Second Anglo Mysore War

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The present book entitled "Second Anglo-Mysore War, 1780-1784" attempts to review the causes, course and results of the war based on the contemporary records kept preserved in the archival repository of Tamil Nadu. The British had to wage four wars with Mysore, three with the Marathas, two with the Sikhs besides a few more with other powers, in order to establish their rule in India. Among these wars the Second Anglo-Mysore War was unique in the sense that it was fought at a time when the foundation of British rule was shaken to its base by the formidable confederacy of the principal local powers, Mysore, Marathas and the Nizam. It was also a time when England was embroiled in a war with her colonies in America and their allies the French, Spaniards, and the Dutch. While the English fought all other wars in their enemies' territories the Second Mysore War was fought practically in their territory, of which two third came under the control of Hyder, depriving them of their own resources. Though the Marathas and the Sikhs inflicted a few defeats on the English in their wars, those defeats were not as humiliating as Baillie's or Braithwaite's in the Second Mysore War. In spite of their victories over Hyder, the English were unable to reap the benefits and were mostly on the defensive. Even the death of Hyder in the midst of war had not brought any change in their position and before long they were forced by circumstances to ask for peace from Tipu Sultan.

Though the original accounts of Mysore Rulers are in nine languages-Persian, Kannada, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, English, French, Dutch and Portuguese, the sources pertaining to the war are chiefly the Madras Government Records kept preserved .

In the Tamil Nadu State Archives. The official documents give detailed account of the war. The view of M.M.D.L.T. that these records "were fabricated in India to deceive the English Government and afterwards arranged in Europe according to circumstances" seems uncharitable. Nevertheless there is a tendency in the records to magnify the English success in the war as grand victories and to dismiss their defeats as unfortunate tragedies, misfortunes etc. They are to be handled with caution.

**Contents and Sample Pages**