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M.A. (HISTORY) PART–II PAPER–II : GROUP C, OPTION (i) HISTORY OF (1772–1818 A.D.) LESSON NO. 1.2 AUTHOR : PROF. RAJINDER SINGH

RISE OF From fifth to twelveth centuries, Mysore was ruled over by ancient Hindu of Kadambas, Gangas, Chalukyas and Hoysalas. Then, it became a part of the great Vijayanagar Kingdom. It was during the reign of Venkata II, one of the tail-end great rulers of the kingdom that Oedvar (Wodiar) 1577-1616 A... founded a separate in 1612 A.D. by seizing the fortress of and making it a seat of his government. The Vijaynagar Kingdom disintegrated soon afterwards and the rulers of Mysore extended their territories. during his viceroyalty of the Deccan and later during his reign tried hard to wipe out the Shia and the kingdom including the Mysore kingdom of Chikka Dev Raj (1761-64 A.D.) one of the successors of Wodiar. In pursuit of the troop of and the Maratha soldiers of , who had over-run the plateau of Mysore, the Mughals laid the territory waste. It was during this onslaught on the sovereignty of the Deccan kingdom what a soldier of fortune, Fateh (Haider 's father) by name, distinguished himself by his power. He became a Naik and then a Faujdar, but died fighting against Saadat Ullah , the of Arcot. His sons, Shahbaz (also called Ismail) and Haidar found employment in . Haider Ali : The man who raised Mysore, then a state of little account, to a power to be recokned with, was Haider Ali. It has been observed that his opponents (even the English) in their contests with him never succeeded. His pedigree and date of birth are disputed. Some analysts have tried to trace his descent to one Hasan, a Qureshi from Baghdad who migrated to Ajmer in India and thence the family moved to Gulbarga in the Deccan about the year 1678. Ali Muhammad, the grandfather of Haider had four sons, the youngest being Fateh Muhammad, the father of Haider Ali. As mentioned above, erose to become a Faujdar of Mysore and received Bulkoto as a . By his younger wife he had two sons, Shahbaaz and Haider and the latter by dint of his valour, and wisdom became in due course a formidable protege of Nanjraj, the Dalwai of Raja Chikka Krishnaraj of Mysore (1736-66 A.D.) This line of ancestory is not accepted by Wilks, who in his History of Southern India describes Haider Ali as a great grandson of Mohammad Bahlol, a devout Afghan (B.D. Basu says he was a faqir.) who in search of livelihood moved from the to Gulbarga in the Deccan. His son Ali Muhammad settled at Kalar in East Mysore. Fateh Muhammad was Ali's son and Haider Ali was Fateh's. 20 M.A. (History) Part-II 21 Paper-II

His exact date of birth too is conjectural. Some say it was 1717 while others place it at 1722. One thing, however, is certain that there flowed no royal blood in his veins and that he rose from the position of private soldier by virtue of his own entreprises and intelligence. Anglo-French Struggle for Supremacy In the contest for supremacy between the English and the French in the South Mysore come to involved because its Hindu Raja was a tributary at Qamar- ud-Din the Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah of , who died in 1718 A.D. The French took the side of Muzaffarjung the nephew while the English backed Nasirjung in the war of succession for Nizamat (popularly called the second Carnatic War. The Mysore troops under Shahbaz Khan and Haider Ali aided Dupleix, the French Governor. Haider Ali laid his hands on the late Nizam's treasures and paid a visit to , where he praised the discipline of the French troops and their engineering skill. In 1751 A.D. Nanjraj the Dalwai despatched him to co-operate with Muhammad Ali, the besiezed of Arcot who promised to cede Trichinopoly and to Mysore. Nanjraj was playing a double game, intriguing with the French and the British at the same time. When Muhammad Ali was rescued by Robert Clive, the former refused to give over Trichnopoly. Though foiled in his attempts to obtain it, he had yet displayed a high sense of loyalty to his patron, the Dalwai. Haider Ali returned to Mysore and was rewarded in 1755 A.D. with the Faujdari (military headship) of Din digul (now in the Madura district of ). "From this period it was his ambition to become the sole sovereign of Southern India.", writes B.D. Basu (Page 236). He employed French artificers from Pondicherry to prepare canons and ammunition. Being illiterate himself, he