Chanda Shahib - Nawab of The Carnatic - Defeat at Arcot

Defeat At Arcot

In 1751, there was an ongoing scuffle between Mohamed Ali Khan Walajan, (who was the son of the previous Nawab of Arcot, Anwaruddin Muhammed Khan and hence the rightful claimant) and Chanda Sahib. Dupleix sided with Chanda sahib and Muzaffar Jung to bring them into power in their respective states. But soon the English intervened. To offset the French influence, they began supporting Nasir Jung and Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah. Chanda Sahib initially succeeded and became the Nawab, forcing Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah to escape to the rock-fort in Tiruchirapalli. Chanda Sahib followed and with the help of the French, besieged Tiruchirapalli. Muhammed Ali Khan Wallajah and the English force supporting him were in a grim position. A small English force of 300 soldiers made a diversionary attack on Arcot to draw away Chanda Sahib's army from Trichy. Chanda Sahib dispatched a 10,000 strong force under his son Raza Sahib to retake Arcot. Raza Sahib was aided by the Nellore Army and Muhammed Yusuf Khan as a Subedar may have been in this force. There he was defeated by English forces, that mostly enlisted Indians.