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French India, formally the ( en, French Settlements in India), was a
French colony The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protectorates and mandate territories that came under French rule from the 16th century onward. A distinction is generally made between the "First French Colonial Empire", that exist ...
comprising five geographically separated enclaves on the
Indian Subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
that had initially been
factories A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. T ...
of the
French East India Company The French East India Company (french: Compagnie française pour le commerce des Indes orientales) was a colonial commercial enterprise, founded on 1 September 1664 to compete with the English (later British) and Dutch trading companies in th ...
. They were ''de facto'' incorporated into the Republic of India in 1950 and 1954. The enclaves were ,
Karikal Karaikal ( /kʌdɛkʌl/, french: Karikal /kaʁikal/) is a town of the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry. Karaikal was sold to the French by the Rajah of Thanjavur and became a French Colony in 1739. The French held control, with occas ...
,
Yanaon Yanaon or Yanam was one of the five principal settlements of French India between 1731 and 1954. Early years Reason for European interests The French in their earlier records do mention of their interest in establishing trade in the Northern ...
(
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
) on the
Coromandel Coast The Coromandel Coast is the southeastern coastal region of the Indian subcontinent, bounded by the Utkal Plains to the north, the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Kaveri delta to the south, and the Eastern Ghats to the west, extending over an ...
, Mahé on the
Malabar Coast The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing m ...
and Chandernagor in
Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
. The French also possessed several ('lodges', tiny subsidiary trading stations) inside other towns, but after 1816, the British denied all French claims to these, which were not reoccupied. By 1950, the total area measured , of which belonged to the territory of . In 1936, the population of the colony totalled 298,851 inhabitants, of which 63% (187,870) lived in the territory of Pondichéry.


Context

France was the last of the major European maritime powers of the 17th century to enter the East India trade. Six decades after the foundation of the
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
and
Dutch East India The United East India Company ( nl, Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the VOC) was a chartered company established on the 20th March 1602 by the States General of the Netherlands amalgamating existing companies into the first joint-stock co ...
companies (in 1600 and 1602 respectively), and at a time when both companies were multiplying
factories A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. T ...
(trading posts) on the shores of India, the French still did not have a viable trading company or a single permanent establishment in the East. Seeking to explain France's late entrance in the East India trade, historians cite geopolitical circumstances such as the inland position of the French capital, France's numerous internal customs barriers, and parochial perspectives of merchants on France's Atlantic coast, who had little appetite for the large-scale investment required to develop a viable trading enterprise with the distant East Indies.


Initial marine voyages to India (16th century CE)

The first French commercial venture to India is believed to have taken place in the first half of the 16th century, in the reign of
King Francis I Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...
, when two ships were fitted out by some merchants of Rouen to trade in eastern seas; they sailed from
Le Havre Le Havre (, ; nrf, Lé Hâvre ) is a port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux, very ...
and were never heard of again. In 1604 a company was granted letters patent by King Henry IV, but the project failed. Fresh letters patent were issued in 1615, and two ships went to India, only one returning. ''La Compagnie française des Indes orientales'' (
French East India Company The French East India Company (french: Compagnie française pour le commerce des Indes orientales) was a colonial commercial enterprise, founded on 1 September 1664 to compete with the English (later British) and Dutch trading companies in th ...
) was formed under the auspices of Cardinal Richelieu (1642) and reconstructed under Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1664), sending an expedition to
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
.


First factory in India (1668 CE)

In 1667 the French India Company sent out another expedition, under the command of
François Caron François Caron (1600–1673) was a French Huguenot refugee to the Netherlands who served the Dutch East India Company (''Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie'' or VOC) for 30 years, rising from cook's mate to the director-general at Batavia (Ja ...
(who was accompanied by a
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
named Marcara), which reached Surat in 1668 and established the first French factory in India...


French expansion in India (1669-1672 CE)

In 1669, Marcara succeeded in establishing another French factory at
Masulipatam Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar, is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headquarte ...
. In 1672, Fort Saint Thomas was taken but the French were driven out by the
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
after a long and costly siege.
Chandernagore Chandannagar french: Chandernagor ), also known by its former name Chandernagore and French name Chandernagor, is a city in the Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is headquarter of the Chandannagore subdivision and is part ...
(present-day Chandannagar) was established in 1692, with the permission of
Nawab Nawab ( Balochi: نواب; ar, نواب; bn, নবাব/নওয়াব; hi, नवाब; Punjabi : ਨਵਾਬ; Persian, Punjabi , Sindhi, Urdu: ), also spelled Nawaab, Navaab, Navab, Nowab, Nabob, Nawaabshah, Nawabshah or Nobab, ...
Shaista Khan, the Mughal governor of
Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
. In 1673, the French acquired the area of Pondicherry from the
qiladar Qiladar (Urdu: قلعہ دار) is a small historic village, in Gujrat District in Punjab, Pakistan, situated some 25 km west-ward, from main Gujrat city at the bank of Upper Jhelum Canal.No one knows who historically inhabited this village; ...
of Valikondapuram under the Sultan of Bijapur, and thus the foundation of Pondichéry was laid. By 1720, the French had lost their factories at Surat,
Masulipatam Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar, is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headquarte ...
and Bantam to the British
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
.


