Maratha–Mysore Wars

The Maratha–Mysore Wars were a conflict in 18th century India between the Maratha Empire and the Kingdom of Mysore. Though initial hostilities between the sides started in 1770s, the last battle began on February 1785 and ended in 1787.[1]

Conflict between Marathas and Mysore
Date1763-1787
Location
Deccan
Result Stalemate
Belligerents
Maratha Empire Kingdom of Mysore
Commanders and leaders
Hari Pant
Kolapant Pethe
Vyankatrao Bhave
Mushir-ul-Mulk		 Hyder Ali
Tipu Sultan
Sipahsalar Sayyid Abdul Ghaffar Sahib
Strength
unknown unknown

Situation in the 18th century

The 18th century saw a steady decline of the once dominant power on the whole subcontinent – the Mughal Empire. Apart from the disastrous invasion by the Afsharid ruler of Iran, Nader Shah in 1739, the Mughals were successfully contested by the Marathas. Meanwhile, the British East India Company was asserting its influence in India and was engaged in a series of wars with Mysore which eventually resulted in the region falling under Company rule.[2]

Mysore wars with the British

Mysore was a relatively small kingdom in the beginning of 1700s. However, able rulers such as Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan transformed the kingdom and westernized the army & it soon turned into a military threat both to the British and the Marathas.[3] Upon Hyder Ali’s death, Mysore covered 80,000 sq. miles and had a population of approximately 6 million.[4]

Starting from 1767, the Kingdom of Mysore overall had four major military confrontations (1767–69; 1780–84; 1790–92; and 1799).[5]

Around 1761, commander in chief of the state of Mysore, Hyder Ali proclaimed himself absolute ruler of the Kingdom and started military campaigns to expand the territory of the state. In 1766, the British East India Company joined forces with the local ruler of Hyderabad against Hyder Ali, but by 1769, the British were left alone in a war with the Mysore Kingdom. In 1769 Hyder Ali made his way to Madras (the location of the Company's government) and demanded a peace treaty.[6]

Maratha-Mysore Wars

After the Second Anglo-Mysore War, the ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan sought to keep offensive moves by the Marathas at bay. The Maratha had established a military alliance with the ruler of Hyderabad with a common purpose of recovering territories both had lost to Mysore in previous conflicts. Much of the desired territory was subject to marches, counter marches, and sieges of fortified points. The Marathas also attempted to draw the British East India Company into the pending conflict, but a neutrality policy implemented by the new governor-general, Lord Charles Cornwallis made its participation impossible. While the Maratha would later aid the British in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, the final conflict between Mysore and the Maratha by themselves happened in January 1787 in the Siege of Bahadur Benda, where Mysore successfully captured Bahadur Fort from the Marathas.

Major conflicts

Outcome and Aftermath

The Maratha-Mysore War ended after the final conflict during the siege of Bahadur Benda in January 1787, and later settled for peace with the kingdom of Mysore, to which Tipu Sultan obliged with the signing of the treaty of Gajendragad in April 1787. Tipu who was desperate to focus on defending Mysore from the British agreed to pay an annual tribute of 12 lakhs per year to the Marathas, to end hostilities with them, which allowed him to focus on his rivalry with the British.[11][12] In addition to this Tipu agreed to return all territories captured by Hyder Ali from the Marathas.[13][14][15]

Tipu would release Kalopant and return Adoni, Kittur, and Nargund to their previous rulers. Badami would be ceded to the Marathas. Tipu would also pay an annual tribute of 12 lakhs per year to the Marathas. In return, Tipu would get all the places he had captured in the war, including Gajendragarh and Dharwar. Tipu would also be addressed by the Marathas by an honorary title of "Nabob Tipu Sultan, Fateh Ali Khan".[16][17] However the Marathas ultimately betrayed Tipu and in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War the Marathas presented their support to the British East India Company which allowed the British to take over Mysore in 1799.[18] However sometimes after Tipu's death the Marathas themselves would have a fall out with the British who defeated the Marathas by 1819 in the Anglo-Maratha War leading to the annexation of their territories by the British.[19]

Bibliography

References
  1. South Asian History, 1750-1950: A Guide to Periodicals, Dissertations and Newspapers. Princeton University Press. 8 December 2015. ISBN 9781400874866.
  2. Chopra et al. (2003), pp. 79–80; Kamath (2001), pp. 233–234
  3. Roy, Kaushik (30 March 2011). War, Culture and Society in Early Modern South Asia, 1740-1849. London: Routledge (Taylor & Francis). p. 70. ISBN 978-1-136-79087-4.
  4. Roy Kaushik, "War, Culture and Society in Early Modern South Asia, 1740-1849"; 2011; Routledge; p. 74
  5. Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/event/Mysore-Wars
  6. Encyclopedia Britannica, https://www.britannica.com/event/Mysore-Wars
  7. Mehta, Jaswant Lal (January 2005), Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813, p. 457, ISBN 9781932705546
  8. Mehta, Jaswant Lal (January 2005), Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813, p. 458, ISBN 9781932705546
  9. Jaques, Tony (2007). Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A-E. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313335372.
  10. Jaques, Tony (2007). Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: P-Z. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. ISBN 9780313335396.
  11. Hasan, Mohibbul (2005). History of Tipu Sultan (Reprint ed.). Delhi: Aakar Books. ISBN 9788187879572.
  12. Naravane, M.S. (2014). Battles of the Honorourable East India Company. A.P.H. Publishing Corporation. p. 175. ISBN 9788131300343.
  13. Naravane, Wing Commander (Retired) M. S. (1 January 2006). Battles of the Honourable East India Company: Making of the Raj. New Delhi: APH Publishing Corporation. ISBN 978-81-313-0034-3.
  14. Anglo-Maratha relations, 1785-96
  15. Sailendra Nath Sen (1994). Anglo-Maratha Relations, 1785-96, Volume 2 (Reprint ed.). Bombay: Popular Prakashan. ISBN 9788171547890.
  16. Hasan, Mohibbul (2005). History of Tipu Sultan. Aakar Books. ISBN 978-81-87879-57-2.
  17. Sen, Sailendra Nath (1994). Anglo-Maratha Relations, 1785-96. Popular Prakashan. ISBN 978-81-7154-789-0.
  18. Mohammad Moienuddin (2000). Sunset at Srirangapatam: After the Death of Tipu Sultan. London: Sangam Books. ISBN 978-0-86311-850-0. OCLC 48995204.
  19. Cannon, Richard (1849). Historical Record of the 67th Foot. London: Parker, Furnivall & Parker.
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