appointed a Maratha Khande Rao by name to keep his accounts and carry on correspondence. But although compelled to have recourse to this extraneous aid, Haider had a very keen memory, which added to his acute penetration made it difficult to deceive him. Mysore's wealth during the next five years, excited the avarice of Nizam Salabat Jung (under M.De. Busy protection) and the Maratha. Both extorted huge sums in tribute, leaving no money to pay to the troops, who were on the point of causing a mutiny. Haider Ali was summoned to meet the situation. He seized the ring leaders and compelled the Marathas under Gopal Hasi (sent by (1740–1760 A.D.) ro raise the seize of Bangalore in 1759 A.D. The grateful Raja conferred on him the "Fateh Haider Bahadur" and he returned to Seringapatam. Ruler of Mysore The Queen-mother intrigued with Khande Rao to release her son from the M.A. (History) Part-II 22 Paper-II custody of Nanjraj (Deoraj had already died ) as also of Haidar Ali. He invited the Marathas and Haider suffered reverses. But for their rout at the (1761 A.D.) and the recall of Maratha army under Siva Ji Pandit to Poona, Haider Ali might have been annihilated. He now ousted Nanjraj, defeated and caged Khande Rao. Now onwards he increased his power and added to his territory, Sira, Sunda, Ballapur, Raidurg, Chitaldurgh and Bedmore (renamed Haider ). His incursions into the Nizam's and Maratha territories provoked Madhav Rao, the new Peshwa (1761–72 A.D.) but compensated himself by conquering Malabar ()-Cochin, Palaghat and Calicut, etc. In 1766, Raja Chikka Krishnarj of Mysore died and Haider Ali who was now the virtual ruler, placed his eldest son Nauraj (1766-71 A.D.) as a puppet on the . The latter chafed under his tutelage, whereupon Haider plundered the and asserted the authority. He bribed the Marathas who tried to stall him (1767 A.D.) The First Anglo-Mysore War In the words of a French writer. "By steps rather slow but sustained, by a constant good fortune, he has formed a new power, comparable to torrent that upsets and destroyed all it meets on the way." This was too much for the rival powers struggling for supremacy in the Deccan to countenance with equanimity. These powers were the British, Nizam Ali of Hyderabad (1761–1803 A.D.) and the Maratha Confederacy under Peshwa Madhav Rao (1761–72 A.D.). In 1765 A.D., the Madras Council made an alliance with the Nizam, promising to support him against the Marathas and Haider Ali, though it was known that he was intriguing with Haider Ali against them, Soon he threw in his lot with him. Their combined armies attacked Col. Joseph Smith near the fort of Changama Pass and Trinomali in 1767 A.D. It was repulsed but Haider Ali besieged where Capt. Calverty held out till reinforcement reached him. At battle of Seringapatam, he narrowly escaped death but the horse under him was shot dead. The English sent Col. Peach to attack Nizam's territory, whereupon the latter parted company with Haider Ali and signed the Treaty of Masulipatum with the Council in 1768 A.D., "You have brought us into such a labyringth, of difficulties" that we do not see how we shall be extricated from them, "reprimanded the court of Directors. In the meantime, Col. Smith entered the capturing , and Hasur with the help of Morari Rao, a Maratha Chieftain. Haider Ali received the aid of the trained troops of his brother-in-law Ali Raza Khan and defeated Col. Wood. He was here, there and everywhere, harassing the enemy with his cavalry, and easily avoiding pursuit, while he had no hesitation in devastating the country to destroy all supplies of food, writes Lewing B. Bowring. He again M.A. (History) Part-II 23 Paper-II overwhelmed Wood near Hoser and deprived him of his heavy guns and ammunition. Timely relief by Major Fitzgerald saved him from disaster. Wood was recalled Haider Ali and his lieutenant Fazlullah Khan now advanced on Madras, seizing , , and districts south of the Ghats. Capt. Brooke was sent to negotiate peace. Talks fell through because Haider Ali set his face against offering any concessions. Mohammad Ali, the Nawab of Arcot–a protege of the English, who had all along proved treacherous to him. By a forced march of 130 miles, Haider Ali reached St. Thomas Mount, five miles from Madras and dictated terms to the English under the walls of the Presidency (March 29, 1769 A.D.). Haider Ali displayed his qualities as a strategist in war and diplomatic