Establishment of colony at Pondichéry (1673 CE)

On 4 February 1673, Bellanger de l'Espinay, a French officer, took up residence in the Danish Lodge in Pondichéry, thereby commencing the French administration of Pondichéry. In 1674 François Martin, the first Governor, initiated ambitious projects to transform Pondichéry from a small fishing village into a flourishing port-town. The French, though, found themselves in continual conflict with the Dutch and the English. In 1693 the Dutch captured Pondichéry and augmented the fortifications. The French regained the town in 1699 through the
Treaty of Ryswick The Peace of Ryswick, or Rijswijk, was a series of treaties signed in the Dutch city of Rijswijk between 20 September and 30 October 1697. They ended the 1688 to 1697 Nine Years' War between France and the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), Gran ...
, signed on 20 September 1697.


Establishment of colonies at Yanon (1723 CE) and Karaikal (1739 CE)

From their arrival until 1741, the objectives of the French, like those of the British, were purely commercial. During this period, the French East India Company peacefully acquired
Yanam Yanam (Telugu: ''యానాం'') is a town located in the Yanam district in Puducherry. It has a population of 35,000 and is entirely surrounded by Andhra Pradesh. It was formerly a French colony for nearly 200 years, and, though united ...
(about north-east of Pondichéry on Andhra Coast) in 1723, Mahe on Malabar Coast in 1725 and
Karaikal Karaikal (Help:IPA/English, /kʌdɛkʌl/, french: Karikal Help:IPA/French, /kaʁikal/) is a town of the Indian States and territories of India, Union Territory of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry. Karaikal was sold to the French by t ...
(about south of Pondichéry) in 1739. In the early 18th century, the town of Pondichéry was laid out on a grid pattern and grew considerably. Able governors like
Pierre Christophe Le Noir Pierre Christoph Le Noir was Governor General of Pondicherry twice (first time as acting governor). During his rule, Yanaon was added to the French Establishments of India as a third colony in 1727. He expanded the Pondicherry Pondicherry ...
(1726–1735) and
Pierre Benoît Dumas Pierre Benoît Dumas (1668–1745) was the French Governor General for Pondichéry and Réunion. Predecessor of La Bourdonnais on the Isles and Dupleix in the Indies, Dumas hailed from Southern France. There is still a street in Pondicherry nam ...
(1735–1741) expanded the Pondichéry area and made it a large and rich town.


Ambition of establishment of French territorial empire in India and defeat (1741-1754 CE)

Soon after his arrival in 1741, the most famous governor of French India,
Joseph François Dupleix Joseph Marquis Dupleix (23 January 1697 – 10 November 1763) was Governor-General of French India and rival of Robert Clive. Biography Dupleix was born in Landrecies, on January 23, 1697. His father, François Dupleix, a wealthy ''fermier gé ...
, began to cherish the ambition of a French territorial empire in India in spite of the pronounced uninterested attitude of his distant superiors and of the French government, which didn't want to provoke the British. Dupleix's ambition clashed with British interests in India and a period of military skirmishes and political intrigues began and continued even in rare periods when France and Great Britain were officially at peace. Under the command of the
Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau Charles Joseph Patissier, Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau (8 February 1718 or 8 February 1720 – 7 January 1785) or Charles Joseph Patissier de Bussy was the Governor General of the French colony of Pondicherry from 1783 to 1785. He served with dis ...
, Dupleix's army successfully controlled the area between
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...
and Cape Comorin. But then Robert Clive arrived in India in 1744, a British officer who dashed the hopes of Dupleix to create a French empire in India. After a defeat and failed peace talks, Dupleix was summarily dismissed and recalled to France in 1754.


