Anglo-Mysore Wars (1767–1799)

About the Anglo-Mysore Wars

·       The Anglo-Mysore Wars were four major military conflicts fought between the Kingdom of Mysore and the English East India Company during the second half of the eighteenth century.

·       These wars were fought in 1767–69, 1780–84, 1790–92 and 1799. They represented one of the strongest challenges to British expansion in southern India.

·       The struggle began during the rise of Hyder Ali and continued under his son Tipu Sultan. Mysore attempted to remain an independent and powerful state, while the Company sought to expand its territorial and commercial influence in South India.

·       The first three wars did not completely eliminate Mysore’s resistance, but the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War of 1799 ended with the death of Tipu Sultan and the effective establishment of British supremacy over Mysore.

The Wadiyar Dynasty

·       The Wodeyar, or Wadiyar, dynasty had ruled Mysore since the sixteenth century and gradually established Mysore as an important regional power in southern India.

·       Under rulers such as Kanthirava Narasaraja and Chikka Deva Raja, Mysore developed into a significant state. However, during the eighteenth century, the authority of the Wodeyar ruler weakened as powerful ministers and military commanders gained greater influence.

·       This political situation created an opportunity for Hyder Ali, a talented military commander, to rise rapidly within the Mysorean state.

Rise of Hyder Ali

·       Hyder Ali entered Mysore’s military service and gradually rose through the ranks because of his military ability, administrative skills and understanding of contemporary warfare.

·       By 1761, he had emerged as the effective ruler of Mysore, while the Wodeyar ruler was reduced largely to a nominal position.

·       Hyder Ali expanded Mysore’s territory and strengthened its military organisation. He also recognised the importance of European military technology, artillery and disciplined infantry.

·       His expansion brought Mysore into conflict with the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the British, eventually leading to the four Anglo-Mysore Wars.

First Anglo-Mysore War (1767–1769)

Background

·       By the 1760s, Hyder Ali had emerged as a powerful ruler in southern India. His expansion created anxiety among the British, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas.

·       The British East India Company entered into an arrangement with the Nizam of Hyderabad against Hyder Ali. However, the Nizam later withdrew from the conflict, leaving the British to face Mysore more directly.

Causes

·   Expansion of Mysore

o   Hyder Ali’s territorial expansion threatened the interests of neighbouring powers, particularly the Marathas and the Nizam.

o   The British also regarded the growing strength of Mysore as a potential threat to their interests in the Carnatic and southern India.

·   British Fear of a Strong Regional Power

o   The Company wanted to prevent the emergence of a powerful independent state that could restrict British territorial and commercial expansion in the south.

·   Rivalry among Indian Powers

o   The political rivalry among Mysore, the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad created opportunities for British intervention.

o   The British initially attempted to exploit these rivalries by forming alliances against Hyder Ali.

·   Course and Result

o   The alliance against Hyder Ali gradually broke down as the Nizam withdrew and Hyder Ali succeeded in diplomatically isolating the British.

o   Hyder Ali took the offensive and advanced towards Madras, placing considerable pressure on the Company.

o   The British were compelled to negotiate, resulting in the Treaty of Madras in 1769.

Treaty of Madras, 1769

o   The treaty provided for the restoration of territories captured during the war by both sides.

o   The British and Hyder Ali also agreed to mutual assistance in the event of an attack by a third power.

o   Thus, the First Anglo-Mysore War ended without a decisive territorial victory for either side, but Hyder Ali demonstrated that Mysore could successfully challenge the British.

Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780–1784)

Background

·       The Treaty of Madras did not permanently resolve the rivalry between Mysore and the British.

·       Hyder Ali became increasingly distrustful of British intentions, particularly after the Company failed to provide the expected military assistance to Mysore during conflicts with the Marathas.

·       At the same time, the wider Anglo-French rivalry affected Indian politics. The British capture of the French-controlled port of Mahé, which was important for the supply of French arms to Mysore, further angered Hyder Ali.

Causes

·   British Failure to Honour the Treaty of Madras

o   Hyder Ali believed that the British had failed to provide the assistance promised under the earlier treaty.

o   This increased his hostility towards the Company.

·   British Capture of Mahé

o   The British captured Mahé in 1779, a French settlement on the Malabar Coast through which Mysore received military supplies.

o   Hyder Ali regarded Mahé as being under his protection and considered the British action a direct challenge.

·   Formation of an Anti-British Coalition

o   Hyder Ali attempted to unite the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad and the French against the British.

o   His objective was to prevent the Company from becoming the dominant power in southern India.

·   British Expansion in South India

o   The Company’s continuing expansion around the Madras Presidency threatened Mysore’s territorial and strategic interests.

Course and Result

o   In 1780, Hyder Ali launched a major offensive against the British and achieved important victories, including the famous Battle of Pollilur, where a British force under Colonel William Baillie suffered a major defeat.

o   The British subsequently reorganised their military operations under commanders such as Sir Eyre Coote.

o   The war continued for several years, but Hyder Ali died in December 1782. His son, Tipu Sultan, succeeded him and continued the war against the British.

o   Eventually, both sides agreed to peace through the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784.

