Why this matters now
Anglo-Mysore Wars are tested for: Hyder Ali (originally Nawab Hyder Naik) usurping Mysore in 1761 from Wodeyars; alliance with French + Marathas + Nizam; defeat of all three British armies in 1st war; Treaty of Madras 1769; 2nd war (1780-84) saw Hyder die 1782; Tipu Sultan signing Treaty of Mangalore 11 March 1784; 3rd war (1790-92) under Cornwallis ending in Treaty of Seringapatam 18 March 1792 (Tipu ceded half kingdom + 2 sons hostage); 4th war (1798-99) under Wellesley — Tipu killed defending Seringapatam fortress 4 May 1799. Tipu was a modernizer (mysorean rockets, embassy to France/Turkey/Ottoman; secular).
First War (1767-69)
Cause: Hyder Ali’s expansion threatened EIC + Madras Presidency. Tripartite alliance against Mysore: British + Nizam + Marathas. Hyder Ali outmaneuvered — bought off Marathas + Nizam.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1767 | Hyder defeated joint Nizam-British force at Trinkomalee + Vellore. |
| March 1769 | Hyder appeared at gates of Madras with cavalry; British panicked. |
| 4 April 1769 | Treaty of Madras — mutual restitution of conquests; defensive alliance for mutual protection. |
Second War (1780-84)
Cause: EIC violated 1769 alliance + captured French Mahe (1779) in Hyder’s territory. Hyder, Marathas, Nizam allied against British.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1780 | Hyder Ali destroyed British force under Colonel Baillie at Pollilur (Sept 1780); pushed deep into Carnatic. |
| 1781 | Battle of Porto Novo (1 July 1781) — Eyre Coote defeated Hyder. |
| 1781-82 | Coote defeated Hyder again at Pollilur + Sholinghur. Hyder’s position weakened. |
| 7 Dec 1782 | Hyder Ali died of cancer (probably). Succeeded by Tipu Sultan. |
| 1783 | British signed Treaty of Versailles ending European phase. Maratha + Nizam withdrew. Tipu fought alone. |
| 11 March 1784 | TREATY OF MANGALORE — Tipu Sultan + EIC mutual restitution. Status quo ante. Tipu’s greatest diplomatic triumph — treaty between equals. |
Third War (1790-92)
Cause: Tipu attacked Travancore (British ally) 1789. EIC + Nizam + Marathas allied vs Tipu.
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1790-91 | Initial British failures under Maj Gen William Medows. |
| Jan 1791 | Lord Cornwallis took personal command. Marched to Bangalore + Seringapatam. |
| 21 March 1791 | Cornwallis captured Bangalore. |
| Feb-March 1792 | Siege of Seringapatam. |
| 18 March 1792 | TREATY OF SERINGAPATAM — Tipu lost half his territory; paid Rs 3.3 crore war indemnity; 2 sons (Abdul Khaliq + Muiz-ud-Din) handed as hostages till payment. Mysore reduced to vassal-tribute status. |
Tipu lost Malabar, Coorg, Dindigul to British; Bellary to Nizam; Tungabhadra basin to Marathas.
Fourth War (1798-99)
Cause: Lord Wellesley (Governor-General 1798-1805) determined to crush Mysore. Tipu’s correspondence with Napoleon + French + Mauritius proved “hostile”. Tipu refused Subsidiary Alliance.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Feb 1799 | Wellesley sent 50,000-strong army under Gen George Harris + Arthur Wellesley (later Wellington). |
| April-May 1799 | Siege of Seringapatam Fortress. |
| 4 May 1799 | SERINGAPATAM FELL. TIPU SULTAN KILLED defending the breach at the Water Gate — aged 48. “Better to live for one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep”. |
Aftermath:
- Mysore restored to Wodeyar dynasty under Krishnaraja Wodeyar III (a 5-year-old). British became suzerain.
- British took Kanara, Coimbatore, Wayanad, Seringapatam etc.