French vs British intrigues (1754-1871 CE)

In spite of a treaty between the British and French agreeing not to interfere in regional Indian affairs, their colonial intrigues continued. The French expanded their influence at the court of the Nawab of Bengal and increased their trading activity in Bengal. In 1756, the French encouraged the Nawab (
Siraj ud-Daulah Mirza Muhammad Siraj-ud-Daulah ( fa, ; 1733 – 2 July 1757), commonly known as Siraj-ud-Daulah or Siraj ud-Daula, was the last independent Nawab of Bengal. The end of his reign marked the start of the rule of the East India Company over Beng ...
) to attack and take the British Fort William in
Calcutta Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
. This led to the Battle of Plassey in 1757, where the British decisively defeated the Nawab and his French allies, resulting in the extension of British power over the entire province of Bengal. Subsequently, France sent Lally-Tollendal to recover the lost French possessions and drive the British out of India. Lally arrived in Pondichéry in 1758, had some initial success and razed Fort St. David in
Cuddalore Cuddalore, also spelt as Kadalur (), is the city and headquarters of the Cuddalore District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Situated south of Chennai, Cuddalore was an important port during the British Raj. While the early history of Cudda ...
District to the ground in 1758, but strategic mistakes by Lally led to the loss of the
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...
region, the Battle of Wandiwash and the siege of Pondicherry in 1760. In 1761, the British razed Pondichéry to the ground in revenge for the French depredations; it lay in ruins for four years. The French had lost their hold now in South India too. In 1765 Pondichéry was returned to France in accordance with a 1763 peace treaty with
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
. Governor
Jean Law de Lauriston Baron Jean Law de Lauriston, was born on October 5, 1719 in Paris. He was twice Governor General of Pondicherry. Not much is known about his life, but his contributions to the French Colonial Empire are notable. Law was a nephew of the financie ...
set to rebuild the town on its former layout and after five months 200 European and 2000
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...
houses had been erected. In 1769 the French East India Company, unable to support itself financially, was abolished by the French Crown, which assumed administration of the French possessions in India. During the next 50 years, Pondichéry changed hands between France and Britain with the regularity of their wars and peace treaties. In 1816, after the conclusion of the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, the five establishments of Pondichéry,
Chandernagore Chandannagar french: Chandernagor ), also known by its former name Chandernagore and French name Chandernagor, is a city in the Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is headquarter of the Chandannagore subdivision and is part ...
, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam and the lodges at
Machilipatnam Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar, is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headquarte ...
, Kozhikode and Surat were returned to France. Pondichéry had lost much of its former glory, and Chandernagore dwindled into an insignificant outpost to the north of the rapidly growing British metropolis of Calcutta. Successive governors tried, with mixed results, to improve infrastructure, industry, law and education over the next 138 years. By a decree of 25 January 1871, French India was to have an elective general council (''conseil général'') and elective local councils (''conseil local''). The results of this measure were not very satisfactory, and the qualifications for and the classes of the franchise were modified. The governor resided at Pondichéry and was assisted by a council. There were two '' Tribunaux d'instance'' (Tribunals of first instance) (at Pondichéry and Karikal) one ''Cour d'appel'' ( Court of Appeal) (at Pondichéry) and five ''Justices de paix'' (
Justices of the Peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
). Agricultural production consisted of rice, peanuts, tobacco, betel nuts and vegetables.


Independence movement (18th-20th century CE) and merger with India (1954 CE)

The Independence of India on 15 August 1947 gave impetus to the union of France's Indian possessions with former
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...
. The lodges in
Machilipatnam Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar, is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headquarte ...
,
Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second l ...
and Surat were ceded to India on 6 October 1947. An agreement between France and India in 1948 agreed to an election in France's remaining Indian possessions to choose their political future. Governance of Chandernagore was ceded to India on 2 May 1950, then it was merged with
West Bengal West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fou ...
state on 2 October 1954. On 1 November 1954, the four enclaves of Pondichéry, Yanam, Mahe, and Karikal were ''de facto'' transferred to the Indian Union and became the Union Territory of
Puducherry Puducherry or Pondicherry may refer to: * Puducherry (union territory), a union territory of India ** Pondicherry, capital of the union territory of Puducherry ** Puducherry district, a district of the union territory of Puducherry ** Puducherry t ...
. The ''de jure'' union of French India with India did not take place until 1962 when the
French Parliament The French Parliament (french: Parlement français) is the bicameral legislature of the French Republic, consisting of the Senate () and the National Assembly (). Each assembly conducts legislative sessions at separate locations in Paris ...
in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
ratified the treaty with India.


