Mysorean Invasion and Growth of British Power

Mysorean invasion and the growth of British power is one of the important topics that you have to learn under the Indian history section for any competitive exam preparation. There were four Anglo-Mysore wars fought between the British East India Company and the state of Mysore. Both these powers were fighting to establish their supremacy in Kerala. Let us look into some key points regarding these invasions.

Mysorean Invasion and Growth of British Power: Summary

The invasion starts at the time of Hyder Ali. He was keen to interfere in the politics of Kerala. The invasion is said to be encouraged by the desire to access very profitable ports bordering the Indian Ocean. Hyder Ali and later Tipu Sultan managed to gain rule over the Malabar region. Kochin was also made to accept suzerainty. Then Tipu Sultan marched to Travancore. The strong fortification, adverse climatic conditions and attack on his capital by the British forced him to retreat. Later Tipu Sultan was killed in the fourth war of Mysore. Mysore came completely under British rule after that.

Key Points for Exams

• Tipu Sultan was known as Mysore Tiger or Sher-e-Mysore
• His capital was in Srirangapattanam
• He was attracted to Republican ideas given by the Jacobian Club
• Due to this inspiration, he plated the Tree of Liberty or Jacobian Tree in his state
• He also joined the Jacobian Club
• The sultan allowed to hoist the French flag in his capital
• Tipu called himself ‘citizen Tipu’
• He was the first ruler to use rocket technology in India
• In his book Fut-Ul-Mujahudin, he talks about this technology
• The Lal-Bagh’s construction in Bangalore was started by Hyder Ali but completed by Tipu
• His tomb is situated in Mysore
• He built Sultan Batheri fort.
• The provincial capital of Malabar during Tipu’s rule was Farookh town.

Mysorean Invasion and Growth of British Power

Some important points about the invasion by the state of Mysore on Kerala and the invasion of the British on the state of Mysore are discussed below.

Kerala Invasion by Hyder Ali

• Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore.
• He took over the throne after overthrowing Mysorean king Krishnaraja Wodeyar II.
• Then he started expanding his empire by conquering the Kingdoms of Bednur, Canara, Sunda and Sera.
• Hyder Ali was first invited to invade Kerala by the king of Palakkad. Both these rulers’ armies together defeated Calicut’s army. Zamorin reaches a treaty with Hyder Ali. He was required to pay twelve lakh rupees as war reparations. But Zamorin refused to pay after the army returned to Mysore.

Annexation of Malabar

• Ali Rajah of Cannanore was impressed by Hyder Ali’s conquests and invited him to invade Kerala and deal with Zamorin.
• They together defeat Kolathiri Raja.
• Soon Kingdoms of Chirakkal (former Kolathunad), Kadathanad, Kottayam, Calicut, Palakkad and Valluvanad were under Mysore.
• Travancore provided political asylum to many refugees from the Malabar region.
• Hyder Ali marched towards the south in 1774. Kochi agreed to pay tribute but Travancore refused to do so. This is the cause of the third Anglo-Mysore war.

Anglo Mysore Wars

Anglo-Mysore wars are a very important topic for many competitive exams. These wars were fought between the English East India Company and the sultans of Mysore. There were four wars. Let us discuss the important and PYQ-based points in this section here.

First Anglo-Mysore War

• The war was between 1767 to 1769.
• A tripartite alliance was formed against Hyder Ali.
• This consisted of the British, the Nizam and the Marathas.
• Haider Ali paid the Nizam to be neutral and made peace with the Marathas too.
• He attacked Madras in the year 1769 and forced the British to sign a treaty.

Aftermath of the First Anglo-Mysore War

• Thus, the victor of the First Anglo-Mysore War is Hyder Ali.
• Thus, the First Anglo-Mysore War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Madras in 4^th April 1769.

Second Anglo-Mysore War

• The war took place between the years 1780 and 1784.
• The American War of Independence broke out during the initial period.
• In this war, the French and English were on opposing sides.
• The English forces in India seized Mahi and other French settlements here in 1778. But these places were under the protection of Hyder Ali.
• This led to the Second Anglo-Mysore War. It began with Hyder Ali’s attack on Carnatic and capture of Arcot.
• He tried to form an anti-British alliance with Nizam and Marathas.
• But Sir Eyre Coote deters the formation of such an alliance.

The Aftermath of the Second Anglo-Mysore War

• Hyder Ali lost at Port Novo in the November of 1781.
• He died in 1784. The rest of the battle was led by his son Tipu Sultan.
• Tipu Sultan signed the Treaty of Mangalore in March 1784.
• According to the treaty, both sides had to give back the areas they captured from each other.

