Tipu Sultan

Tipu Sultan: 1750-99 A.D. Tipu Sultan was the son of Haider Ali and Fakhr-un-Nissa born on 20th November 1750 A.D. at Devanahalli. Haider Ali named his son after a great Sufi saint namely Tipu Mastan Aulia.

Academic & Military Education

Though Haider Ali was an illiterate, he gave good education to his son Tipu Sultan. He was well versed in Kannada, Urdu, Persian, and Arabic languages. He received military education from Ghazi-Khan who was a great warrior and also a military officer in the army of Haider Ali. Apart from the formal education, he got military education, participating in the wars that were fought by his father. Tipu Sultan helped his father both in the First and the Second Mysore Wars. He was also a brave soldier and great general.

Ruler of Mysore

After the death of Haider Ali, Tipu Sultan was enthroned as the ruler of Mysore on 4th May 1783 A.D. in a simple ceremony at Bednur. He continued the Second Mysore War against the English. He defeated many English generals like Brithwhite & Col. Bailey. Tipu Sultan signed the treaty at Mangalore on 11th March 1784 A.D. which was known as the Mangalore treaty.The Mysore War

Tipu Sultan attacked the Raja of Travancore. In the first stage of the war (Third Mysore War : 1790-92 A.D.) General Medows and General Kolly planned the course of action. Medows tried to reach Mysore through Coimbatore. Kolly was supposed to reach Bangalore through Baramahal District. But he died without achieving anything. Medows efforts were checked by Tipu Sultan at Sathyamangalam and then he recaptured the places which were occupied by Medows. In the initial stages, Tipu Sultan gained upper hand over the English. But in the Second half he suffered a humiliating defeat.

Cornwallis's Effort

Lord Cornwallis arrived at Madras to command the army personally against Tipu Sultan. He decided to march on Bangalore. Though Tipu tried his best, he could not stop the English march against Bangalore. Cornwallis reached Bangalore through Kolar and Hosakote and captured the fort and the city on 20th March 1791 A.D. The fort was known as the second best fort at that time in Mysore region.

After the proper arrangements, Cornwallis marched against Srirangapatna. It was because of the sickness which broke out both in men and animals, and outburst of Monsoon and shortage of essential commodities, the English army returned to the barracks.

A Setback

Operations against Srirangapatna started once again early in 1792 A.D. The English army marched against the fort and arrived in the sight of the fortress on the l6th Feb. 1792 A.D. On the same night, the operations started and the English pushed Tipu's force to the fort and captured the island except the fort. Helplessly Tipu proposed the peace treaty and accepted the terms dictated by Lord Cornwallis. They signed the treaty on 23rd Feb. 1792 A.D. As per the treaty, Tipu agreed to surrender half of his territory to the English and pay three crores thirty lakhs of rupees as war indemnity to the English.

ON PUNISHMENT FOR CRIMES

"Flogging and whipping - be they to extract confessions or punishment, are repugnant to humanity and reason, They do not achieve their purpose. They degrade the victim. They dishonour the person in whose name they are ordered".
-- Tipu Sultan.
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TIPU'S CODE OF LAW AND CONDUCT OF 1787 STATED

"To quarrel with our subjects is to go to war with ourselves. They are our shield and our buckles; and it is they who furnish us with all things. Reserve the hostile strength of our empire exclusively for its foreign enemies".
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"One reason that history repeats itself is tha so many people were not listening first time."
--Margaret Hussey.