List of French establishments in India

The French establishments of India are all located in the
Indian peninsula The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India ...
. As of 1839, these establishments areChapitre II, Notices statistiques sur les colonies françaises, 1839. # On the
Coramandel coast The Coromandel Coast is the southeastern coastal region of the Indian subcontinent, bounded by the Utkal Plains to the north, the Bay of Bengal to the east, the Kaveri delta to the south, and the Eastern Ghats to the west, extending over an ...
, #* Pondichéry and its territory comprising districts of Pondichéry, Villenour and Bahour; #*
Karikal Karaikal ( /kʌdɛkʌl/, french: Karikal /kaʁikal/) is a town of the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry. Karaikal was sold to the French by the Rajah of Thanjavur and became a French Colony in 1739. The French held control, with occas ...
and its dependent maganams, or districts. # On the coast of
Orissa Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of S ...
, #*
Yanaon Yanaon or Yanam was one of the five principal settlements of French India between 1731 and 1954. Early years Reason for European interests The French in their earlier records do mention of their interest in establishing trade in the Northern ...
and its territory comprising dependent aldées or villages; #* The
Masulipatam Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar, is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headquarte ...
loge and a garden named Francepeth. # On the
Malabar coast The Malabar Coast is the southwestern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing m ...
, #* Mahé and its territory; #* The
Calicut Kozhikode (), also known in English as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. It has a corporation limit population of 609,224 and a metropolitan population of more than 2 million, making it the second l ...
loge. # In
Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
, #* Chandernagor and its territory; #* The five loges of
Cassimbazar Cossimbazar is a sub-urban area of Berhampore City in the Berhampore CD block in the Berhampore subdivision in Murshidabad district in the Indian state of West Bengal."Cossimbazar" in ''Imperial Gazetteer of India'', Oxford, Clarendon Press, ...
, Jougdia,
Dacca Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...
, Balasore and
Patna Patna ( ), historically known as Pataliputra, is the capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Patna had a population of 2.35 million, making it the 19th largest city in India. ...
. # In
Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...
, #* Surat factory. The name 'loge' was given, under the regime of the French East India company, in factories or insulated establishments consisting of a home with an adjacent ground, where France had the right to fly its flag and to form trading posts. File:Pro-merger movement of French Settlements in India 1954.jpg, Pro-merger movement of French Settlements in India, 1954 File:Dupleix meeting the Soudhabar of the Deccan.jpg, Dupleix meeting the Soudhabar of the
Deccan The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by the ...
,
Murzapha Jung Muhyi ad-Din Muzaffar Jang Hidayat (died 13 February 1751) was the ruler of Hyderabad from 1750 until his death in 1751. His official name was ''Nawab Hidayat Muhi ud-din Sa'adu'llah Khan Bahadur, Muzaffar Jang, Nawab Subadar of the Deccan''. H ...
File:Suffren meeting with Haider Ali, 26 july 1782 engraved by J B Morret 1789.jpg, Suffren meeting with ally
Hyder Ali Hyder Ali ( حیدر علی, ''Haidarālī''; 1720 – 7 December 1782) was the Sultan and ''de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born as Hyder Ali, he distinguished himself as a soldier, eventually drawing the at ...
in 1782, J. B. Morret engraving, 1789 File:French India postage stamps.jpg, French India postage stamps File:Fiebig Government House Chandernagore.jpg, Chandernagor's Government House c. 1850


List of chief governing officers


Commissioners

*
François Caron François Caron (1600–1673) was a French Huguenot refugee to the Netherlands who served the Dutch East India Company (''Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie'' or VOC) for 30 years, rising from cook's mate to the director-general at Batavia (Ja ...
, 1668–1672 * François Baron, 1672–1681 * François Martin, 1681 – November 1693 * ''Dutch occupation'', September 1693 – September 1699 —
Treaty of Ryswick The Peace of Ryswick, or Rijswijk, was a series of treaties signed in the Dutch city of Rijswijk between 20 September and 30 October 1697. They ended the 1688 to 1697 Nine Years' War between France and the Grand Alliance (League of Augsburg), Gran ...
(1697)


