Tipu Sultan

Why in news?

• Recently, a protest erupted against the naming of a public garden after ‘Tipu Sulthan’ in the Mumbai.

About Tipu Sultan:

• He was a ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore and the eldest son of Sultan Hyder Ali of Mysore.
• Mysore had grown in strength under the leadership of powerful rulers like Haidar Ali (ruled from 1761 to 1782) and his famous son Tipu Sultan (ruled from 1782 to 1799).

Contributions of Tipu Sultan:

• He introduced a new coinage system and ‘Mauludi lunisolar’ calendar.
• He devised a land revenue system based on detailed surveys and classification, in which the tax was imposed directly on the peasant, and collected through salaried agents in cash, widening the state’s resource base.
  • This system initiated the growth of the Mysore silk industry.
• Modernised agriculture
  • He gave tax breaks for developing wasteland, built irrigation infrastructure and repaired old dams, and promoted agricultural manufacturing and sericulture.
• He also built a navy to support trade.
• He also commissioned a state commercial corporation to set up factories.

Support to French republicans:

• Tipu gave his support to the French soldiers at Seringapatam in setting up a Jacobin Club in 1797.
  • Jacobin Club of Mysore was the first Revolutionary Republican organization formed in India. It was formed by the French Republican officers.
• Tipu himself became a member of the Jacobin Club and allowed himself to be called Citizen Tipu.
• ‘Tree of Liberty’ was planted by Tipu Sultan at Srirangapatnam in around 1794 when he supported the Jacobin Club of Mysore.

Military contributions:

• He was also a patron of science and technology and is credited as the ‘pioneer of rocket technology’ in India. He also expanded the iron-cased Mysorean rockets.
• He commissioned a military manual (Fathul Mujahidin) explaining the operation of rockets. It was written by Zainul Abedin Shustari at the instruction of Tipu Sultan.
• He embraced western military methods like artillery and rockets alongside traditional Indian weapons.
• He organised his army on the European model with Persian words of command. He took the help of the French officers to train his soldiers.
• He had 22 battleships and 20 large frigates.
• Tipu Sultan fought many battles and wars against the British East India Company, Marathas, rulers of Travancore, Carnatic, Malabar, Bednore, Kodagu etc.

Anglo-Mysore Wars:

• British saw Haidar and Tipu as ambitious, arrogant and dangerous – rulers who had to be controlled and crushed. Four wars were fought with Mysore.
• First Anglo Mysore War 1767-69:
  • Fought between the Kingdom of Mysore (under Hyder Ali) and the British East India Company, which also had the assistance of the Nizam of Hyderabad
  • First Anglo Mysore War ended with the Treaty of Madras.
• Second Anglo Mysore War 1780-84:
  • At the Battle of Porto Novo, Hyder Ali was defeated by British Commander Sir Eyre Coote.
  • The War came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Mangalore (Peace treaty) in 1784.
• Third Anglo-Mysore War 1790-92: Treaty of Seringapatam.
  • This war started when the ally of the British, the ruler of Travancore, was attacked by Tipu Sultan.
  • The war ended with the Treaty of Seringapatam (Shrirangapattana) in 1792.
  • Tipu was defeated and lost half of his dominion to the British.
• 1799: Subsidiary Alliance.
  • The Kingdom of Mysore was attacked from four different sides.
  • Northern part of Mysore saw the invasion of the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad.
  • The final battle, the Siege of Seringapatam, resulted in the complete defeat of Mysore Kingdom.
  • Tipu Sultan was killed defending his capital Seringapatam.
  • Mysore was placed under the former ruling dynasty of the Wodeyars and a subsidiary alliance was imposed on the state.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

With reference to ‘Tipu Sultan’, consider the following statements:

1. ‘Fathul Mujahidin’, a military manual explaining the operation of rockets, was commissioned under his reign.

2. He organised his army on the European model with Persian words of command

3. Tipu Sultan was killed in the first Anglo-Mysore War

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

Answer