- Tipu’s treasury looted: Tipu’s Tiger (mechanical organ now at V&A Museum London).
- Tipu’s legacy: introduced sericulture (silk) industry; Mysorean rockets (first iron-cased rockets; influenced Congreve rockets); diplomatic embassies to France + Ottoman + Persia + Mauritius; secular state; pioneered banking (1784 Tipu’s Bank).
UPSC angle
Know ANGLO-MYSORE WARS 4 WARS 1767-99; MYSORE: Hyder Ali (originally Nawab Hyder Naik) usurped Wodeyars 1761; succeeded by son TIPU SULTAN 1782; FIRST WAR 1767-69: Hyder defeated joint British+Nizam force Trinkomalee+Vellore 1767, March 1769 appeared at Madras gates, TREATY OF MADRAS 4 April 1769 mutual restitution; SECOND WAR 1780-84: caused EIC captured French Mahe 1779, Hyder+Marathas+Nizam vs British; 1780 Hyder destroyed Col Baillie at POLLILUR Sept 1780; BATTLE OF PORTO NOVO 1 July 1781 EYRE COOTE defeated Hyder, then Pollilur+Sholinghur; HYDER ALI DIED 7 DEC 1782 cancer succeeded Tipu; TREATY OF MANGALORE 11 MARCH 1784 mutual restitution Tipu+EIC status quo ante TIPU DIPLOMATIC TRIUMPH treaty between equals; THIRD WAR 1790-92: caused Tipu attacked Travancore British ally 1789; EIC+Nizam+Marathas vs Tipu; LORD CORNWALLIS took command Jan 1791 marched Bangalore+Seringapatam; CORNWALLIS captured Bangalore 21 March 1791; Feb-March 1792 Siege of Seringapatam; TREATY OF SERINGAPATAM 18 MARCH 1792 Tipu lost HALF TERRITORY + Rs 3.3 crore war indemnity + 2 SONS HOSTAGES (Abdul Khaliq+Muiz-ud-Din); FOURTH WAR 1798-99: LORD WELLESLEY GG 1798-1805 determined crush, Tipu refused Subsidiary Alliance + correspondence Napoleon+France+Mauritius; Feb 1799 Wellesley 50000 army Gen George Harris + ARTHUR WELLESLEY (later Wellington); April-May 1799 Siege Seringapatam Fortress; SERINGAPATAM FELL 4 MAY 1799 TIPU SULTAN KILLED defending Water Gate aged 48 (“better tiger 1 day than sheep 1000 years”); MYSORE RESTORED to WODEYAR DYNASTY under Krishnaraja Wodeyar III 5-yr-old, British suzerain; British took Kanara+Coimbatore+Wayanad+Seringapatam; treasury looted TIPU’S TIGER mechanical organ V&A London; TIPU LEGACY: sericulture silk industry, MYSOREAN ROCKETS first iron-cased rockets influenced Congreve, embassies France+Ottoman+Persia+Mauritius, SECULAR state, 1784 Tipu’s Bank.
Frequently asked questions
How many Anglo-Mysore Wars were there?
Four: 1st (1767-69), 2nd (1780-84), 3rd (1790-92), 4th (1798-99). All against Hyder Ali then his son Tipu Sultan.
When was Tipu Sultan killed?
On 4 May 1799 at the Fall of Seringapatam (Srirangapatna), aged 48. Killed defending the breach at the Water Gate. Famously said: “Better to live for one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep.”
What was the Treaty of Seringapatam 1792?
Signed 18 March 1792 ending the 3rd Anglo-Mysore War. Tipu lost half his territory + paid Rs 3.3 crore war indemnity + 2 sons (Abdul Khaliq + Muiz-ud-Din) handed as hostages.
What were Mysorean rockets?
First iron-cased gunpowder rockets developed under Hyder Ali + Tipu Sultan. Used at Pollilur (1780), Seringapatam etc. British studied them; led to William Congreve’s improved rockets used at Waterloo.