THE SECOND CARNATIC WAR (1749-1754)

THE SECOND CARNATIC WAR (1749-1754) With the death of Asaf Jah, the Nizam of Hyderabad, in 1748, a dispute arose regarding the succession. There was also a dispute about the Nawabship of Carnatic. Dupleix, taking advantage of the situation, decided to support Chanda Sahib to the Nawabship and Muzaffar Jang to the Nizam's position while the English decided to support the rival party-Nasir Jang and Muhammad Ali. However, in the ensuing war, both Nasir Jang and Muzaffar Jang died. But the French General, Bussy, who was a soldier-diplomat, made Salabat Jang the Nizarn of Hyderabad and remained there for seven years to guide the affairs of the state. The new Nizam ceded the Northern Circars to the French. At this time the French position was supreme in the Deccan, but with the arrival of Robert Clive fortunes turned.

Clive, with his extraordinary foresight, gave an order to attack Arcot (1751) in order to divert Chanda Sahib's attention. When Chanda Sahib sent his son Raza Sahib to defend Arcot, Clive besieged Thiruchirapally an<:l defeated Chanda Sahib who was later executed. The victory of the English gave the Nawabship of Carnatic to Muhammad Ali. But he was only a puppet Nawab; the real power was in the hands of the English. In the meantime, Dupleix was recalled in 1754 and was succeeded by Godeheu who made peace with the English by signing the Treaty of Pondicherry
in 1755.

The superior English generalship was demonstrated when their protege, Muhammad Ali, was installed as the Nawab of Carnatic. The French were still strongly placed at Hyderabad, but their dominance in the Deccan was definitely undermined.