Tipu Sultan Biography: Tipu Sultan, also known as Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, was the monarch of the Mysore kingdom in southern India. In this article, we will examine the various facets of Tipu Sultan’s life, including his birth, early years, rule of Mysore, conflicts with the British, and death.
Tipu Sultan Biography
Origins and Early Years
Tipu Sultan was born on November 20th, 1750. Tipu Sultan was born in Devanahalli, a rural district of Bengaluru located 33 kilometres north of the metropolis of Bengaluru. He actual name was Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab, and he was named after the Arcot saint Tipu Mastan Aulia. Hyder Ali was the military officer who served the kingdom of Mysore before becoming the province’s de facto governor in 1761. He was the father of Tipu Sultan.
Fatima Fakhr-un-Nisa was Tipu Sultan’s mother. Even though Hyder Ali was illiterate, he made certain that his eldest son received a prince’s education and early exposure to the military and politics. Tipu Sultan’s early education included instruction in Arabic, Urdu, Persian, and Kannada. Tipu Sultan also received instruction in the Quran, Islamic law, marksmanship, fencing, and horseback riding from competent instructors appointed by Hyder Ali.
He was only 17 years old when he was given command of crucial military and diplomatic missions. Tipu Sultan was his father’s right-hand man in battle, which aided Hyder Ali in capturing the thrones of southern India.
Career
Tipu Sultan was a French officer who accompanied his father during the First Mysore War in 1766 and commanded a cavalry corps during the Carnatic invasion in 1767. During the First Anglo-Maratha War of 1775–1779 and the Second Anglo-Mysore War of 1775–1779, he distinguished himself. He had a short neck, square shoulders, large, full eyes, tiny, arched eyebrows, and an aquiline nose. He defeated Colonel William Baillie at the Battle of Pollilur and Colonel Braithwaite at Annagudi near Tanjore during the Second Anglo-Mysore War. In December 1781, he also effectively captured Chittur from the British.
Before Hyder Ali’s death on 6 December 1782, Tipu Sultan had acquired sufficient military experience. On 22 December 1782, he ascended to the throne of Mysore and forged alliances with the Marathas and the Mughals to thwart the British. The Second Mysore War ended with the Treaty of Mangalore in 1784. Tipu crowned himself Badshah or Emperor of Mysore in 1780 and issued coins. Mysore and the Marathas engaged in the Siege of Nargund in February 1785, the Siege of Badami in May 1786, the Siege of Adoni in June 1786, the Battle of Gajendragad in June 1786, the Battle of Savanur in October 1786, and the Siege of Bahadur Benda in January 1787.
In March of 1787, the Treaty of Gajendragad ended the conflict between Tipu Sultan and the Maratha Empire. Tipu agreed to pay the Maratha Empire tribute arrears for four years, release Kalopant, return Adoni, Kittur, and Nargund to their former rulers, and cede Badami to the Maratha Empire. The Maratha Empire provided assistance to the East India Company during the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War.
Family of Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan had diverse wives including Khadija Zaman Begum, Ruqayya Banu, and Sindh Sahiba. Tipu Sultan had 16 sons including Shahzada Sayyid walShareef Hyder Ali Khan Sultan, Shahzada Sayyid walShareef Abdul Khaliq Khan Sultan, Shahzada Sayyid walShareef Muhi-ud-din Ali Khan Sultan, Shahzada Sayyid walShareef Mu’iz-ud-din Ali Khan Sultan, Shahzada Sayyid walShareef Muhammad Subhan Khan Sultan, and Shahzada Sayyid walShareef Muhammad Yasin Khan Sultan amongst others.
Ashok Gehlot Biography: Age, Birthday, Early Life, Education, Political Career
The Death of Tipu Sultan
In 1799, three armies marched into Mysore; two of these armies originated from the United Kingdom and one originated from Bombay. Tipu Sultan’s forces numbered approximately 30,000, while the British East India Company had over 26,000 soldiers.
It was the treachery of Tipu Sultan’s brother-in-law, who collaborated with the British and weakened the fortifications, thereby facilitating the British’s advance. French military advisors advised Tipu Sultan to evacuate, but he refused and was killed at Srirangapatna Fort. His cadaver was interred at the Gumbaz next to his father’s grave.