in his peace terms. The contracting parties to the Treaty agreed to mutual assistance against an enemy attack. Prisoners and places captured were to be restored. "If the beginning of the war was a political blunder", laments Lyall, "another worse one was made in ending it." A caricature was fixed to one of the gates of Fort St. George under Haider Ali's orders which depicted the Governor and Council of Madras bending on knees before the conqueror. The British Backout Haider Ali had hardly recouped when Peshwa Madhav Rao demanded share of booty from the extractions he had made from the Nizam's territory. On his refusal, the Marathas marched as far as Nijogal about 30 miles north west of Bangalore. Haider Ali invoked the British help under the terms of his treaty. "The Madras Presidency earned at once the bitter animosity of a relentless foe and incurred the discredit of repudiating their treaty obligations." (P.E. Roberts, page 170). Haider Ali had to make a humiliating peace with the Marathas in June 1772 A.D. He was suspected that his Raja Nanjraj was secretly in league with the British. He was strangled and replaced by his successor Peshwa was assassinated in 1773 A.D. The Marathas being engaged in war of succession, provided Haider Ali the time to recapture the territory he had ceded, win back Malabar and conquered Coorg. This was accomplished by 1774 A.D. The Second Anglo-Mysore War The British were engaged in the First Maratha War from 1775 and Anglo- French War from 1778 A.D. Haider Ali was waiting for such an opportunity to gratify his vindictiveness, against the British failure to honour the treaty of 1769 A.D. He had found the Madras Council shifty, intractible and unreliable and had felt exasperated at their shifts and subterfuges. As he told a British ambassador later, he was now determined to expunge the English name from the Carnatic. "He was indignant at the support the English gave to Muhammad Ali, the Nawab of Arcot, who always intrigued against Mysore, and kept the breach open between M.A. (History) Part-II 24 Paper-II him and the Madras government. Still he maintained friendly relations and made repeated efforts to remain at peace with them. He even spared the offer of a bilateral aid made by the Marathas from 1771 A.D. onwards. There were occasions when in the interst of the security of his state, Haider Ali would have been justified in resorting to arms. For instance, in 1778 A.D. when the British troops marched through his territory without seeking permission to occupy Guntur. Secondly, when they occupied Mahi a French settlement on the under his protection in March, 1779 A.D. The English tried to assuage his feelings by sending a secret embassy under Schwartz but the Madras government neither agreed to pay reparations nor made proper amends. He, therefore, accorded a cool reception to Mr. Gray who was sent later. Gray was treated as a spy rather as an envoy. Haider Ali sought help from M. Bellecombe, the French Governor of Pondichery and received stores and ammunition. This emboldened him. A grand alliance of Haider Ali Peshwa Raghu Nath Rao (commonly known as Raghoba) and Nizam Ali of Hyderabad was formed against the English. All the three had their sources to settle and now was the right time because the War of American Independence was on and the European enemies of England had formed a League of Armed Neturality to avenge her. A French naval fleet under Admiral by Sufferin, and an Indian affairs expert Busy were on the way to help Haider Ali and get back their former possession. Like "an avalanche carrying destruction with him, 'Haider Ali in July, 1780 came down on the plains of Carnatic, defeated Col. Baillie and seized Arcot. "The fortunes of the English in India had fallen to their lowest water mark" bewails Lyall. Munro, flung his into a tank . All seemed lost. Warren Hasting then entrusted Sir Eyre Coote, the victor of Wandiwash now nearly 60 years old "to stand forth and vindicate his own person the rights and honour of British arms. "He also won over Berar, Sindhia and Nizam to his side. But Haider Ali was not dismayed. He routed Col. Ballie who was forced to ask for quarter. Coote relieved Chingalpot and forced Haider to raise the seige of Wandiwash. But the French boats now cut of his supplies and Haider's troops hovered round him. An English fleet under Hughes arrived from Madras. On account of the incapacity of the French Admiral