Second Carnatic War

The Second Carnatic War was fought from 1749 to 1754, when the British and French East India Companies each backed rival claimants to the thrones of Hyderabad and the Carnatic, turning a regional succession dispute into a proxy contest between the two European trading powers. The war produced one of Robert Clive's early feats, his seizure and successful defense of Arcot in 1751 against a much larger besieging force, which helped turn the military tide in the British-backed candidate's favor. The war ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754, which recognized Muhammad Ali Khan Wallajah, the British-backed claimant, as Nawab of the Carnatic, while the French-backed claimant Chanda Sahib was captured and killed, marking a significant check on French ambitions in southern India.