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Manu Sharma, Lovely Professional University
Unit 1: British Expansion

Unit 1: British Expansion Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
1.1 Karnatic Wars
1.2 Conquest of British Raj in Bengal and Battle of Plassey
1.3 Mir Jafar and Mir Qasim
1.4 Clive’s 2nd Governorship and English in Bengal from 1757-1772
1.5 Mysore and Its Resistance to the British Expansion
1.6 The Three Anglo-Maratha Wars
1.7 Summary
1.8 Key-Words
1.9 Review Questions
1.10 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit students will be able to:
• Understand British expansion, Karnatic war and the Rise of Bengal.
• Explain the Battle of Plassey, Mir Jafar, Mir Qasim and conflict with British.
• Discuss Anglo-Mysore and Anglo Maratha Wars.

Introduction

In most of the European conflicts of the eighteenth century, England and France were ranged on
opposite sides. India was one of the theatres of these wars. In this country, Anglo-French rivalry
began with the outbreak of Austrian War of Succession and ended with the conclusion of the Seven
Years’ War. At the time the struggle opened in India, the headquarters of the French settlement was
Pondicherry with subordinate factories at Masulipatam, Karikal, Mahe, Surat, Chandernagore and
various other places; the principal settlements of the English were at Madras, Bombay and Calcutta
with subordinate factories thereto.

1.1 The Karnatic Wars

The First Karnatic War (1746-48): The First Karnatic War was an extension of the Anglo-French War
in Europe. The Austrian War of Succession broke out in March 1740. Despite the wishes instructions
of the home authorities, hostilities broke out in India in 1746. The English navy under Barnett took
the offensive when it captured some French ships. Dupleix, the French Governor-General of
Pondicherry since 1741, sent an urgent appeal to La Bourdonnais, the French Governor of Mauritius
(Isle of France) for help. La Bourdonnais with a squadron consisting of over 3,000 men fought his
way towards the Coromandel coast, defeating an English fleet on the way. Madras was now besieged
by the French, both by land and sea. On 21 September 1746, the town capitulated to the French,
counting among the prisoners of war Robert Clive. La Bourdonnais decided to ransom the town to
the English for cash payment, but Dupleix refused to agree to this suggestion. La Bourdonnais who
had been handsomely bribed by the English restored Madras to them. Dupleix disowned this rash
act of La Bourdonnais and recaptured Madras. However, Dupleix’s efforts to capture Fort St. David,

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