D'Orves, Coote escaped from , where he had been at bay. Haider Ali was defeated at Porto Novo.Pollilore and in July, August were unable to move into the interior from the sea-coast. Admiral de Sufferein in early 1782 A.D. appeared in Indian ocean. Bussy was expected to land but he was delayed. In December, Tipu compelled Broith Naite to surrender at Tanjore. But Haider Ali was not destined to fight any longer. He died of back cancer on 7th December, 1782 A.D. in his camp at Narksingh Rayanaper. Tipu, as brave and energetic as his father, continued the war. Big. Mathews M.A. (History) Part-II 25 Paper-II sent by the Bombay government was captured with all his men in 1783 A.D. They were chained and sent to Seringapatam, Mathew died. Bednur fell to Tipu and he also recovered and Coorg. In June, there was a set-back for Tipu because the English and the French in India concluded hostilities. Now, Col. Fullarton pushed towards Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore from the South-West Palaghat and caputring Coimbatore on the way. But he was recalled by Lord Macartney, the Governor of Madras, who arrived in June, 1781 A.D. was eager to make peace with Tipu. In negotiation Tipu proved a hard nut to crack and the English were no match for him. He treated their envoys with studied disrespect. The (March, 1784 A.D.) was concluded on the basis of mutual restitution of conquests and release of prisoners. Tipu could say that the English had cringed before him and he reoccupied Malabar. Warren Hastings did not like the terms of the Treaty and exclaimed, "What a man in this Macartney !" Estimate of Haider Ali and his Services to Mysore Haider Ali rose from the obscurity of a private soldier to become the sovereign of a state, famous for its productivity, gold and scenic beauty. He was a terror to his enemies, marches on many occasions and won the field by fortifying his defence ahead of his enemies. Cool and sagacious he excelled in cavalry tactics. The defence of his planning dazzled his friends and foes alike. He did not feel shy of witnessing the English and French soldiers at parade and emulating them in the fast changing mode of war. Of the Indian he was the only one to organize and maintain a naval force. He recruited Frenchmen and the Dutch to train in their art of fighting. He was rather miserly in paying them salaries. His system of espionage was perfect and the commissariat under Paralaiya was well organized. Being always engaged in war which compelled him to remain away from his capital he had to depend on to carry on day to day administration and revenue collection. He was entirely free from bigotry. He did not support a bearded chin as the orthodox Muslim did. He was accessible to all and conversed with common people with great readiness. In business matters his shrewdness was remarkable. He had to devastate his duties sincerely. He was not want, only brutal, from subsisting on local supplies. In diplomacy he far excelled his opponents and could break promises at ease. Punishments under him were severe, flogging with whip (Korrtha) being the most common. It exercised deterent effect. Though illiterate, he could readily understand the contents of letters and M.A. (History) Part-II 26 Paper-II dictate orders. He scribbled signatures in the Arabic letter "Hih" at the end of letters above the official seal. In matters of statesmanship, all Indian potentates of the time were actuated by self-interest and Haider Ali was no exception. Though the Marathas desired the "Feringis" to quit India, and Haider Ali aspired to expunge their names from the country and the Nizam too secretly intrigued towards that end, yet they rarely forged a joint front and whenever they did it, they shook off an alliance according to self-expediency. One reason why Haider Ali could not expel the English was the latter's control of the sea by their navy. "The defeat of Brailes and Braithwaite" he realized "will not destroy them. I can ruin their resources by land, but I cannot dry up the sea". The other causes were the untrustworthiness of the Marathas, the treachery of the Nizam, the reasonable dealings of Mohammad Ali of Arcot and the belated arrival of the French statesmen D'Bussy. Though in the eyes of the English contemporaries and historians, all but they were usurpers, free-booters and upstair yet even an English writer has to conclude his assessment of Haider Ali by remarking that "Haider