A review of the book 'Glorious Failure: The Forgotten History of French Imperialism in India' written by Robert Ivermee.
Exploding the myth of a benign French presence on the subcontinent, Robert Ivermee's extensive research reveals how France's Indian empire relied on war-making, conquest, opportunistic alliances, regime change and slavery to pursue its ambitions.
From great power rivalry to informal empire and entrenched inequalities, Glorious Failure tackles topics that remain vital and urgent in today's world.
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Coming up: A review of the book 'Glorious Failure: The Forgotten History of French Imperialism in India' written by Robert Ivermee.
Namaste Friends. My name is 'Shinil Subramanian Payamal' and you are listening to the Historylogy podcast.
Before I proceed, a full disclosure: This book was bought with my own money and not been provided to me by the author or publisher.
Little bit about the author:
Robert Ivermee is a historian of British and wider European colonialism in South Asia. He is Associate Professor at Sciences Po Grenoble, France. His other books include Hooghly: The Global History of a River.
Let me read a brief description of the book:
QUOTE
FROM WAR WITH THE BRITISH TO THE ENSLAVEMENT OF INDIANS, IVERMEE UNCOVERS THE DARK HISTORY OF FRANCE'S DOOMED IMPERIAL PROJECT IN SOUTH ASIA.
This is a powerful new account of a chapter in history that is crucial to understand, yet often overlooked. For 150 years, from the reign of Louis XIV to the downfall of Napoleon, France was an aggressive imperial power in South Asia, driven by the pursuit of greatness and riches. Through their East India company and state, the French established a far-reaching empire in India, only to see their dominant position undermined by conflict with Indian rulers, competition from other European nations, and a series of fatal strategic errors.
Exploding the myth of a benign French presence on the subcontinent, Robert Ivermee's extensive research reveals how France's Indian empire relied on war-making, conquest, opportunistic alliances, regime change and slavery to pursue its ambitions. He considers influential French figures' reactions to the collapse of the imperial project, not least their deployment of new ideas, like freedom and the rights of man, to justify fresh ventures of domination—even as colonial authorities failed to acknowledge the equality of French India's diverse indigenous peoples, both before and after the French Revolution.
From great power rivalry to informal empire and entrenched inequalities, Glorious Failure tackles topics that remain vital and urgent in today's world.
UNQUOTE
Robert Ivermee's Glorious Failure is a compelling and timely addition to the historiography of European colonialism in South Asia. The book moves chronologically from the 17th-century foundations of the Compagnie des Indes Orientales in 1664 under Jean-Baptiste Colbert and Louis XIV to the final decolonization of Pondichéry in 1954. This period deserves far more attention than it has received.
The narrative spans centuries—from early trade ventures to Napoleonic schemes—placing French India within a wider global context that includes Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Atlantic world. It highlights connections between imperial expansion and slave trading networks, an aspect often ignored in traditional histories.
Ivermee emphasizes a historical irony: the British "strategy" for taking over India was actually a French invention. He provides a nuanced look at Joseph François Dupleix, the Governor-General who pioneered the system of "subsidiary alliances".
Dupleix was the first to realize that Europeans could dominate by placing their own troops at the disposal of Indian rulers in exchange for land and revenue. While the French lacked the consistent domestic support from Paris to sustain this, the British East India Company adopted Dupleix’s blueprint and used it to dismantle the Mughal Empire.
For the British, India was the "Jewel in the Crown"—the economic engine of their global power. For the French, especially after the Treaty of Paris (1763) limited their military presence, the Indian outposts became symbols of national honor. Ivermee notes that the French stayed in India long after it stopped being profitable simply because leaving would signal a final defeat to the British.
Despite moments of dramatic success—the French ultimately failed to establish lasting dominance, largely due to strategic missteps, limited support from France, and shifting global politics; the title “Glorious Failure” captures this paradox well.
The author talks about how French outposts (Pondichéry, Chandernagore, Mahé, Yanam, and Karikal) served as hubs for radical thought, refuge for Indian nationalists (like Sri Aurobindo), and a constant ideological alternative to British rule.
The narrative is engaging and accessible, blending high-level geopolitical analysis with vivid accounts of key events, individuals, and their human costs.
One does get the feeling of the book trying to cover too much. By compressing a vast, multi-century history into a single volume, the narrative can feel rushed and fragmented, jumping quickly between events and regions.
Final Verdict:
Glorious Failure succeeds in reframing French imperialism as a serious and often brutal enterprise rather than a historical footnote. For history buffs this is an essential "missing piece" of the puzzle. It challenges the inevitability of British rule and shows how easily the map of India could have looked very different.
I give this book 4.25/5.
A special mention to the beautiful 20 colour plates featuring pictures of places like Calicut along with maps of Pondicherry, Mahe, Chandernagore and personalities like Louis XIV, Aurangzeb, Dupleix, and people of the Coromandel coast doing their day to day activities.
I shall conclude this review with an elaborate excerpt of historian Vasudeoshastri Khare and I request you, the listener, to introspect and contemplate this. Vasudeoshastri says:
QUOTE
“How did the English take our Pune-Satara and why were we not able to take their Madras-Calcutta? Not an iota of national pride, lack of ability to work together unitedly, limitless greed for selfish resources, laziness, disregard, the habit of going by others’ thinking, and other vices, are rampant and well established in our society and they have led to the downfall of our kingdom. An eastern kingdom so weakened by such flaws cannot last in opposition to any advanced western nation. Had Hindustan not been taken by the English, it would definitely have been taken by the French. When two vessels clash against each other, it is certain which one of them will break, the clay one or the metal one! The present circumstances are such that one can either compete with the westerners or then serve under them! It is the same in politics, business, arts, and science. If we have the guts to compete with the westerners, then we must shed our vices. Earlier, we had an independent kingdom and we lost it because of these failings. If we do not understand this and become alert, achieving new independence will also be futile, this wisdom taught by history must continue to echo in our ears.”
UNQUOTE
In short, the struggle for India was essentially an European duel fought on Indian soil.
The book is currently available in Hardcover, Paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon India and is yet to be made available in Audible format. I have given the respective buy link in the show notes. Please check it out for the latest price.
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