Editing Robert Clive (section)

==First journey to India (1744–1753)==
{{see also|First Carnatic War}}
[[File:Clive House.jpg|thumb|Clive House at [[Fort St. George]], [[Chennai]]]]
[[File:Plaque at Clive House.jpg|thumb|Plaque at Clive House]]

In 1744 Clive's father acquired for him a position as a "factor" or company agent in the service of the [[East India Company]], and Clive set sail for India. After running aground on the coast of Brazil, his ship was detained for nine months while repairs were completed. This enabled him to learn some [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]],<ref>Harvey (1998), pp. 18–21</ref> one of the several languages then in use in south India because of the Portuguese centre at [[Goa]]. At this time the East India Company had a small settlement at [[Fort St. George]] near the village of Madraspatnam, later Madras, now the major Indian metropolis of [[Chennai]],<ref>Harvey (1998), pp. 23–24</ref> in addition to others at [[Calcutta]], [[Bombay]], and [[Cuddalore]].<ref name="Harvey 1998, p. 30">Harvey (1998), p. 30</ref> Clive arrived at Fort St. George in June 1744, and spent the next two years working as little more than a glorified assistant shopkeeper, tallying books and arguing with suppliers of the East India Company over the quality and quantity of their wares. He was given access to the governor's library, where he became a prolific reader.<ref>Harvey (1998), pp. 24–29</ref>

===Political situation in south India===
The India Clive arrived in was divided into a number of successor states to the [[Mughal Empire]]. Over the forty years since the death of the [[Aurangzeb|Emperor Aurangzeb]] in 1707, the power of the emperor had gradually fallen into the hands of his provincial viceroys or ''[[Subahdar]]s''. The dominant rulers on the [[Coromandel Coast]] were the [[Nizam of Hyderabad]], [[Qamar-ud-din Khan, Asaf Jah I|Asaf Jah I]], and the [[Nawab of the Carnatic]], [[Anwaruddin Muhammed Khan]]. The Nawab nominally owed fealty to the nizam, but in many respects acted independently. Fort St. George and the French trading post at [[Pondicherry (city)|Pondicherry]] were both located in the Nawab's territory.{{sfn|Malleson|1893|pp=16–32}}

The relationship between the Europeans in India was influenced by a series of wars and treaties in Europe, and by competing commercial rivalry for trade on the subcontinent. Through the 17th and early 18th centuries, the French, Dutch, Portuguese, and British had vied for control of various trading posts, and for trading rights and favour with local Indian rulers. The European merchant companies raised bodies of troops to protect their commercial interests and latterly to influence local politics to their advantage. Military power was rapidly becoming as important as commercial acumen in securing India's valuable trade, and increasingly it was used to appropriate territory and to collect land revenue.<ref>Harvey (1998), pp. 29–30</ref>

===First Carnatic War===
{{further|Carnatic Wars|War of the Austrian Succession}}
[[File:LordClive.jpg|thumb|Portrait by Charles Clive, {{Circa|1764}}]]

In 1720 France effectively nationalised the [[Louis XIV's East India Company|French East India Company]], and began using it to expand its imperial interests. This became a source of conflict with the British in India with the entry of Britain into the [[War of the Austrian Succession]] in 1744.<ref name="Harvey 1998, p. 30" /> The Indian theatre of the conflict is also known as the [[First Carnatic War]], referring to the [[Carnatic region]] on the southeast coast of India. Hostilities in India began with a British naval attack on a French fleet in 1745, which led the French Governor-General [[Joseph François Dupleix|Dupleix]] to request additional forces.<ref>Harvey (1998), p. 31</ref> On 4 September 1746, [[Madras]] [[Battle of Madras|was attacked by French forces]] led by [[Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais|La Bourdonnais]]. After several days of bombardment the British surrendered and the French entered the city.{{sfn|Malleson|1893|p=35}} The British leadership was taken prisoner and sent to Pondicherry. It was originally agreed that the town would be restored to the British after negotiation but this was opposed by Dupleix, who sought to annex Madras to French holdings.<ref>Harvey (1998), pp. 31–34</ref> 