as a ruler or in his private life, was bold and original, and an enterprising commander, skilful in tactics and fertile in resources, full of energy and never desponding in defeat...... he was singularly faithful to his engagements straight forward in his policy towards the British. Not with standing the severity of his internal rule, and the terror which he inspired, his name is always mentioned in Mysore with respect if not with admiration. While the cruelties which he sometimes practised are forgotten, his powers and success have an abiding place in the memory of the people. (Lewin B. Bowring, page 113) M.A. (HISTORY) PART–II PAPER–II : GROUP C, OPTION (i) 1772–1818 A.D. LESSON NO. 1.3 AUTHOR : RAJINDER SINGH

FALL OF MYSORE Note : The Fall of the state of Mysore did not occur with the accession of Tipu to the throne. It will be an erroneous and unjust assertion, for he was a complete success in the beginning. No exact date can be fixed where the rise of Mysore ended and fall commenced. The ultimate fall however came during Tipu's reign, and that is why the topic under the above heading is started from 1784, which in the midst of the second Anglo- Mysore war, at Haider Ali's death, his son Tipu took up the conduct of the war and the reins of administration in his hands. Born 1753 A.D. at Devanhall, he was named Tipu after the name of a wonder-working Muslim saint, Tipu Auliah, whom his mother, Fakur un-Nissa, held in deep respect. He participated in the campaigns of his dashing father, Haider Ali embarked upon and displayed his rare skill in strategy against Col. Braithwaite as also against the Marathas in 1786 A.D. At the time of negotiating the Treaty of Mangalore he proved himself a shrewd diplomat. He fully knew that the Treaty was not going to give a permanent peace and that it was a hollow peace dictated by the constraint of time. He must prepare himself for the final contest and make himself secure against all his jealous neighbours. Tipu conducted successful operations between the and the Tungbhadra and then advanced towards Malabar coast reconquering Calicut, Coimbetore and . The conquest of however evaded him and he suffered reverses (Dec. 1789 A.D.). It also provided Lord Cornwallis the excuse to declare war on the Sultan of Mysore. Third Anglo-Mysore War : (1790-92 A.D.) Warren Hastings had regarded the treaty of Mangalore as a humiliating pacification, but did not annul it because it would have caused confusion in the Company's affairs. Tipu was too restles. He waged wars against the Marathas and the Nizam and both of them were ready to combine with British against him. Though Lord Cornwallis, had been restrained from going to war of aggression by the Pitts India Act of 1784 A.D. which had emphasized that to pursue schemes of conquest and extension in India are measures, repugnant to the wish, the honour and policy of this nation, yet he was convinced that the Anglo- French hostility in Europe was bound to tempt you. "I look upon a rupture with

27 M.A. (History) Part-II 28 Paper-II

Tipu, he wrote to the Resident at Poona in March 1788 A.D. "as a certain and immediate consequence of a war with ." He sought the resident's help in roping the Marathas into an alliance against Tipu. The Nizam had offended Tipu by rejecting a marriage alliance. Tipu was not the man to forget it. The Nizam could invoke the help of the British. In 1788 A.D. the Nizam, in terms of the Treaty of Masulipatum (1768 A.D) demanded help from the British and ceded foundation of a permanent and powerful cooperation." Cornwallis prepared grounds for an offensive alliance against Tipu. "This" in the words of Malcolm, "had the effect of making the Governor-General pursue a course which was not only questionable in point of faith but which must have been offensive to ...... " This indeed was a sufficient provocation but the immediate cause was Tipu's attack on Travancore lines in Dec. 1789 A.D. The Raja was an old ally of the Company and entitled to British protection. Though John Holland the Governor of Madras paid no heed to his appeals yet Cornwallis held it to be act of war. He believed that a war with Tipu was an absolute true necessity. Cornwallis formed a Triple alliance with the Peshwa and the Nizam in June 1790, each of whom was to provide a 10,000 horse contingent of troops and share in the proft of the conquest. "Both were unwilling allies and rendered no useful aid but at least they