DUPLEI%, du'p1:1'. .losErn Fa.(xcoec, tlar quis (1G97-1764). A French colonnial I overuor General, celebrated as the opponent of British suprenmcy in India. lle was born at Lan drceies, a town nut far Irvin Vnlenciennes..lan uary 1, 1697, and was cart-hn1lv educated by his father, a rich farnier-geucral. ire made several voyage. to America and India, which emigendered a remarkable aptitude for busine s cerierprise. In 1720 lie went as number of the Superior Council to Pouliclierry_ where he soon gained a large pri vate fortune. In 1731 he proceeded to Chander nagar as Intendant, and in four years, by his energetic and prudent uncarures, backed by his own capital• had eon•ertud that "decoyed and lifeless" town into a tluriving port. Iris sue eess received due recognition and in 1743 he re ceived time position and title of "General Com mandant of the French possessions in India." IIe soon di-closed tlne gemiius of an empire-builder, with splendid schemes for territorial acquisition,' in which lie w:a ably seconded by his wife. Jeanne Albert de Castro. celebrated in lmidian an nals as .Joanna Be-gum, the 'Princess Joanna.' His efforts, however, to form alliances and to strengthen his position received little support from the French East India (omllpany or the French Government: he was ordered to cease all outlay on the fortification of Pondicherry, but continued the work mainly at his own expense. In 1745 the struggle known a-s the War of the Austrian Succession, in which France and Eng land were arrayed against each other, extended to the Indian Peninsula. The English East India Company, alarmed at Dupleix's activity, had fortified Madras. At first the French were sue cessful: with the help of Labourdollmis, Gov ernor of the Isles of France and ]interbon. Dupleix repulsed an English attack under Commodore Barnett on Pondicherry, and in 1740 Madras was captured by Labourdonnai.s, but the results were owing to the mutual jealousies of that commander and 1)npleix. Dupleix refused to re
store Madras to the English according to a com pact of bribery entered into by Labonrdomnis, and sent the latter, on a charge of treason, to France. The same year Duplcix was ennobled. He was successful in several brilliant engage ments against the Nawab of the Carnatie, who had a personal grievance in connection with the retention of Madras: in 174S lee compelled Ad miral Boseawen to raise the siege of Pondicherry after an attack of five weeks. The peace of Aix la-Chapelle put an end to hostilities, and restored Madras to the English, much to Dupleix's cha grin, lie, nevertheless, eondiocd his pinns and negotiations for the subjection of southern India, and by 1751 the Deccan and the C'n mat ie were practically under French domination, amid Du I'hi xs dream of mini kimig the power of France paramount in India seemed realized. He was inadequately supported, however, and English activity under Lawrence and Clive (q.v.) soon gained the upper hand. Dnplv•ix's splendid work was ended by his recall to France in 1754.
For the company he had expended $1,200.090 of his private fortune. In addition lee had md vaneed large sums to his native allies on the security of the revenue of certain districts. Ile was never repaid. Neglected by his ungrateful country, the ablest statesman of Louis \V.'s reign was allowed to die in Brant and obscurity in Paris, November 10, 1764.
Consult: lalleson. Ito plei.r (Oxford, 1890) ; id., ffislory of the l'rench in India (London, IS( ) ; lhomine, I)uplei.r (L vols., Paris, ISS1) ; IIamonl, t'n rssui do l'empire frun;uis dens l'lndc an dLr-huitir'me sierlc; Dupbi.r d'verrs sit conrspondauce ineditc ( Paris, 1881 ) ; ()rnne, A History of thr .11i/itery 'Ira nsuclions of the /trit ish Xi: (ion in l nibs! an, from tlic qcur 17 1 (4th ed.. 3 viols.. London, IS((1) ; and compare t1acan1av's essay on t'/irc (London. ]R3Ul.