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Mysore War

Regular clashes between the Britishers and Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore led to the first Anglo Mysore War. However, it was just the beginning of a series a wars that followed between the British and the state of Mysore.

The agreement between Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore, and the Nizam in the year 1766 had become a major cause of concern for the British Government in India. The Nizam had agreed to provide troops to Hyder in order to defeat their common enemy. Soon the united armies of the two Indian States met the army of Colonel Smith with 50,000 men and 100 guns. However, the Britishers proved their military capability both at Chengam (1767) and in Tiruvannamalai. In such a situation, Hyder started pestering the British for peace. On the rejection of such requests he went on to force Colonel Smith to remove the siege of Bangalore. A treaty in April 1769 decided on mutual restitution and aid.

The main reason for the Second Anglo - Mysore War was the alliance between Hyder Ali and the French who were strict enemies of the British. When the French declared war against the British in the year 1778, the Britishers decided to overthrow the French from India. Hyder marched through the Ghats towards Conjeeveram. The British General Sir Hector Munro sent a small body of troops under Colonel Baillie. However, the entire force of Colonel Baillie was defeated by the Mysore army in 1780.
In the year 1783, the Britishers went on the capture Coimbatore and therefore none of the parties could gather all over victory. Thus the Mysore war came to an end in the year 1784 with the signing of the treaty of Mangalore.

The Third Mysore War was initiated by Tipu Sultan, the son of Hyder Ali and the ruler of Mysore. Tipu went on to attack the British protectorate of Travancore in the year 1789. The war which resulted in a defined defeat of Mysore ended after three years.

The Fourth Anglo Mysore War was induced by Napoleon's approach towards India and the fact that Mysore was a French ally. Although Napoleon failed to proceed with his plan the British troops marched into Srirangapatnam, the capital of Mysore. After a short tussle the British troops barged into the fort of Mysore and finally with the death of Tipu Sultan, Mysore came under British control.

Last Updated on 9/14/2011



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