Governors

In the days of the French East India Company, the title of the top official was most of the time Governor of Pondicherry and General Commander of the French settlements in the East Indies (french: Gouverneur de Pondichéry et commandant général des établissements français aux Indes orientales). After 1816, it was Governor of French establishments in India (french: Gouverneur des établissements français de l'Inde'). * François Martin, September 1699 – 31 December 1706 *
Pierre Dulivier Pierre Dulivier was the Governor General of Pondicherry for two periods. He was preceded by François Martin and succeeded by Guillaume André d'Hébert Guillaume André d'Hébert (15 January 1653, Paris – 6 May 1725) was Governor General of P ...
(Acting), January 1707 – July 1708 * Guillaume André d'Hébert, 1708–1712 *
Pierre Dulivier Pierre Dulivier was the Governor General of Pondicherry for two periods. He was preceded by François Martin and succeeded by Guillaume André d'Hébert Guillaume André d'Hébert (15 January 1653, Paris – 6 May 1725) was Governor General of P ...
, 1713–1715 * Guillaume André d'Hébert, 1715–1718 * Pierre André Prévost de La Prévostière, August 1718 – 11 October 1721 *
Pierre Christoph Le Noir Pierre Christoph Le Noir was Governor General of Pondicherry twice (first time as acting governor). During his rule, Yanaon was added to the French Establishments of India as a third colony in 1727. He expanded the Pondicherry Pondicherry ...
(Acting), 1721–1723 *
Joseph Beauvollier de Courchant Joseph Beauvollier de Courchant was Governor general of Pondicherry and Réunion in the French Colonial Empire The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protectorates and mandate territories that came under French rule fro ...
, 1723–1726 *
Pierre Christoph Le Noir Pierre Christoph Le Noir was Governor General of Pondicherry twice (first time as acting governor). During his rule, Yanaon was added to the French Establishments of India as a third colony in 1727. He expanded the Pondicherry Pondicherry ...
, 1727–1734 *
Pierre Benoît Dumas Pierre Benoît Dumas (1668–1745) was the French Governor General for Pondichéry and Réunion. Predecessor of La Bourdonnais on the Isles and Dupleix in the Indies, Dumas hailed from Southern France. There is still a street in Pondicherry nam ...
, 1735–1741 *
Joseph François Dupleix Joseph Marquis Dupleix (23 January 1697 – 10 November 1763) was Governor-General of French India and rival of Robert Clive. Biography Dupleix was born in Landrecies, on January 23, 1697. His father, François Dupleix, a wealthy ''fermier gé ...
, 14 January 1742 – 15 October 1754 *
Charles Godeheu Charles Robert Godeheu de Zaimont was Acting Governor General of Pondicherry. He was the Commissioner of French army during Dupleix's reign. Important incidents In 1754, Godeheu gave up with the English the Indian territories, especially Madra ...
, Le commissaire (Acting), 15 October 1754 – 1754 * Georges Duval de Leyrit, 1756–1758 *
Thomas Arthur, comte de Lally Thomas Arthur, comte de Lally, baron de Tollendal (13 January 17029 May 1766) was a French general of Irish Jacobite ancestry. Lally commanded French forces, including two battalions of his own red-coated Regiment of Lally of the Irish Brigade ...
, 1758 – January 1761 * First British occupation, January 15, 1761 – June 25, 1765 —
Treaty of Paris (1763) The Treaty of Paris, also known as the Treaty of 1763, was signed on 10 February 1763 by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement, after Great Britain and Prussia's victory over France and Spain during the S ...
*
Jean Law de Lauriston Baron Jean Law de Lauriston, was born on October 5, 1719 in Paris. He was twice Governor General of Pondicherry. Not much is known about his life, but his contributions to the French Colonial Empire are notable. Law was a nephew of the financie ...
, 1765–1766 * Antoine Boyellau (Acting), 1766–1767 *
Jean Law de Lauriston Baron Jean Law de Lauriston, was born on October 5, 1719 in Paris. He was twice Governor General of Pondicherry. Not much is known about his life, but his contributions to the French Colonial Empire are notable. Law was a nephew of the financie ...
, 1767 – January 1777 * Second British occupation, 1778 – 1783 –
Treaty of Paris (1783) The Treaty of Paris, signed in Paris by representatives of King George III of Great Britain and representatives of the United States of America on September 3, 1783, officially ended the American Revolutionary War and overall state of conflict ...
* Guillaume de Bellecombe, seigneur de Teirac, January 1777 – 1778 * Charles Joseph Pâtissier, Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau, 1783–1785 * François, Vicomte de Souillac, 1785 *
David Charpentier de Cossigny David Charpentier de Cossigny was Governor General of Pondicherry, Réunion and Isle de France (now Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an isl ...
, October 1785 – 1787 * Thomas, comte de Conway, October 1787 – 1789 *
Camille Charles Leclerc, chevalier de Fresne Camille Charles Le Clerc de Fresne, known as Chevalier de Fresne (1741–1797) was Governor General of Mauritius (1785) and Puducherry from 1789 to 1792 in the French Colonial Empire. He married a widow, Emilie-Thomase de Solminihac (1770–1846 ...
, 1789–1792 *
Dominique Prosper de Chermont Dominique Prosper de Chermont was Governor General of Inde française during the Second French Colonial Empire. Titles History of Puducherry French colonial governors and administrators Governors of French India 1741 births 1798 deat ...
, November 1792 – 1793 * L.