were prevented, from joining Mysore" (Roberts, Page 234). Tipu differed from his father in permitting his enemies to combine. Haider Ali normally fought one enemy at a time and in his last years brought about a combination of Indian princes against the British...... Tipu antagonized all and permitted a joint front to be formed against him. The war fell into three campaigns. The first under Major-General Medows failed against the greater skill in strategy displayed by Tipu. Cornwallis was compelled to admit to Henry Dundas of the Board of Control that our adversary has gained reputation. He personally assumed command, marched through Veldore and Ambur to Bangalore, which he captured in March 1791 A.D. In the meantime, Medows succeeded in effecting Junction with Maxwell's forces from Bombay. Cornwallis reached the outskirts of Seringapatam but Tipu's scorched earth policy caused famine in his camp. As he fell back his Maratha allies from Dharwar brought supplies. In the third campaign in the summer of 1791 A.D. the outkirts of Seringapatam were reduced. But Tipu recaptured Coimbatore. Sickness now spread in the British Camp and Nizam and the Marathas were suspected of treachery. War with revolutionary France was imminent and the Director clamoured to peace. Treaty of Seringapatam was concluded in March 1792 A.D. under these circumstances. M.A. (History) Part-II 29 Paper-II

Tipu had to surrender half of his territory. The Marathas got the region between the Wardha and the Krishna, the Nizam received tract beyond the Poonar river and the English annexed Dindigul, Barahmahal, Coorg and Malabar. The Sultan had to pay an indemnity of more the 300,000 Pounds and send two of his sons as hostages to English camp (They were returned in 1794 A.D.). Munro criticised Cornwallis for his moderation and conciliation and Thornton regretted that 'Tipu should have been granted so favourable terms. But Cornwallis was a realist in his approach. He could not pursue war when disease had broken out and was taking a heavy toil. He summed up the results by saying : "We have crippled out enemy without making our friends more formidable." Tipu had been cut off from the sea on the West and only commanded the defiles. But though 's claws had been clipped, he was still capable challenging the might of his enemies. In 1796 A.D. Raja Chauraj died and Tipu did not think it expedient to give his infant son Mummadi Krishnaraja even the titular status of Raja. He tried to drive a wedge between the Nizam and his son Ali Jah and create misunderstanding between the Peshwa, Sindhia and Nizam. The Fourth Anglo–Mysore War "Tipu was humiliated and cowed, but in his diminished kingdom he nursed an implacable resentment against the power that had vanquished him." (Roberts, Page 235). He geared up his activity to repair the ravages of war, recruited more army, disciplined his infanty and made fortifications around his capital. He resolved to expel the English from India. He sent his emissaries to Afghanistan, Arabia and Turkey and enrolled himself as a member of the Jacobin Club, and invited French men to join his forces. Gen. Malartie, the Governor of the Isle of France () issued a proclamation inviting volunteers to help Tipu against "the thieving, shameless, robbing English". This gave Marquis of Mornington Lord Wellesley the Governor- General, a staunch annexionist, the grounds for a war against the Sultan of Mysore. In his minute of 12th August, 1798 A.D. he held that "the act of Tipus ambassadors ratified by himself and accompanied by the landing of a French force in his country, is a public, unqualified and unambiguous declaration of war aggravated by an avowal that the object of the war is neither expansion separation nor security, but the total destruction of the British Government in India. "The cause of the war was primarily Wellesley's Franco-phobia. Besides the other preparations, Wellesley tried to revive the Triple Alliance of 1790 A.D. The Nizam conclude a and to Baji Rao, the Peshwa, the Governor-General promised a share of conquests. The Maratha promised to observe M.A. (History) Part-II 30 Paper-II strict neutrality. Before embarking on War, Lord Wellesley tried to put the 'tiger to sleep by writing friendly letters. Tipu knew the preparations he was making and therefore he treated some of them with contempt and sent no replies. The War though short was decisive. Tipu was defeated at Sedaseer () by