(Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)
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Joseph Francois Dupleix was born on 1 January in 1697 in Landrecies, France. His father, Francois Dupleix, a wealthy farmer-general, wished to bring him up as a merchant, and, in order to distract him from his taste for science, sent him on a voyage to India in 1715 on one of the French East India Company's vessels.
From 1731 to 1741 Dupleix served in Bengal as superintendent of the French factory at Chandernagore.
His reputation procured him in 1742 the appointment of the governor-general of all French establishments in India. His ambition now was to acquire for France vast territories in India, and for this purpose, he entered into relations with the native princes and adopted a style of oriental splendor in his dress and surroundings. The British took the alarm. But the danger to their settlements and power was partly averted by the bitter mutual jealousy which existed between Dupleix and La Bourdonnais, the French governor of the Isle of Bourbon. When Madras capitulated to the French in 1764, Dupleix opposed the restoration of the town to the British, thus violating the treaty signed by La Bourdonnais. He then sent an expedition against Fort St David (1747), which was defeated on its march by the Nawab of Arcot, the ally of the British. A midnight attack on Cuddalore was repulsed with great loss. Dupleix next entered into negotiations which had for their object the subjugation of southern India, and he sent a large body of troops to the aid of two claimants of the sovereignty of the Carnatic and the Deccan. The British were engaged on the side of their rivals. After temporary successes, the scheme failed. These orders were carried out with needless harshness, what survived of Dupleix's work was ruined at a blow, and he himself was compelled to embark for France on the 12th of October 1754. His reputation procured him in 1742 the appointment of the governor-general of all French establishments in India. His ambition now was to acquire for France vast territories in India, and for this purpose, he entered into relations with the native princes and adopted a style of oriental splendor in his dress and surroundings. The British took the alarm. But the danger to their settlements and power was partly averted by the bitter mutual jealousy which existed between Dupleix and La Bourdonnais, the French governor of the Isle of Bourbon. When Madras capitulated to the French in 1764, Dupleix opposed the restoration of the town to the British, thus violating the treaty signed by La Bourdonnais. He then sent an expedition against Fort St David (1747), which was defeated on its march by the Nawab of Arcot, the ally of the British. A midnight attack on Cuddalore was repulsed with great loss. Dupleix next entered into negotiations which had for their object the subjugation of southern India, and he sent a large body of troops to the aid of two claimants of the sovereignty of the Carnatic and the Deccan. The British were engaged on the side of their rivals. After temporary successes, the scheme failed. These orders were carried out with needless harshness, what survived of Dupleix's work was ruined at a blow, and he himself was compelled to embark for France.
(Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We h...)
In 1741 Joseph Dupleix had married to Jeanne Albert, widow of one of the councilors of the company, a woman of strong character and intellect, known to the Hindus as Joanna Begum, who proved of great use to her husband in his negotiations with the native princes. She died in 1756, and two years later he married again.
