Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace

Ian · 12th March 2005, 08:19 PM

In 2003 I had the privilege of visiting Srirangapatna, just outside Mysore in southern India, which was the chief city of Tipu Sultan who had held the British at bay for much of the second half of the 18th C.

Tipu Sultan (1750-1799) was a major aggravation to the British, and you can find a glowing biography of Tipu here: http://home.btconnect.com/tipusultan/biog.htm

Tiring of Tipu's successes against them, the British enlisted the aid of Mahratta forces, and finally overran Sriringapatna in 1799. Tipu was killed during the battle. The chief of the British Forces and architect of Tipu's defeat was General Cornwallis (yes, the same Cornwallis who was defeated by American revolutionary forces) and a key field commander was one Major Arthur Wellesley who later became the Duke of Wellington and defeated Napoleon at Waterloo (with a big assist from Blucher's Prussian forces).

Tipu's summer palace and the ruins of Sriringapatna are ongoing testimony to this ruler who, despite being a Muslim, was a secularist and did not persecute any religious groups under his control. A man who appreciated science, a skilled diplomat, consummate strategist, and excelelnt general, he gave the British all they could handle in southern India. It took a susbtantially superior force to defeat him.

Here is a picture of the man painted in about 1795.

12th March 2005, 08:19 PM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,137	Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace In 2003 I had the privilege of visiting Srirangapatna, just outside Mysore in southern India, which was the chief city of Tipu Sultan who had held the British at bay for much of the second half of the 18th C. Tipu Sultan (1750-1799) was a major aggravation to the British, and you can find a glowing biography of Tipu here: http://home.btconnect.com/tipusultan/biog.htm Tiring of Tipu's successes against them, the British enlisted the aid of Mahratta forces, and finally overran Sriringapatna in 1799. Tipu was killed during the battle. The chief of the British Forces and architect of Tipu's defeat was General Cornwallis (yes, the same Cornwallis who was defeated by American revolutionary forces) and a key field commander was one Major Arthur Wellesley who later became the Duke of Wellington and defeated Napoleon at Waterloo (with a big assist from Blucher's Prussian forces). Tipu's summer palace and the ruins of Sriringapatna are ongoing testimony to this ruler who, despite being a Muslim, was a secularist and did not persecute any religious groups under his control. A man who appreciated science, a skilled diplomat, consummate strategist, and excelelnt general, he gave the British all they could handle in southern India. It took a susbtantially superior force to defeat him. Here is a picture of the man painted in about 1795. Attached Images Last edited by Ian; 12th March 2005 at 09:10 PM.