Stuart and by Harris at Malvelly. He retired within the walls of his capital. In an engagement that occured at Sultanpur Tope Col. Wellesley the future of Wellington, was struck on the knee and narrowly escaped falling. Seringapatam fell on 4th May, 1799 A.D. He died fighting and his son surrendered. The whole Western coast and Kanara were annexed, the Nizam was given territory lying to the north-east (this he surrendered to the British in 1800 A.D. The central part was made over to a minor Hindu descedent Krishna Raj (1799-1868 A.D.) of ancient . The of Haider Ali ended. Tipu's sons were interned at Kallar and in 1806 transporated to Calcutta. The new state was completely surrounded by the British territory and cut off from sea. His pen was the most prolific as he wrote to his officials on every conceivable topic both civil and military. His business like habits are evident from his correspondence. In the eighteenth chapter of "The Triumphs of Holy Warriors", which he wrote, he gave detailed instruction on military exercise; use weapons, army goods, modes of attack, leave rules etc. He could speak fluently Persian, Kanarese and and kept a valuable library. He was found enunciating his views on every possible subject military medicine, engineering, religion etc. His vigilant eye felt the need of maintaining fleet to guard his coast. In 1796 A.D. an eleven man Board of Admirality was nominated under Mir Yam. There were to be 30 Mirs Bahr and the Navy was to consist of 23 battle ships, and 20 frigate to be stationed at Mangalore and Jamlabad. But before these could be built his rule ended. In 1786 A.D. he assumed the title of Padshah and described his state as God given and his rule "Haidari" rule. He issued coins bearing on the observe "the faith of Ahmad is proclaimed...... " and on the reverse"God is the only Sultan...... " He reposed an intense faith in God. The epitaph on his tomb at Seringapatam says that the Haidari Sultan died for his faith. Tipu an account of the faith of Muhammad was a martyr. At the time of the seige of Seringapatam he slept on coarse canvas instead of bed and listened to and counted beads of rosary. He was an able administrator. Some of his English contemporaries unhesitatingly stated that he enjoyed a good popularity in his kingdom. Sir John Shore observed that "the peasantry of his dominions are protected and their labours encouraged and rewarded, "he was fond of introducing innovations but revenue and judicial system moved along the old lines. He prohibited the sale of M.A. (History) Part-II 31 Paper-II intoxicating drinks and even did not permit Lally to pen one shop in his camp for vending spirit of Iiquors. Besides prohibition, he also banned polyandry in Malabar. Writers like Moore who are bitterly biased against him, grudgingly admitted that the country under him was well cultivated, populous and commerce flourished. The farmers cultivated to utmost extent to which the soil was capable. His Govt. though strict and arbitrary was despotism of a politic and able sovereign. It was suited to the people and the times. Some English writers (Kirkpatric, Wilks Bowring, Roberts and others) have described him as a savage tyrant an oppressive despot and a furious funatic. They have been blinded by their prejudices. His fault was that he was a brave soldier and an avowed enemy of the British. This old not disguise his real sentiments. Otherwise he was an energetic and industries ruler who personally attended to all branches of administration. The discipline and fidelity of his troops unit his last overthrow testifice to his ability as a General. As regards his atrocities Divom remarks that "his cruelties were in general inflicted only on those whom he considered as his enemies." The English men were the victims of it and, therefore, they have presented an exaggerated picture, Mill observes that the proofs of it "are doubtful, their suffering however intense, were only the sufferings of a rigorous imprisonment". Punishments were no doubt barbarous but they were in accordance with the practices of times. He was not a fanatic either. His Shringheri letters prove that he knew now to placate Hindu opinion. Among the persons who win his confidence and were admitted to his inner circle of counsellors was a Brahmin. Parnajya who did not forsake him till the end. He did not attempt any wholesale conversion of his Hindu subjects. In diplomacy, he sometimes surpassed