Leroux de Touffreville L. Leroux de Touffreville was Governor General of Inde française French India, formally the ( en, French Settlements in India), was a French colony comprising five geographically separated enclaves on the Indian Subcontinent that had initi ...
, 1793 * Third British occupation, 23 August 1793 – 18 June 1802 —
Treaty of Amiens The Treaty of Amiens (french: la paix d'Amiens, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition. It marked the end of the French Revolutionary Wars; after a short peace it s ...
(1802) * Charles Matthieu Isidore, Comte Decaen, 18 June 1802 – August 1803 * Louis François Binot, 1803 * Fourth British occupation, August 1803 – 26 September 1816 —
Treaty of Paris (1814) The Treaty of Paris, signed on 30 May 1814, ended the war between France and the Sixth Coalition, part of the Napoleonic Wars, following an armistice signed on 23 April between Charles, Count of Artois, and the allies. The treaty set the borde ...
* André Julien Comte Dupuy, 26 September 1816 – October 1825 *
Joseph Cordier Joseph Cordier was born on 1773. He was Acting Governor General of Pondicherry Pondicherry (), now known as Puducherry ( French: Pondichéry ʊdʊˈtʃɛɹi(listen), on-dicherry, is the capital and the most populous city of the Union Terr ...
, Marie Emmanuel (Acting), October 1825 – 19 June 1826 *
Eugène Desbassayns de Richemont Eugène Panon Desbassayns de Richemont (29 March 1800 – 26 June 1859), second Comte de Richemont, was a French colonial administrator and inventor. Life Eugène Panon Desbassayns de Richemont was born on 29 March 1800 in Paris. His father w ...
, 1826 – 2 August 1828 *
Joseph Cordier Joseph Cordier was born on 1773. He was Acting Governor General of Pondicherry Pondicherry (), now known as Puducherry ( French: Pondichéry ʊdʊˈtʃɛɹi(listen), on-dicherry, is the capital and the most populous city of the Union Terr ...
, Marie Emmanuel (Acting), 2 August 1828 – 11 April 1829 *
Auguste Jacques Nicolas Peureux de Mélay Auguste Jacques Nicolas Peureux de Mélay was Governor General for Inde française in the Second French Colonial Empire The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protectorates and mandate territories that came under French ...
, 11 April 1829 – 3 May 1835 * Hubert Jean Victor, Marquis de Saint-Simon, 3 May 1835 – April 1840 *
Paul de Nourquer du Camper Paul de Nourquer du Camper was Governor General for Inde française in the Second French Colonial Empire during the July Monarchy. During his period an annual statistics manual was written by Pierre Constant Sicé in 1842, which describes and narra ...
, April 1840 – 1844 *
Louis Pujol Louis Pujol (18 August 1790, Paris – 26 August 1855) was Governor General for Inde française in the Second French Colonial Empire during the last years of July Monarchy and during initial period of French Second Republic The French Second R ...
, 1844–1849 *
Hyacinthe Marie de Lalande de Calan Hyacinthe Marie de Lalande de Calan (26 April 1802 in Quimper – 14 June 1850 in Pondichéry) was Governor General for Inde française in the Second French Colonial Empire The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, prote ...
, 1849–1850 *
Philippe Achille Bédier Philippe Achille Bédier (1791 - 1865) was Governor General for Inde française during the transition of Second Republic and Second French Colonial Empire under Second French Empire under Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon B ...
, 1851–1852 * Raymond de Saint-Maur, August 1852 – April 1857 *
Alexandre Durand d'Ubraye Alexandre Durand d'Ubraye (from Alexandre Jean-Baptiste Joseph Jacques Durand d'Ubraye) (12 September 1807 – 3 August 1864) was Governor General for Inde française in the Second French Colonial Empire under Second French Empire under Napoleon I ...
, April 1857 – January 1863 * Napoléon Joseph Louis Bontemps, January 1863 – June 1871 *
Antoine-Léonce Michaux Antoine-Léonce Michaux (born November 6, 1822 in Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe, and died January 20, 1893, France) was Governor General for French India in the Second French Colonial Empire under the French Third Republic. Life Antoine-Léonce Michaux j ...
, June 1871 – November 1871 *
Pierre Aristide Faron Pierre Aristide Faron was Governor General for Inde française French India, formally the ( en, French Settlements in India), was a French colony comprising five geographically separated enclaves on the Indian Subcontinent that had initially ...
, November 1871 – 1875 *
Adolph Joseph Antoine Trillard Adolph Joseph Antoine Trillard was Governor General for Inde française French India, formally the ( en, French Settlements in India), was a French colony comprising five geographically separated enclaves on the Indian Subcontinent that had ...
, 1875–1878 *
Léonce Laugier Jean Joseph Marie Léonce Laugier was Governor General for Inde française in the Second French Colonial Empire under Third Republic. Biography Laugier was born on March 26, 1829, in Draguignan, France, to Joseph Honoré Isidore Laugier, a lawy ...
, February 1879 – April 1881 *
Théodore Drouhet Théodore Drouhet (April 4, 1817 – October 18, 1904) was Governor General for Inde française in the Second French Colonial Empire under Third Republic. References Théodore Drouhetat Senate of France The Senate (french: Sénat, ) is ...
, 1881 – October 1884 *
Étienne Richaud Étienne Richaud (Étienne Antoine Guillaume Richaud), born on January 11, 1841, in Martigues (Bouches-du-Rhône, France) and died on May 31, 1889, in the Bay of Bengal, was the Principal private secretary of the Minister of Commerce Maurice Ro ...
, October 1884 – 1886 *