Treaty of Mangalore, 1784

·       The treaty restored the territories captured by both sides during the conflict and broadly restored the status quo ante bellum.

·       The treaty was significant because it represented one of the rare occasions when the British East India Company had to negotiate peace with an Indian power without securing major territorial gains.

Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790–1792)

Background

·       After becoming ruler in 1782, Tipu Sultan continued his father’s policy of resisting British expansion.

·       Tipu strengthened Mysore’s military capabilities and maintained diplomatic relations with foreign powers, including the French.

·       The immediate crisis arose from Mysore’s conflict with Travancore, a state that enjoyed British support.

Causes

·   Tipu Sultan’s Attack on Travancore

o   Tipu Sultan attacked the Travancore Lines in 1789–90.

o   Travancore was an ally of the British, and the British used Tipu’s action as the immediate justification for war.

·   British Fear of Tipu Sultan

o   Tipu had emerged as one of the strongest rulers in South India.

o   His military reforms, territorial ambitions and diplomatic contacts with the French made the British increasingly concerned about the possibility of a strong anti-British power in the south.

·   Formation of a British Coalition

o   Lord Cornwallis successfully brought the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas into the British camp.

o   This deprived Tipu of the possibility of facing the British alone and created a powerful coalition against Mysore.

Course and Result

o   The British initially faced resistance from Tipu, but Lord Cornwallis personally took command of the campaign.

o   The British captured Bangalore in 1791 and subsequently advanced towards Seringapatam, Tipu’s capital.

o   Faced with the combined strength of the British, Marathas and Nizam, Tipu was compelled to negotiate.

o   The war ended with the Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792.

Treaty of Seringapatam, 1792

The treaty was highly disadvantageous to Tipu Sultan.

1. Tipu ceded approximately half of his territories to the victorious alliance.
2. The British obtained territories such as Malabar, Baramahal and Dindigul, strengthening their position along the western and southern approaches to Mysore.
3. The Marathas received territories around the Tungabhadra and its tributaries, while the Nizam obtained territories extending from the Krishna towards the Pennar.
4. Tipu was required to pay a war indemnity of about ₹3 crore.
5. As security for the payment, two of Tipu Sultan’s sons were handed over as hostages to the British until the terms were fulfilled.

·       The treaty severely weakened Mysore but did not destroy Tipu Sultan’s state. He remained an independent ruler and continued to resist British expansion.

Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799)

Background

·       After the Treaty of Seringapatam, Tipu attempted to rebuild the strength of Mysore.

·       The arrival of Lord Wellesley as Governor-General in 1798 marked a more aggressive phase of British expansion.

·       Wellesley was determined to prevent Indian states from maintaining independent diplomatic relations with European powers, particularly France.

Causes

·   Tipu Sultan’s Relations with France

o   Tipu maintained diplomatic relations with the French and sought their assistance against the British.

o   The British regarded the possibility of a Franco-Mysorean alliance as a serious strategic threat, particularly in the context of the wider rivalry between Britain and France.

·   Wellesley’s Expansionist Policy

o   Lord Wellesley wanted to bring major Indian states under British influence through the Subsidiary Alliance system.

o   Tipu refused to accept British demands that would have significantly restricted Mysore’s independence.

·   British Fear of French Influence: Tipu’s diplomatic contacts with revolutionary France and the arrival of French volunteers in Mysore provided Wellesley with a justification for military intervention.

·   Isolation of Mysore

o   Wellesley successfully strengthened British alliances with the Nizam of Hyderabad and sought to prevent Tipu from obtaining effective support from other Indian powers.

o   The Nizam had already entered into a Subsidiary Alliance with the British, further strengthening the Company’s position against Mysore.

Course of the War

·       The British launched a major invasion of Mysore from different directions.

·       The main British army under General George Harris advanced from the Madras side, while forces from the Bombay Presidency also participated.

·       Tipu Sultan offered determined resistance, but Mysore was heavily outnumbered and diplomatically isolated.

·       The British eventually besieged Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore.

·       On 4 May 1799, British forces captured Seringapatam and Tipu Sultan was killed while defending his capital.

Result of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War

·   Death of Tipu Sultan: The death of Tipu Sultan ended the most determined phase of Mysorean resistance to British expansion.

·   End of Independent Mysorean Resistance: Mysore was no longer capable of acting as an independent major power in southern India.

·   Restoration of the Wodeyar Dynasty: The British restored the Wodeyar dynasty to the throne of Mysore. However, the restored ruler had to accept the Subsidiary Alliance, which brought Mysore under strong British political and military influence.

·   Territorial Changes: The remaining territories of Tipu’s kingdom were reorganised among the victorious powers, with the British gaining strategically important areas.

·   End of French Political Prospects in Mysore: The defeat of Tipu also removed the possibility of a strong Franco-Mysorean partnership developing into a major challenge to British power in southern India.

Overall Consequences of the Anglo-Mysore Wars

·   British Supremacy in South India

o   The four wars gradually transformed the balance of power in southern India.

o   By 1799, the British had effectively eliminated Mysore as an independent challenge to their expansion.

