1770 Croisey Map of the South Indian Seat of War Between England and France

This superb 1770 map of Tamil Nadu, India was engraved in Paris by P. Croisey and is attributed to Jean Bourcet, the chief French military engineer in the city of Pondicherry during the Seven Years’ War. The map, oriented to the west, depicts the Carnatic and the southern Coromandel Coast, the theatre of the Carnatic Wars (1744 - 1763) and the First Anglo-Mysore War (1767 - 1799). Though often fought locally between the Nawabs of the Carnatic and the Sultanate of Mysore, the conflict was essentially between the British East India Company and France.

Proxy Wars

Beginning as an offshoot of the War of the Austrian Succession and extending through the Seven Years’ War, England and France fought in a series of conflicts throughout India. The central and deciding regional fights would all fought in the south, within the bounds of this map. Direct battles between the European powers were rare: the fighting was largely characterized by small, disciplined, and technologically superior European forces employed to shift the balance of forces in local power struggles. Key battles are marked on the map and dated. Those with a French commander present are noted with that officer’s name, and a notation indicating the character of the fight: a French win, a French loss, or a draw.

The Fortifications

Nineteen inset views detail the fortifications of cities at play, each associated with a larger power: French, English, Dutch, Danish, or Carnatic. These include Cuddalore, Machilipatnam, Negapatam, Poonamallee, Pondichéry, Bombay, Chingleput, Tranquebar, Tiruchirapalli, Wandiwash, Vishakhapatnam, Gingee, Calcutta, Arcati, Trincomalee, Divicoté, Madras, Carangouli, and the Pagoda of Chalembron. The source for these views is likely Bourcet, the chief French military engineer in Pondicherry, and the figure to whom the overall map is generally attributed.

Publication History and Census

This map was engraved and published in Paris, France by P. Croisey, likely based upon cartography provided by Paul Bourcet. The map is rare: British Library, the Sachische Landesbibliothek, the University of Bern, and the BNF. We see trade catalog records for three examples of this map going back to 1994.