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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}} | ||
{{short description|Battle of the First Carnatic War}} | |||
{{Infobox military conflict | {{Infobox military conflict | ||
|conflict =Battle of Adyar | |conflict =Battle of Adyar | ||
|partof = [[Carnatic Wars]] <br> [[First Carnatic War]] | |partof = [[Carnatic Wars]] <br>[[First Carnatic War]] | ||
|image = | |image = | ||
|caption = | |caption = | ||
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|result = French victory | |result = French victory | ||
|status = | |status = | ||
|combatant1 = Mughal Empire | |combatant1 = [[File:Flag of the Mughal Empire.png|25px]] '''[[Mughal Empire]]''' | ||
* {{flagicon image|Flag of the principality of Carnatic.gif}} [[Nawab of Arcot]] | * {{flagicon image|Flag of the principality of Carnatic.gif}} [[Nawab of Arcot]] | ||
|combatant2 =[[File: | |combatant2 =[[File:Royal Flag of France.svg|18px]] [[Kingdom of France]] | ||
* [[File:Drapeau du régiment de la Compagnie des Indes en 1756.png|15px]] [[French East India Company]] | * [[File:Drapeau du régiment de la Compagnie des Indes en 1756.png|15px]] [[French Indies Company|French East India Company]] | ||
|commander1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the principality of Carnatic.gif}} [[ | |commander1 = {{flagicon image|Flag of the principality of Carnatic.gif}} [[Anwaruddin Khan]] <br> {{flagicon image|Flag of the principality of Carnatic.gif}} Mahfuz Khan | ||
|commander2 =[[File: | |commander2 =[[File:Royal Flag of France.svg|18px]] Louis Paradis | ||
|units1 = | |units1 = | ||
|units2 = | |units2 = | ||
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|campaignbox ={{Campaignbox First Carnatic War}} | |campaignbox ={{Campaignbox First Carnatic War}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
The '''Battle of Adyar''' (also the '''Battle of Adyar River | The '''Battle of Adyar''' (also the '''Battle of Adyar River)''' took place on 24 October 1746.<ref>{{cite book | title=The origins of the Sepoy Military System: 1498-1770 | publisher=University of Wisconsin--Madison | author=Hoover, James W. | year=1993 | pages=56}}</ref> The battle was between the [[French Indies Company|French East India Company]] men and forces of [[Nawab of the Carnatic|Nawab of Arcot]], [[Anwaruddin Khan]] over the [[Fort St. George, India|St. George Fort]], which was held by the French. It was part of the [[First Carnatic War]] between the English and the French.<ref name="Naravane">{{Cite book |last=Naravane |first=M.S. |title=Battles of the Honorourable East India Company |publisher=A.P.H. Publishing Corporation |year=2014 |isbn=9788131300343 |pages=153}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Anarchy :The Relentless Rise of The East India Company|last=Dalrymple|first=William|publisher=Bloomsbury|year=2019|location=Great Britain|pages=52}}</ref> | ||
== Background == | == Background == | ||
The French captured [[Fort St. George]] from the [[British East Indian Company]]. Nawab of Arcot, a close ally of the British, set out to regain it by sending troops, led by his son Mahfuz Khan, to [[Madras]]. While leading an army of 10,000, he was dispersed by French forces, forcing him to move south. Khan seized [[Santhome|San Thomé]] and formed a battle line on the north bank of the [[Adyar River]] on 22 October to prevent the French from moving up reinforcements from [[Pondicherry]]. | The French captured [[Fort St. George]] from the [[British East Indian Company]]. Nawab of Arcot, a close ally of the British, set out to regain it by sending troops, led by his son Mahfuz Khan, to [[Madras]]. While leading an army of 10,000, he was dispersed by French forces, forcing him to move south. Khan seized [[Santhome|San Thomé]] and formed a battle line on the north bank of the [[Adyar River]] on 22 October to prevent the French from moving up reinforcements from [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]]. | ||
==Battle== | ==Battle== | ||
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On 24 October, Paradis was informed that a similar sized army led by de le Tour was on its way from St. George Fort. He decided to ford the [[Adayar river]] to attack the rear of Mahfuz Khan's battle line. de la Tour arrived too late to support Paradis, who with disciplined firing and then charging with bayonets, broke the Nawab's line. Mahfuz Khan's troops fled and the Battle of the Adyar River, which began on the morning of 24 October 1746, ended that evening with the French retaining control over Fort St. George.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-arts/chen-history-and-culture/madras-miscellany-the-battle-of-the-adyar/article4130267.ece | title=Madras Miscellany: The Battle of the Adyar | work=The Hindu | date=November 25, 2012 | access-date=11 December 2014 | author=Muthiah, S}}</ref> | On 24 October, Paradis was informed that a similar sized army led by de le Tour was on its way from St. George Fort. He decided to ford the [[Adayar river]] to attack the rear of Mahfuz Khan's battle line. de la Tour arrived too late to support Paradis, who with disciplined firing and then charging with bayonets, broke the Nawab's line. Mahfuz Khan's troops fled and the Battle of the Adyar River, which began on the morning of 24 October 1746, ended that evening with the French retaining control over Fort St. George.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-arts/chen-history-and-culture/madras-miscellany-the-battle-of-the-adyar/article4130267.ece | title=Madras Miscellany: The Battle of the Adyar | work=The Hindu | date=November 25, 2012 | access-date=11 December 2014 | author=Muthiah, S}}</ref> | ||
