Treaty, Chandannagar and Pondicherry were returned to France.
However, they were barred from fortifying them or having troops in them.
● The
French could only have trading activities in India.
Significance of the Battle of Wandiwash:
1. Ended French Aspirations in India:
● It
is safe to say that the Battle of Wandiwash followed by the Paris Treaty of
1763 ended the French aspirations in India.
● They
were left with only a few areas and that too was to be used as only trading
centers and not to be fortified.
2. Made Britishers the only Dominant European Power in
India:
● Battle
of Wandiwash was one of the key successes of the British East India Company
that made it the dominant European power in India.
Go back to basics:
First Carnatic War (1740-1748):
● The
First Carnatic War was an extension of the Anglo-French War in Europe which was
caused by the Austrian War of Succession.
● The
First Carnatic War ended in 1748 when the Treaty
of Aix-La Chappelle was signed bringing the Austrian War of Succession to a
conclusion.
● Under
the terms of this treaty, Madras was handed back to the English, and the
French, in turn, got their territories in North America.
● The
First Carnatic War is remembered for the Battle
of St.Thome (in Madras) fought between the French forces and the forces of
Anwarud- din, the Nawab of Carnatic, to whom the English appealed for help. A
small French army defeated the strong Indian army at St. Thome on the banks of
the River Adyar.
Second Carnatic War (1749-54):
● The
background for the Second Carnatic War was provided by rivalry in India.
● The
death of Nizam-ul-Mulk, the founder
of the independent kingdom of Hyderabad, in 1748, provided an opportunity to
both French and British to meddle with the internal affairs and strengthen
their hold thus leading to Second Carnatic War.
● Although
inconclusive, it undermined the French power in South India vis-àvis the
English.
Third Carnatic War (1758-63):
● It
was an echo of the Anglo-French struggle
in Europe. In Europe, when Austria wanted to recover Silesia in 1756, the
Seven Years War (1756-63) started. Britain and France were once again on
opposite sides.
● It
was a decisive war known for the Battle
of Wandiwash which was won by the British in 1760.
● Although
the Treaty of Peace of Paris (1763)
restored to the French their factories in India, the French political influence
disappeared after the war. Thereafter, the French, like their Portuguese and
Dutch counterparts in India, confined themselves to their small enclaves and to
commerce.