the English. He was pragmatic and sagacious in his approach. As a sovereign ruler, he had every right to hold parleys with the French and other powers to secure his interests. Wellesley, suffering from Franco-phobia and motivated by aggressive designs took it as a challenge. He deserved respect for his consistency. He had clearly perceived that only the British were enemy, not the Nizam and the Marathas, and single-handed he endeavoured to expel them. He sought foreign help which he believed was needed to fight a formidable foe. He never made an attempt to league with English against his Indian rivals. "Had the Maratha Chieftains possessed his singleness of purpose and all consuming hate, the final advance of British supremacy might have been delayed." (Roberts, p. 247). Tipu's Responsibility for the Fall of the Kingdom It has been repeatdly remark that "Haider was born to create , Tipu to loss one. Haider last battles and not the war. He excelled in the political rather than in the military conduct of war. But Tipus' intractable temper drove him into a struggle which prove too much for him. Tipu distrusted his ablest servants who M.A. (History) Part-II 32 Paper-II also tried to decieve him. He placed spies in every fort, in the bazars and at the doors of great Mirs to gain intelligence of what transpired there. Distrust got treachery in return. His over-weening confidence in his own generalship was often the cause of disaster. Tipu was always on the defensive. His father's strategy had never been entirely defensive. "Haider was seldom wrong and Tipu seldom right" (Wilks). Haider Ali was aware of the fickle and unstable temperament of his son and did not spare him of the punishment he gave to others for theft, fraud and deceit. Tipu neglected his cavalry and concentrated his attention on infantry only. Navy was yet in the making his enemies were united and their military force grave them superiority. His neighbours, the rulers of Travancore, Coorg and the Marathas were antagonized because of his bigoted zeal. Persecution had united the , who comprised more than half of the population of his state to detest his rule. The French assurance of help was moonshine. In the campaign of 1792 A.D. he had discovered that the Frenchmen were of a crooked desposition, faithless and the enemies of mankind. But still he was buoyed up by delusions and made wrong calculations. The British showed seed of disaffection against the Sultan in his subjects. He became a victim of a fold conspiracy. The British were supreme on sea, while Tipu weak in his sphere. Their resources were endless. Through ultimately vanquished and annihilated, Tipu Sultan was a fore runner as a fighter for the freedom of India from alien rule, and his held in reverence by the people of the country. "It was better to live on year as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep", he said to have remarked, and true, he lived and died as a tiger. He died in pursuit of an ideal that was the total liquidation of the English. In the 1857 A.D. Mutiny days, Mysore fighters for Indian freedom congerated on the tomb of Tipu and swore that they would sacrifice their lives at the alter of the Goddess of independence. SUGGESTED READINGS 1. N.K. Sinha : Rise of the Sikh Power, p. 53. 2. Irvine : Later Mughals 3. G.C. Narang : Transformation of Sikhism, pp. 199-236. 4. Teja Singh Ganda Singh : A Short History of the Sikhs, pp. 81-184. 5. Ganda Singh : Banda Singh Bahadur 6. Srivastava, A.L. : The Mughal History 7. Khushwant Singh : History of Sikhs, Vol. 1, pp.135-140. 8. Pandey, A.B. : Later , pp. 260-262 and 293-325. 9. Sarkar, J.N. : Fall of , Vol.1 & II, pp. M.A. (History) Part-II 33 Paper-II

220-225 10. Gupta, H.R. : Studies in Later Mughal , pp. 75-82 11. Gajrani : History of Modern India (Punjabi) 12. Sinha, N.K. : A History of the Sikhs, V.I. 13. Rattan Singh Bhangu : A Prachin Panth Parkash (Punjabi). 14. Lewin B. Bowing : Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan, pp.11 to 113. 15. Majumdar,Ray, Choudhary : An Advanced History of India, pp. 679-85, 689. 16. Basu, B.D. : Rise of Christian Power in India, pp. 240-250. 17. Robert, P.E. : History of , pp. 165-70, 195-98. 18. Smith, V.A. : A History of India, pp. 483-86, 606-7 19. Dennys Forlet : Tiger of Mysore 20. Basu & Banerjee : History of India, pp. 546-99 21. Rosita Forbhs : India of Princes

Type Setting : D.E Department Punjabi University, Patiala