==Significance== | |||
The battle of Adyar was one of the first that illustrated the overwhelming superiority of 18th century European military firepower in the Indian sub-continent, while also demonstrating that even a sizeable cavalry force was no match for a well-equipped, disciplined infantry. The [[Flintlock mechanism|flintlock]] [[musket]] and a flexible and mobile artillery enabled around one thousand defenders of the French-held fort to vanquish ten thousand Mughal troops.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kolappan |first=B |date=August 23, 2019 |title=The Battle of Adyar, a turning point in Indian history |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/the-battle-of-adyar-a-turning-point-in-indian-history/article29225859.ece |work=[[The Hindu]] |location=[[Chennai]] |access-date=October 8, 2022}}</ref> | |||
After the battle cemented the French position in Madras, they and the English continued to [[Siege of Cuddalore (1748)|spar]] over French-controlled [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]] and British-held [[Fort St. David]] without either side gaining territory. The [[Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)|Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle]] resulted in the French handing Madras back to the British, in exchange for [[Louisbourg]] in 1748. | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
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[[Category:1746 in India]] | [[Category:1746 in India]] | ||
[[Category:First Carnatic War]] | [[Category:First Carnatic War]] | ||
Latest revision as of 02:13, 14 March 2026
| Battle of Adyar | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Carnatic Wars First Carnatic War | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Anwaruddin Khan Mahfuz Khan |
 Louis Paradis | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 10,000 infantry and cavalry |
350 French soldiers 700 French-trained Indian Sepoys | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 300 | 2 Sepoys killed | ||||||||
The Battle of Adyar (also the Battle of Adyar River) took place on 24 October 1746.[1] The battle was between the French East India Company men and forces of Nawab of Arcot, Anwaruddin Khan over the St. George Fort, which was held by the French. It was part of the First Carnatic War between the English and the French.[2][3]
Background[edit | edit source]
The French captured Fort St. George from the British East Indian Company. Nawab of Arcot, a close ally of the British, set out to regain it by sending troops, led by his son Mahfuz Khan, to Madras. While leading an army of 10,000, he was dispersed by French forces, forcing him to move south. Khan seized San Thomé and formed a battle line on the north bank of the Adyar River on 22 October to prevent the French from moving up reinforcements from Pondicherry.
Battle[edit | edit source]
Led by the Swiss engineering officer, Major Louis Paradis, some 350 French and 700 French-trained Indian troops force marched from Pondicherry, crossed Quibble Island and took positions on the south bank of the Adyar River and faced ineffective artillery fire from Khan's forces.
On 24 October, Paradis was informed that a similar sized army led by de le Tour was on its way from St. George Fort. He decided to ford the Adayar river to attack the rear of Mahfuz Khan's battle line. de la Tour arrived too late to support Paradis, who with disciplined firing and then charging with bayonets, broke the Nawab's line. Mahfuz Khan's troops fled and the Battle of the Adyar River, which began on the morning of 24 October 1746, ended that evening with the French retaining control over Fort St. George.[4]
Significance[edit | edit source]
The battle of Adyar was one of the first that illustrated the overwhelming superiority of 18th century European military firepower in the Indian sub-continent, while also demonstrating that even a sizeable cavalry force was no match for a well-equipped, disciplined infantry. The flintlock musket and a flexible and mobile artillery enabled around one thousand defenders of the French-held fort to vanquish ten thousand Mughal troops.[5]
After the battle cemented the French position in Madras, they and the English continued to spar over French-controlled Pondicherry and British-held Fort St. David without either side gaining territory. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chappelle resulted in the French handing Madras back to the British, in exchange for Louisbourg in 1748.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Hoover, James W. (1993). The origins of the Sepoy Military System: 1498-1770. University of Wisconsin--Madison. p. 56.
- ↑ Naravane, M.S. (2014). Battles of the Honorourable East India Company. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. p. 153. ISBN 9788131300343.
- ↑ Dalrymple, William (2019). The Anarchy :The Relentless Rise of The East India Company. Great Britain: Bloomsbury. p. 52.
- ↑ Muthiah, S (25 November 2012). "Madras Miscellany: The Battle of the Adyar". The Hindu. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
- ↑ Kolappan, B (23 August 2019). "The Battle of Adyar, a turning point in Indian history". The Hindu. Chennai. Retrieved 8 October 2022.