Third Anglo-Mysore War

• The war took place from 1790 to 1792.
• Tipu decided to attack the Kingdom of Travancore in 1790. This is what triggered the third Anglo-Mysore war.
• English sided with Travancore and resisted the attack.
• Tipu Sultan defeated the English army under General Meadows in 1790.
• The British Governor General during the third Anglo-Mysore war was Lord Cornwallis. He marched to Srirangapattinam in 1791.
• He attacked the capital. He also had help from the side of Marathas and Nizam.
• The British were able to defeat Tipu Sultan.
• The Treaty of Sreerangapattinam was signed.

Aftermath of the Third Anglo-Mysore War

• Malabar, Coorg, Dindigal and Baramahal went to the British according to the treaty.
• The regions around the Tungabadhra River and its tributaries went to Marathas.
• The regions from Krishna to beyond Pennar went to the Nizam.
• War damage of three crore rupees was also taken from Tipu Sultan by the British.
• Two sons of Tipu Sultan were taken as Hostages by the British. They were released only after all the terms of the Treaty of Srirangapattinam were fulfilled by Tipu Sultan.

Fourth Anglo-Mysore War

• The ruler from the Wodeyar Dynasty died in 1796. Tipu who was the de facto ruler now declares himself as sultan.
• Lord Wellesley succeeds Sir John Shore as the new Governor-General.
• He became concerned about the growing friendship between Tipu Sultan and the French.
• These days the British used to offer subsidiary alliances to Kingdoms. Even though it seems to be beneficial it slowly degrades the independent functioning of the state.
• Lord Wellesley made a subsidiary alliance with Nizam. He asked Tipu Sultan to accept the same. But he refused.
• This refusal and growing relationship with the French were a threat the British could not ignore.
• The war started on 17^th April 1799.
• Mysore was attacked by the British, Marathas and Nizam of Hyderabad from all four sides.

Aftermath of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War

• Tipu is first defeated by English General Stuart and then by General Haris.
• The war ended on 4^th May 1799 with the fall of capital Srirangapattinam.
• This is the same day in which Tipu Sultan was killed.
• British took over the territory of Mysore after this.
• They throned Kirshnaraja III from the Wodeyar family and imposed a subsidiary alliance system on them.
• Wellesley offered Soonda and Harponelly to the Marathas first but later denied it.
• The districts of Gooty and Gurramkonda were given to Nizam.
• English took control over Kanara, Wayanad, Coimbatore, Dwaraporam and Srirangapattinam.
• William Bentick took over the ruler of Mysore in 1831 stating misgovernance.
• Lord Rippon Resotred the kingdom to the ruler in 1881.

Mysorean Invasion and Growth of British Power: Quiz PDF

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Mysorean Invasion and Growth of British Power Quiz

1. Which ruler was attracted to the Jacobian Club’s ideals and planted the tree of liberty in their state?

• Hyder Ali
• Nizam of Hyderabad
• Ali Raja
• Tipu Sultan

2. Which is the book written by Tipu Sultan discussing rocket technology?

• Fut-Ul-Mujahudin
• Fut-Hul-Mubeen
• Tuh-Fat-Ul- Mujahudin
• Aini Akbari

3. Which was the treaty that ended the first Anglo-Mysore war?

• Treaty of Srirangapattinam
• Treaty of Madras
• Treaty of Malabar
• Treaty of Mangalore

4. Which was the treaty that ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War?

• Treaty of Srirangapattinam
• Treaty of Madras
• Treaty of Malabar
• Treaty of Mangalore

5. Which was the treaty that ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War?

• Treaty of Srirangapattinam
• Treaty of Madras
• Treaty of Malabar
• Treaty of Mangalore

6. What triggered the Second Anglo-Mysore War?

• Attack on Arcot by Hyder Ali
• Attack on Mahe by British
• Attack on Travancore by Tipu sultan
• Refusal of a subsidiary alliance by the British and friendship with the French by Tipu Sultan

7. What triggered the Third Anglo-Mysore War?

• Attack on Arcot by Hyder Ali
• Attack on Mahe by British
• Attack on Travancore by Tipu sultan
• Refusal of a subsidiary alliance by the British and friendship with France by Tipu Sultan

8. What triggered the fourth Anglo-Mysore war?

• Attack on Arcot by Hyder Ali
• Attack on Mahe by British
• Attack on Travancore by Tipu sultan
• Tipu Sultan’s refusal of the subsidiary alliance extended by the British

9. Who was the governor general during the time of the Fourth Anglo Mysore War?

• Lord Wellesley
• Lord Rippon
• Lord Litton
• Sir John Shore

10. When was Tipu Sultan killed during the war?

• 4^th May 1799
• 5^th May 1799
• 4^th March 1799
• 4^th May 1798

Quiz Answers

1. Tipu Sultan
2. Fut-Ul-Mujahudin
3. Treaty of Madras
4. Treaty of Mangalore
5. Treaty of Srirangapattinam
6. Attack on Mahe by British
7. Attack on Travancore by Tipu sultan
8. Refusal of subsidiary alliance by Tipu sultan
9. Lord Wellesley
10. 4^th May 1799