Tipu Sultan
Ruler of Mysore who fought the British East India Company
- Lived
- 47 yrs
- 1751 – 1799
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Tipu Sultan was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1782 to 1799 and one of the East India Company’s most determined opponents. Known as the Tiger of Mysore, he modernised his army, used iron-cased rockets and died defending his capital, Seringapatam. His legacy remains contested.
Biography
Son of Hyder Ali
Tipu was the son of Hyder Ali, a military commander who took control of Mysore. Trained in warfare from youth, he fought alongside his father in the First and Second Anglo-Mysore Wars and succeeded him in 1782.
Wars with the British
Tipu sought alliances with France against the British. He ended the Second Anglo-Mysore War on favourable terms in 1784, but in the Third (1790–92) a British alliance with the Marathas and Hyderabad forced him to give up half his kingdom and hand over two of his sons as hostages.
Moderniser
He introduced a new calendar, coinage and weights and measures, encouraged silk production and trade, and built up an army equipped with iron-cased rockets that alarmed British troops and later inspired the British Congreve rocket. His love of tigers is reflected in Tipu’s Tiger, a mechanical organ showing a tiger mauling a European soldier, now in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum.
Death and legacy
In the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, Tipu was killed defending Seringapatam on 4 May 1799. He is celebrated by many as an anti-colonial hero, while others criticise his forced conversions and attacks on communities in Malabar, Coorg and Mangalore, making him a subject of political debate in India today.
Timeline
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1751
Born in Devanahalli, Kingdom of Mysore (now Karnataka)
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1751
Born at Devanahalli
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1782
Becomes ruler of Mysore
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1784
Treaty of Mangalore
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1792
Loses half his kingdom in the Third Anglo-Mysore War
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1799
Killed at Seringapatam
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1799
Died, aged 47
Did you know?
-
1
His rockets influenced British military rocketry.
-
2
A mechanical tiger he owned is displayed in London.
-
3
Two of his young sons were held hostage by the British.
Connections
Also born on 20 November
Frequently asked
Who is Tipu Sultan?
Tipu Sultan was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore from 1782 to 1799 and one of the East India Company’s most determined opponents. Known as the Tiger of Mysore, he modernised his army, used iron-cased rockets and died defending his capital, Seringapatam. His legacy remains contested.
When did Tipu Sultan die?
Tipu Sultan died on 4 May 1799 at the age of 47.
Where is Tipu Sultan from?
Tipu Sultan was born in Devanahalli, Kingdom of Mysore (now Karnataka).
What is Tipu Sultan known for?
Tipu Sultan is best known for The Anglo-Mysore Wars; Mysorean rockets; Tipu’s Tiger; death at Seringapatam.
References
- Tipu Sultan — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Tipu Sultan — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Tipu Sultan — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 27 October 2026.
- Tipu Sultan (Q10088) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 27 October 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Tipu Sultan”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 27 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Tipu Sultan.” TrackFame, last updated 28 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/tipu-sultan
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