Édouard Manès Édouard Manès (1835-1898) was Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colon ...
, 1886–1888 *
Georges Jules Piquet Georges Jules Piquet (January 13, 1839 – January 18, 1923) was Governor General for Inde française French India, formally the ( en, French Settlements in India), was a French colony comprising five geographically separated enclaves on ...
, 1888–1889 *
Louis Hippolyte Marie Nouet Louis Hippolyte Marie Nouet (born September 5, 1844, in Quimper - died February 15, 1933, in Vannes) was Governor General for Inde française in the Second French Colonial Empire under Third Republic. He was also Governor General for Nouvelle Ca ...
, 1889–1891 *
Léon Émile Clément-Thomas Clément Léon Émile Thomas was Governor General for various colonies in the Second French Colonial Empire, notably that of Senegal from 1888 to 1890 and French India from 1891 to 1896. In 1893 Clément-Thomas was made an honorary Knight Command ...
, 1891–1896 * Louis Jean Girod, 1896 – February 1898 * François Pierre Rodier, February 1898 – 11 January 1902 * Louis Pelletan (Acting), 11 January 1902 *
Victor Louis Marie Lanrezac Victor Louis Marie Lanrezac (March 24, 1854 in Brest – January 1, 1916 in Neuilly-sur-Seine) was Governor General of Pondicherry in Second French Colonial Empire under Third Republic. He was made Chevalier of the Legion of Honour The Na ...
, 1902–1904 * Philema Lemaire, August 1904 – April 1905 *
Joseph Pascal François Joseph Pascal François (1853-1914) was Governor General for various colonies in Second French Colonial Empire The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protectorates and mandate territories that came under French rule fro ...
, April 1905 – October 1906 * Gabriel Louis Angoulvant, October 1906 – 3 December 1907 *
Adrien Jules Jean Bonhoure Adrien Jules Jean Bonhoure (1860 - 1929) was a French governor of colonies of the French colonial empire, including Côte d'Ivoire, French Somaliland, Réunion, French India and French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Gol ...
, 1908–1909 *
Ernest Fernand Lévecque Ernest Fernand Lévecque (2 September 1852 – 4 July 1947) was a colonial administrator of a number of possessions of the French Colonial Empire. He was born in Beaurieux, Aisne département, France. Titles Held *Assemblée Nationale The ...
, 1909 – 9 July 1910 *
Alfred Albert Martineau Alfred Albert Martineau (18 December 1859 in Artins – 25 January 1945 in Varennes) was a notable historian and colonial administrator in the French Colonial Empire. He wrote extensively on colonial affairs and the history of French colonial exp ...
, 9 July 1910 – July 1911 *
Pierre Louis Alfred Duprat Pierre Louis Alfred Duprat was a governor in the early 20th century French Colonial Empire. Titles held See also * Colonial and Departmental Heads of Guadeloupe (Dates in italics indicate ''de facto'' continuation of office) No ...
, July 1911 – November 1913 *
Alfred Albert Martineau Alfred Albert Martineau (18 December 1859 in Artins – 25 January 1945 in Varennes) was a notable historian and colonial administrator in the French Colonial Empire. He wrote extensively on colonial affairs and the history of French colonial exp ...
, November 1913 – 29 June 1918 * Pierre Étienne Clayssen (acting), 29 June 1918 – 21 February 1919 *
Louis Martial Innocent Gerbinis (Dates in italics indicate ''de facto'' continuation of office) Note: currently, the prefect is not the true departmental head, which is the President of the General Council. The prefect is merely the representative of the national government. ...
, 21 February 1919 – 11 February 1926 * Henri Léo Eugène Lagroua (Acting), 11 February 1926 – 5 August 1926 *
Pierre Jean Henri Didelot Pierre Jean Henri Didelot (12 May 1870 in Paris – 30 October 1941 in Alpes-Maritimes). He was a colonial administrator in various colonies of the French Colonial Empire The French colonial empire () comprised the overseas colonies, protector ...
, 1926–1928 *
Robert Paul Marie de Guise Robert Paul Marie de Guise (5 June 1872 – 7 December 1940) was a colonial administrator in various colonies of the French Colonial Empire. While he was Governor of Guinea Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, ...
, 1928–1931 * François Adrien Juvanon, 1931–1934 *
Léon Solomiac Léon Solomiac (19 October 1873 in Cajarc – 10 May 1960 in Cannes) was a colonial administrator in various colonies of the French Colonial Empire. Life Solomiac was a son of a shopkeeper. In the course of his career in the French colonial ser ...
, August 1934 – 1936 * Horace Valentin Crocicchia, 1936–1938 *
Louis Alexis Étienne Bonvin Louis Alexis Étienne Bonvin (6 November 1886 in Montluçon (Allier) – 23 February 1946, Montluçon (Allier)) was a French diplomat and colonial official of the French Third Republic, who served as governor of French India between 1938 and 1946. ...
, 26 September 1938 – 1945 *
Nicolas Ernest Marie Maurice Jeandin Nicolas Ernest Marie Maurice Jeandin was Governor General of Pondicherry Pondicherry (), now known as Puducherry ( French: Pondichéry ʊdʊˈtʃɛɹi(listen), on-dicherry, is the capital and the most populous city of the Union Territory ...
, 1945–1946 *
Charles François Marie Baron Charles François Marie Baron was Governor (later High Commissioner) of French India from March 1946 to May 1949. References Titles French colonial governors and administrators Governors of French India {{France-diplomat-stub ...
, 20 March 1946 – 20 August 1947 French India became an
Overseas territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...
(french: territoire d'outre-mer) of France in 1946.