The remaining British residents were asked to take an oath promising not to take up arms against the French; Clive and a handful of others refused, and were kept under weak guard as the French prepared to destroy the fort. Disguising themselves as natives, Clive and three others eluded their inattentive sentry, slipped out of the fort, and made their way to [[Fort St. David]] (the British post at [[Cuddalore]]), some {{convert|50|mi|km}} to the south.{{sfn|Malleson|1893|p=38}}<ref>Harvey (1998), pp. 35–36</ref> Upon his arrival, Clive decided to enlist in the Company army rather than remain idle; in the hierarchy of the company, this was seen as a step down.<ref>Harvey (1998), p. 39</ref> Clive was, however, recognised for his contribution in the defence of Fort St. David, where the French assault on 11 March 1747 was repulsed with the assistance of the Nawab of the Carnatic, and was given a commission as [[ensign (rank)|ensign]].<ref name="H41">Harvey (1998), p. 41</ref>

In the conflict, Clive's bravery came to the attention of Major [[Stringer Lawrence]], who arrived in 1748 to take command of the British troops at Fort St. David.<ref name="H41">Harvey (1998), p. 41</ref> During the 1748 [[Siege of Pondicherry (1748)|Siege of Pondicherry]] Clive distinguished himself in successfully defending a trench against a French sortie: one witness of the action wrote Clive's "platoon, animated by his exhortation, fired again with new courage and great vivacity upon the enemy."<ref>Harvey (1998), p. 42</ref> The siege was lifted in October 1748 with the arrival of the [[monsoon]]s, but the war came to a conclusion with the arrival in December of news of the [[Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748)|Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle]]. Madras was returned to the British as part of the peace agreement in early 1749.{{sfn|Malleson|1893|pp=40–41}}

===Tanjore expedition===
The end of the war between France and Britain did not, however, end hostilities in India. Even before news of the peace arrived in India, the British had sent an expedition to [[Tanjore]] on behalf of a claimant to its throne. This expedition, on which Clive, now promoted to lieutenant, served as a volunteer, was a disastrous failure. Monsoons ravaged the land forces, and the local support claimed by their client was not in evidence. The ignominious retreat of the British force (which lost its baggage train to the pursuing Tanjorean army while crossing a swollen river) was a blow to the British reputation.<ref>Harvey (1998), p. 46</ref> Major Lawrence, seeking to recover British prestige, led the entire Madras garrison to Tanjore in response. At the fort of Devikottai on the [[Coleroon River]] the British force was confronted by the much larger Tanjorean army. Lawrence gave Clive command of 30 British soldiers and 700 [[sepoy]]s, with orders to lead the assault on the fort. Clive led this force rapidly across the river and toward the fort, where the small British unit became separated from the sepoys and were enveloped by the Tanjorean cavalry. Clive was nearly cut down and the beachhead almost lost before reinforcements sent by Lawrence arrived to save the day. The daring move by Clive had an important consequence: the Tanjoreans abandoned the fort, which the British triumphantly occupied. The success prompted the Tanjorean rajah to open peace talks, which resulted in the British being awarded Devikottai and the costs of their expedition, and the British client was awarded a pension in exchange for renouncing his claim. Lawrence wrote of Clive's action that "he behaved in courage and in judgment much beyond what could be expected from his years."<ref>Harvey (1998), pp. 46–47</ref>

On the expedition's return the process of restoring Madras was completed. Company officials, concerned about the cost of the military, slashed its size, denying Clive a promotion to captain in the process. Lawrence procured for Clive a position as the commissary at Fort St. George, a potentially lucrative posting (its pay included commissions on all supply contracts).<ref>Harvey (1998), pp. 47–48</ref>