·   Decline of Mysore as a Major Power

o   Mysore lost substantial territory and political autonomy during the Third and Fourth Wars.

o   The state that had emerged as a major power under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan was reduced to a subordinate princely state under British influence.

·   Expansion of British Territory

o   The British acquired strategically important territories and strengthened their control over the Malabar Coast and the southern Deccan.

o   Strengthening of the Subsidiary Alliance System

o   The settlement after 1799 demonstrated how military victory could be followed by diplomatic control.

o   Instead of directly annexing the whole of Mysore, the British placed the restored Wodeyar ruler under the Subsidiary Alliance system, allowing the Company to exercise decisive influence while retaining a nominal Indian monarchy.

·   Weakening of French Influence

o   Tipu’s defeat also reduced the possibility of French intervention in South Indian politics.

o   This strengthened Britain’s position in the broader Anglo-French imperial rivalry.

Why Did the British Ultimately Defeat Mysore?

·       The British were able to build powerful alliances. During the Third and Fourth Wars, they secured the support or neutrality of major regional powers, particularly the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas.

·       The Company possessed stronger financial resources. The revenues obtained from Bengal after Plassey and Buxar provided the Company with resources to maintain large armies and conduct prolonged campaigns.

·       The British possessed strong military organisation and naval resources. Their Presidency armies, European officers, artillery and logistical networks gave them significant advantages in sustained warfare. NIOS notes that the Company’s armies were organised around the Presidencies of Bengal, Madras and Bombay.

·       British diplomacy was crucial. The Company repeatedly exploited rivalries among Indian states rather than confronting every regional power simultaneously.

·       Finally, Mysore’s diplomatic isolation became decisive by 1799. Tipu faced the British without an effective coalition comparable to the one available to the Company.

Tipu Sultan

Tipu Sultan (1750–1799) was the son of Haidar Ali and an important ruler of Mysore. Born in November 1750, he was a skilled warrior and is popularly known as the “Tiger of Mysore.” He continued his father’s policy of strengthening Mysore and resisting British expansion.

Education and Personality

• Tipu Sultan was a well-educated ruler who was fluent in Arabic, Persian, Kanarese and Urdu.
• He showed considerable interest in military affairs, science, technology, economic development and diplomacy.

Military Reforms

• Like Haidar Ali, Tipu gave great importance to maintaining an efficient and well-organised military force.
• He organised his army broadly on the European model, while using Persian words of command.
• He employed French officers to train his soldiers, but ensured that they did not develop into an independent pressure group within the Mysorean state.

Naval Development

• Tipu understood the strategic importance of developing a naval force to counter European maritime power.
• In 1796, he established a Board of Admiralty and planned a fleet consisting of 22 battleships and 20 large frigates.
• He established three dockyards at Mangalore, Wajedabad and Molidabad, although his plans for a strong navy could not be fully implemented.

Science and Technology

• Tipu Sultan was a patron of science and technology and is often regarded as a pioneer of rocket technology in India.
• Mysorean forces developed and used iron-cased rockets, which were employed effectively against British forces.
• Tipu also prepared a military manual describing the operation of rockets, showing his systematic interest in military technology.
• He promoted sericulture in Mysore, contributing to the development of silk production in the state.

Tipu Sultan and the French

• Tipu Sultan was an active diplomat and sought French support in his struggle against British expansion.
• In 1797, he supported French soldiers at Seringapatam in establishing a Jacobin Club.
• He became associated with the club and accepted the title “Citizen Tipu.”
• He also permitted the planting of the Tree of Liberty at Seringapatam, reflecting the influence of the ideas associated with the French Revolution.

Overall Assessment

Tipu Sultan attempted to strengthen Mysore through military modernisation, technological innovation, naval planning, economic development and international diplomacy. His resistance to British expansion made him one of the most significant opponents of the East India Company in eighteenth-century India. He was killed defending Seringapatam in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799.

Conclusion

The Anglo-Mysore Wars were a prolonged struggle between an ambitious Indian power and an expanding colonial Company. Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan demonstrated remarkable military resistance, but British resources, alliances and diplomacy gradually weakened Mysore. The death of Tipu in 1799 marked a decisive stage in British supremacy in South India.

FAQs

Q1. How many Anglo-Mysore Wars were fought?
Four Anglo-Mysore Wars were fought in 1767–69, 1780–84, 1790–92 and 1799.

Q2. Who was the most important ruler of Mysore during these wars?
Hyder Ali led Mysore during the First and most of the Second War, while his son Tipu Sultan continued the struggle and led Mysore during the Third and Fourth Wars.

Q3. Which treaty ended the First Anglo-Mysore War?
The Treaty of Madras (1769) ended the First Anglo-Mysore War and provided for restoration of captured territories and mutual assistance against external attacks.

Q4. Which treaty ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War?
The Treaty of Mangalore (1784) ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War and broadly restored the status quo before the conflict.

Q5. What was the most important consequence of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War?
The death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the defeat of independent Mysorean resistance, and the restoration of the Wodeyar dynasty under British influence marked a decisive consolidation of British supremacy in South India.