maritime activities economy and social customs of the muslims of ...

The Myrore wars of subsequent times weakend the Nawab and made him more
dependent on the English. The Nawab secured the assistance of the company for his
defence which overburdened him with debts and he found it difficult lo extricate himself.
Every subsequent military operation brought with it fresh budens. This process together
with the Nawab's practice of contl.acttng loans for his personal expenses continued until the
creditors, the English, swept he Wallajahs out of power"'.
In 1755 Mohamed Ali tried to consolidate his power in the southern districts of
Madura. Many of the Polygars were in alliance with the Dutch and defied the authority of the
Nawab. The rents could not be collected for liquidating the debts of the English"5. W~th the
help of the English forces, the new governor ol Madurai. Khan Sahib ( Yusuff Kh) supprossod
the Polygars in 1760. The consolidation of the powers of the Nawab was atterded with an
almost equal extension of English influence. As the Nawab continued the Military operations
by associating the English company forces beskles contracting bans for p h expenses,
his financial obligations continued !o increase. Therefore there appesred no scope for
liquidating his debts completely or to get rid of the English influence. The indebtedness
forced the Nawab to grant a partnership to the English in the receipt of the revenue of
Carnati~"~.
After a period of short glory the Nawab's power suffered a setback. Thanjawr was
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annexed by the Nawab in 1771 and ~arnanatha~urah in &;? next year. The English interfened
in these affairs and obtained the status of arbitrators. The Madras council restored Thanjawr
to Maratha Thulaji which demonstrated the higher status of the English. Thubji entered into
a settlement with the company accepting the Fnglish protection and to pay 4 bkhs pagodas
a year for this, and not to render assistance to the enemies. Subsequently, the English
bra-ht pressure upon Thulaji to cede the company, Nagore with It's 277 vihges yiekhg a
revenue of 2 1/2 kkhs of wpees"7 The English thus galned a footing in the fertile granery
of the south. Nztgapatta~m which was under !he Dutch parossion surrendered to the
English in 1781. The possession of Nagapattanam helped the English for the statabilisation
of their power in Coromandel since it was an important key to the southern provinces.
Nsgapattanam and Nagore continued to be important trading ports wdor the English.