WARS WITH MYSORE

WARS WITH MYSORE

The growing power of Haider Ali in the middle of the 18th century was a source of anxiety to the English, the Nizam and the Marathas. So they formed a triple alliance and declared war against Haider Ali in 1767-the First Anglo-Mysore War. As Haider All was a great diplomat, he bought off the Marathas and won over the Nizam and thus broke the alliance. The war was brought to an end by signing of the Treaty of Madras (1769). All the conquered territories were returned to their respec­tive owners.
After the first Mysore war, the English promised to help Haider All if he was attacked by another power. But when the Marathas attacked his territory in 1771, the English refused to help him. Further, during the American War of Independence, France joined America against England (1778).

Upon this the English captured all the French possessions in India. One of them was the port of Mahe, which was of great importance to Haider All. He asked the English to vacate it. As they did not do so, Haider Ali was forced to declare war in 1780. In the Second Anglo-Mysore War, Haider All was initially successful, but with the arrival of Sir Eyre Coote he was defeated at Porto Novo in 1781. In 1782, Haider Ali died and his son TIpu Sultan carried on the war till 1784 when the two sides concluded peace by signing the Treaty of Mangalore, on the basis of mutual restitution of conquests and liberation of the prisoners.

TIpu Sultan, who was an ambitious ruler, wanted to extend his territory. But the English were always in his way. TIpu Sultan attacked Travancore, which made the British enter the war in 1798 (Third Anglo-Mysore War). TIpu w~s successful in the beginning but with the English under Lord Cornwallis things changed. Cornwallis besieged TIpu in Srirangapatnam (or Seringapatam) in 1792. This compelled TIpu to sign the Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792. By this treaty, TIpu ceded half of his territory to the English and paid a large amount as war indemnity.

TIpu could not get over his defeat at the hands of Lord Cornwallis. He thus made common cause with the French. Wellesley considered this a hostile act. Further, TIpu refused to accept the subsidiary alliance. Thus came the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799. Though TIpu Sultan fought valiantly, he was defeated at Srirangapatnam. He died fighting. Mysore was given to Prince Krishna who belonged to the former Hindu dynasty. He accepted the subsidiary alliance.