Since he could not pay war indemnity in full, he accepted to send his second and third sons namely Abdul Khaliq and Maiz-Uddin aged 10 and 8 respectively as hostages till he would pay the war indemnity. He paid the balance amount after two years and received his sons in 1794 A.D. at Devanahalli. His Efforts Towards Building Allies After the Third Mysore war, Tipu Sultan sent envoys to Persia, France and Afghanistan to seek help from them in fighting against the English. He contacted Napolean Bonaparte also. Though he accepted to help Tipu against the English because of his failure against the English, he could not keep his word. He planned a holy war against the English along with Afghanistan. This failed because of the timely action of Wellesley. Considering these strategies of Tipu Sultan, Wellesley wrote a letter to Tipu Sultan on 8th of Nov. 1798 A.D. complaining that Tipu was working against the treaty of Srirangapatna. And he suggested to resolve the problems through discussion. Wellesley's suggestions were ignored by Tipu. And so the English declared a war against Tipu Sultan. Fight to Death General Harris left Vellore on llth Feb. 1799 A.D. with 37,000 men for Mysore, General Stuart marched from Bombay with 6400 men through Coorg towards Mysore. Tipu attempted to obstruct the march of Stuart towards Srirangapatna which was his capital at Siddheswar pass on 5th March but suffered a defeat. He also tried to intercept the march of Harris near Malavalli on 27th March but failed. On 4th May, 1799 A.D. Srirangapatna.was seized by the English after killing Tipu Sultan in the Fourth Mysore War. QURAN & VEDAS "The Quran requires you to say to people of scripture: We believe in that which has been revealed into us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is one and unto him we surrender. We hold this God-given law dear to our heart, based as it is on human dignity; reason and brotherhood of man. With reverence we have also read the Vedas of the Hindus. They proclaim their faith in universal unity and express the belief that God is one although He bears many names." -- Tipu Sultan. "....Religious tolerance is the fundamental tenet of the Holy Quran". The Quran calls upon you not to revile the idols of another religion for it says: revile not those unto whom they pray beside Allah lest they wrongfully revile Allah through ignorance. The Quran expects you to vie with each other in good works and saus for each we have appointed a divine law and a traced out way. Had Allah willed he could have made you one community...so vie one with another in good works". --Tipu Sultan's Declaration, 1787 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- LIFE OF A TIGER BETTER THAN THAT OF A JACKAL "By what right do I commend my men to die for my cause if I should be afraid to lay down my own life ? In the face of a common calamity, is the King to escape sacrifice and suffering ? And why should I prolong the hours then there is no more profit in them ? I should only make myself ridiculous in the eyes of others and of my own - if I cling to life needlessly. Would you advice a Tiger to follow the life-style of a jackal; Would you ?" -- Tipu Sultan --------------------------------------------------------------------------- IMPORTANCE OF LAW From Tipu Sultan's proclamation in 1786. "No man shall be punished save in accordance with law. The law of immemorial custom and as enshrined in our traditions shall be honoured by us. So that people may know the extent and the rigour of the law, as also their rights, duties, obligations and responsibilities. We have decided that codification of law be undertaken... Accordingly, we have established a committee of Ministers.........." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LOOTING FORBIDEN From Tipu Sultan's decree in 17 83, repeated in 1785, 1787 and possibly more often. ".....Looting a conquered enemy enriches a few; impoverishes the nations and dishonours the entire army. War must be linked tobattlefields. Do not carry it to innocent civilians. Honour their children and the infirm."PROHIBITION FOR ECONOMIC AND MORAL WELL-BEING. Tipu's memorandum to Mir Sadiq,1787 "......This is a matter in which we must be undeterred and undaunted by financial considerations. Total prohibition is very near to my heart. It is not a question of religion alone. We must think of the economic well being and the moral height of our people and the need to build the character of your youth. I appreciate your concern for immediate financial loss but should we not look ahead? Is the gain to our treasury to be rated higher than the health and morality of our people...." --------------------------------------------------------------------------- NO SLAVERY OF ANY KIND. " 'Since receiving that letter, I have heard that frequently such labour is being requinsitioned by Amildars either on their own or at the request or several departments. Therefore, I say this to you, let strict instructions be issued forthwith, for I see in such a practice the beginnings of a system slavery'. 'There can be no glory or achievements if the foundation of our places, roads and dams are mingled with the tears and blood of humanity'....." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TIPU'S METHOD OF PUNISHMENT FOR OFFENCES "The Ryots of your district, when convicted of offences, are at present fined by the government. It is ordered that in future these offences shall be commuted; and that the offender in place of every pagoda of the fine adjudged against him, shall plant 2 Mango trees, and 2 trees of the large jamun in front of his village and to water and tend them till they are the height of 3 Derras. This order is to be inserted in the Regulation of the districts". --The Mysorean Revenue Regulations : No. 126SALE OF ABANDONED GIRLS AND ORPHANS DECREED UNLAWFUL "Formerly it has been a practice for the Amil and officers of government and other people ti purchase and sell abandoned girls and orphans children, etc., There are not to sold abroad, or to be budged in the Devasthana but are to be collected together for Government". -- Regulations No.102 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- K R S DAM ON THE CAUVERY RIVER This dam is being constructed by the Khudadad Government... Any one brings under cultivation any uncultivated land and grows crops, vegetables or fruits by irrigating it with water from this dam will be given all encouragement and concessions.. the newly cultivated land shall belong to the cultivator and his descendants.. and no one shall dispossess him. -- Inscription on the foundation stone on K.R.S. Dam on the Cauvery River. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- AGRICULTURE "Agriculture is the life-blood of the nation. This land, rich and fertile, will reward those that work on it. Famine and want are either the result of sloth and ignorance or of corruption". --Tipu's circular to al Amildars, 1788. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

'Marquess Cornwallis receiving the sons of Tipu Sultan as hostages'