British Trade and War in India


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

British Trade and War in India

How Trade Led To Battles: After the death of Aurangzeb, the Bengal nawabs asserted their power and autonomy, as other regional powers were doing at that time. Murshid Quli khan was followed Aliwardi Khan and then Sirajuddaulah as the nawabs of Bengal. Each one of them was a strong ruler. They refuse to grant the company concessions , demanded tributes for the company’s right to trade, denied  it right to mint coins, and  stopped it from extending fortification.

Accusing the company of deceit, they claimed that the company was depriving the Bengal’s government o huge amounts of revenue and undermining the authority of nawabs. It was refusing to pay taxes, writing disrespectful letters, and trying to humiliate the nawabs and his officials.

The Carnatic wars were a series of battles fought  between the English and the French ,for the control of the trading posts of India, during the years 1746 to 1763. These wars were driven by opportunism on all sides and though the native princes did nor want to surrender their territory to an outside power, they often cooperated willingly with European to strengthen their own position.

The first Carnatic war(1746-48): The headquarters of the French trading company were in Pondicherry  and that of the english at Madras (Fort st.George). the trouble erupted between the two countries at Arcot, capital of Carnatic , situated between Pondicherry and Madras.

The second Carnatic war (1749-54): The French collected revenue from the Nizam of Hyderabad for providing him protection .But in reality , the revenue was utilized for maintaining the French Army.

The Third Carnatic war (1756-63): The British defeated the French comprehensively. By the end of the Third Carnatic War, the French retained only Pondicherry and Chandernagore, and they were not allowed to fortify even these. The British were now the main European power in India .

 
 


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