Editing Robert Clive (section)

===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}}