M.A. (HISTORY) PART–II PAPER–II : GROUP C, OPTION (i) HISTORY OF INDIA (1772–1818 A.D.) LESSON NO. 1.2 AUTHOR : PROF. RAJINDER SINGH RISE OF MYSORE From fifth to twelveth centuries, Mysore was ruled over by ancient Hindu dynasties 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 Raja Oedvar (Wodiar) 1577-1616 A... founded a separate kingdom of Mysore in 1612 A.D. by seizing the fortress of Seringapatam and making it a seat of his government. The Vijaynagar Kingdom disintegrated soon afterwards and the rulers of Mysore extended their territories. Aurangzeb during his viceroyalty of the Deccan and later during his reign tried hard to wipe out the Shia and the Maratha 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 Bijapur and the Maratha soldiers of Shivaji, 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 Muhammad (Haider Ali's father) by name, distinguished himself by his power. He became a Naik and then a Faujdar, but died fighting against Saadat Ullah Khan, the Nawab of Arcot. His sons, Shahbaz (also called Ismail) and Haidar found employment in Bangalore. 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 Jagir. 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 Punjab 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 Hyderabad, who died in 1718 A.D. The French East India Company 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 Pondicherry, 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 Prince of Arcot who promised to cede Trichinopoly and eastern Ghats 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 Tamil Nadu). "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 Brahmin 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 Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao (1740–1760 A.D.) ro raise the seize of Bangalore in 1759 A.D. The grateful Raja conferred on him the title "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 Third Battle of Panipat (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 Nagar). 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 (Kerala)-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 king on the throne. The latter chafed under his tutelage, whereupon Haider plundered the palace 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, Mir 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 Ambur 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 Madras Presidency 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 Mysore plateau capturing Krishnagiri, Kolar 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 Coimbatore, Karur, Erode 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.).