SHER-E-MYSORE (Tiger of Mysore), Tipu Sultan (r.t.a.), also known as Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, was born on November 20, 1751, in Devanahalli (Karnataka) India. He was the eldest son of Sultan Hyder Ali, a great warrior and the then Muslim ruler of Mysore. Hyder Ali had risen to power by overthrowing the Wodeyar dynasty, which had ruled Mysore since the 16th century. Hyder Ali had also expanded his territory by conquering parts of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
He was a formidable adversary of the British East India Company, which had established its presence in India since the 17th century and was gradually expanding its political and economic influence over the Indian subcontinent.
Tipu Sultan inherited his father’s courage, ambition and military skills. He was instructed in military tactics by French officers in the employ of his father, who had sought an alliance with France against the British.
Tipu Sultan also learned Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Kannada and other languages. He was interested in science, technology, literature and art. He was a devout Muslim who followed the Sunni sect of Islam. He was also a patron of education and religious tolerance. He built schools, mosques, temples and churches in his kingdom. He also encouraged trade and commerce with other countries.
Tipu Sultan became the ruler of Mysore upon his father’s death from cancer in 1782. He continued his father’s struggle against the British, who were supported by other Indian rulers such as the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas. Tipu Sultan fought four wars with the British, known as the Anglo-Mysore Wars, between 1767 and 1799. He won important victories against the British in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-1784), such as the Battle of Pollilur (1780), where he used his famous rocket artillery to inflict heavy casualties on the British forces.
Tipu’s Tiger, an automaton representing a tiger mauling a British soldier, c.1790. Photo: History Today
He also captured several British forts and territories in southern India. He negotiated the Treaty of Mangalore (1784) with them, ending the Second Anglo-Mysore War. The treaty restored the status quo ante bellum and recognized Tipu Sultan as a sovereign ruler.
However, Tipu Sultan’s conflicts with his neighbours did not end there. He had to face the Maratha-Mysore War (1785-1787), which ended with the signing of the Treaty of Gajendragad (1787). The treaty required that Tipu Sultan pay 4.8 million rupees as a one-time war cost to the Marathas, and an annual tribute of 1.2 million rupees, in addition to returning all the territory captured by Hyder Ali.
Tipu Sultan also had to deal with the Mysorean invasion of Malabar (1788-1792), where he tried to subjugate the local rulers and communities who resisted his authority. He faced opposition from the Nairs, Zamorins, Cochin Rajas and Travancore Rajas, who were allied with the British.
Tipu Sultan remained an implacable enemy of the British East India Company, sparking conflict with his attack on British-allied Travancore in 1789. This led to the Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790-1792), where he had to face a formidable coalition of British, Nizam and Maratha forces.
Tipu Sultan fought bravely and skillfully, but he was outnumbered and outmatched by his enemies. He suffered several defeats and losses, such as the Siege of Bangalore (1791), where he lost his capital city to Lord Cornwallis.
He was forced to sign the Treaty of Seringapatam (1792), which ended the Third Anglo-Mysore War. The treaty stipulated that Tipu Sultan surrender half of his kingdom to the victorious allies, pay a large indemnity of 33 million rupees, release all British prisoners of war and send two of his sons as hostages to Madras.
Tipu Sultan did not accept this humiliating treaty as final. He tried to rebuild his army and economy, and sought alliances with other anti-British powers such as France and the Ottoman Empire. He joined the Jacobian clubs of France and paid respect to the Tree of Liberty. He also sent emissaries to Napoleon Bonaparte, who had conquered Egypt in 1798 and had plans to invade India.
Tipu Sultan hoped to revive the Franco-Mysorean alliance and drive out the British from India. However, his hopes were dashed when the British defeated the French in the Battle of the Nile (1798) and the Treaty of Campo Formio (1797) ended the French Revolutionary Wars in Europe.
The British, who were aware of Tipu Sultan’s intentions, decided to launch a preemptive strike against him. They formed another coalition with the Nizam and the Marathas, and declared war on Mysore in 1799.
This was the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, which proved to be the final and decisive one. The British forces, led by General George Harris, marched towards Seringapatam, Tipu Sultan’s capital and stronghold.
Tipu Sultan defended his city with courage and determination, but he was outnumbered and outgunned by his enemies. He faced a siege that lasted for two months, during which he rejected several offers of surrender and negotiation from the British.
On May 4, 1799, the British breached the walls of Seringapatam and stormed into the city. Tipu Sultan fought till his last breath, refusing to flee or surrender. He was killed in the battle, along with many of his loyal soldiers and followers. His body was found under a pile of corpses near the Water Gate of the fort.
The British looted and plundered his palace and treasury, and took his family as prisoners. They also captured his famous sword, which had the inscription “Sword of Allah” on its blade. Britishers installed a puppet ruler, Krishnaraja III, as the Maharaja of Mysore, and reduced Mysore to a princely state under British suzerainty.
Tipu Sultan’s life and reign were marked by his unending efforts to defend his kingdom against British imperialism. His resistance and military strategies have left a lasting impact on Indian history, making him a significant figure in the struggle against colonialism.
He introduced a number of administrative innovations during his rule, such as a new coinage system and calendar, and a new land revenue system, which initiated the growth of the Mysore silk industry.
He also encouraged Channapatna toys, which are still popular today. He was a visionary leader who dreamed of a united India free from foreign domination. He is also amongst martyrs who sacrificed his life for his country.
Tipu Sultan is remembered as a hero by many Indians, especially in Karnataka and Kerala. He is also revered by many Muslims as a champion of Islam. His legacy is celebrated in various forms of art and culture, such as literature, poetry, music, cinema and theatre. He is also honoured by various monuments and institutions named after him, such as Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace in Bangalore, Tipu Sultan Mosque in Kolkata, Tipu Sultan Fort in Palakkad and Tipu Sultan University in Mysore.
However, Tipu Sultan is accused by some of being a tyrant who oppressed and persecuted many Hindus and Christians in his kingdom. Some view him as a freedom fighter who resisted British colonialism, while others view him as a fanatic who imposed Islamic rule.
The truth about Tipu Sultan may lie somewhere between these extreme views. He was neither a saint nor a sinner, but a human being with strengths and weaknesses.
He was neither a liberator nor an oppressor, but a ruler with achievements and failures. He was neither a tiger nor a jackal, but a lion who lived for one day rather than a hundred years.
Tipu Sultan once said: “It is better for me to live like a lion for one day than live like a jackal for a hundred years.” This statement reflects his spirit and character. He was a lion who fought for his kingdom and religion. He was a lion who died with honour and dignity.
Whatever is written here can not describe the personality and sacrifices of Tipu Sultan but we still want to refer the story of Tipu Sultan to the young generation of this time. Today, 150 years later, the soul of Sultan martyr Tipu (may Allah have mercy on him) is pointing towards the walls of Seringapatam and giving us this message that the nation that gives place to a MIR SADIQ (Traitor) in its midst, its fort is never safe.
“The ship whose passenger is making a hole in its plank, even the best sailors of the world cannot save it from sinking.”
The blood, sweat and tears of the great leaders of the nation only fertilise that land with freedom’s oasis which is pure from the presence of betrayers.