Commissioners

*
Charles François Marie Baron Charles François Marie Baron was Governor (later High Commissioner) of French India from March 1946 to May 1949. References Titles French colonial governors and administrators Governors of French India {{France-diplomat-stub ...
, 20 August 1947 – May 1949 *
Charles Chambon Charles Chambon was high commissioner of French India French India, formally the ( en, French Settlements in India), was a French colony comprising five geographically separated enclaves on the Indian Subcontinent that had initially been ...
, May 1949 – 31 July 1950 *
André Ménard André Ménard (14 February 1907 in Blois, France – 4 November 1988 in Paris, France) was a Governor General in the French colonial empire in the 20th century. Significant events During his reign, the coup d'État de Yanaon happened on 13 Jun ...
, 31 July 1950 – October 1954 *
Georges Escargueil Georges may refer to: Places *Georges River, New South Wales, Australia *Georges Quay (Dublin) * Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania Other uses * Georges (name) * ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas * "Georges" (song), a 19 ...
, October 1954 – 1 November 1954 French India ''
de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...
'' transferred to the Republic of India in 1954.


High Commissioners

The first High Commissioner, Kewal Singh was appointed immediately after the ''Kizhoor referendum'' on 21 October 1954 as per Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1947. The Chief Commissioner had the powers of the former French commissioner, but was under the direct control of the Union Government. The list of Chief Commissioners is given below


See also

*
Apostolic Prefecture of French Colonies in India The Apostolic Prefecture of French Colonies in India (sometimes confusingly called 'of Pondicherry') was an exempt pre-diocesan jurisdiction for Latin Catholic missions in the colonial enclaves constituting French India. History In 1777 it was ...
(Catholic mission) *
British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was him ...
* Colonial India *
Coup d'état of Yanaon The Coup d'état of Yanaon (Yanam) was a tense but ultimately non-lethal political coup at Yanam, India, in 1954. It occurred as India and France held ongoing negotiations regarding the future of French settlements in India. Yanam, along with P ...
* Danish India *
Dutch India Dutch India consisted of the settlements and trading posts of the Dutch East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. It is only used as a geographical definition, as there was never a political authority ruling all Dutch India. Instead, Dutc ...
* Municipal administration in French India * Portuguese India


Notes


References


Bibliography

* Sudipta Das (1992). ''Myths and realities of French imperialism in India, 1763–1783''. New York: P. Lang. . 459pp.


External links


Frenchbooksonindia.com, an open access multilingual discovery tool with book data from 1531 to 2020, full-text ebooks from 1531 to 1937 and in-text search from c. 1830 to c. 1920
* V. Sankaran
''Freedom struggle in Pondicherry''
– Gov't of India publication {{Authority control 1769 establishments in French India 1954 disestablishments in French India Colonial India Colonial Kerala Former colonies in Asia Former countries in South Asia France–India relations States and territories established in 1769