Battle of Tiruvannamalai

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Battle of Tiruvannamalai
Part of the First Anglo-Mysore War
Date25 September 1767
Location
South India
Result Decisive East India Company victory
Belligerents
Mysore East India Company
Commanders and leaders
Hyder Ali Joseph Smith

The Battle of Tiruvannamalai is one of the two successful battles fought by the

Battle of Chengam. It was fought on 25 September 1767 between the allied forces led by the East India Company against the troops of Hyder Ali
. The allied forces of the English army were led by Colonel Smith.

The history of Tiruvannamalai revolves around the Annamalaiyar Temple. The recorded history of the city dates back to the ninth century, as seen from a Chola inscriptions in the temple. After switching hands from various ruling empires like

Vijayanagar Empire, the town came under the rule of Nawab during the mid of 18th century. Tiruvannamalai was a strategic location between the Northern and Southern Penna
rivers. The city was at a strategic crossroads during the Vijayanagara Empire, connecting sacred centers of pilgrimage and military routes.

Background

Image of Hyder Ali

The history of Tiruvannamalai revolves around the Annamalaiyar Temple. The recorded history of the city dates back to the ninth century, as seen from a Chola inscriptions in the temple.

Periyapuranam records both Appar and Sambandar worshiped Annamalaiyar in the temple.[4] The Chola Kings ruled over the region for more than four centuries, from 850 to 1280, and were temple patrons.[5]

The

Krishnadeva Raya (1509–1529), the most powerful Vijayanagara emperor, indicating further patronage.[3] The city of Tiruvannamalai was at a strategic crossroads during the Vijayanagara Empire, connecting sacred centers of pilgrimage and military routes.[8] There are inscriptions that show the area as an urban center before the precolonial period, with the city developing around the temple, similar to the Nayak ruled cities like Madurai.[8][9]

Incidents leading to the war

During the early eighteenth century, the entire Indian subcontinent was under the control of the

Wodeyar dynasty, control of Mysore had in 1761 come into the hands of Hyder Ali, a Muslim military leader.[11] Each of these powers intrigued with and against the others, and sought to draw the power of the French and British colonial companies to serve their objectives. The colonial powers sought to influence the local powers to gain either direct control of territory, or the revenues from territory nominally controlled by a local ruler beholden to them for financial and military support. Since European military training was significantly better than local practices, small numbers of disciplined European or European-trained forces could defeat significantly larger Indian armies composed mainly of poorly trained infantry and cavalry.[12]

The battle

Annamalaiyar Temple in Tiruvannamalai
, around which the history of the city revolves

The Battle of Tiruvannamalai is one of the two successful battles fought by the

Battle of Chengam.[13] The allied forces of Hyder Ali were invaded by the British Army under Colonel Smith in Chengam on 3 September 1767. The English Army had an upper hand in the battle. A second battle, the Battle of Tiruvannamalai took place on 25 September 1767 that lasted 2 days.[14]

It was fought on 25 September 1767 between the troops of East India Company and troops of Hyder Ali. The allied forces of the English army was led by Colonel Smith.[13] The Nawab's army lost 4,000 men and 64 guns in the battle. After a brief tussle for a couple of years, Tipu Sultan captured Tiruvannamalai.[14] During the battle, Hyder Ali sent a message to his son Tipu Sultan who was at that time opposed by an English army under Col. Todd and Major Fitzerald. Tipu was successful in meeting and rescuing his father near Vaniyambadi.[15]

After losing the battle, Hyder Ali offered peace with the British Army, which was denied. He then collated all his army and had another fight that led him close to capture of Madras within a distance of 5 miles. The British had a peace treaty during April 1769 with the status quo ante bellum. The treaty also laid terms for mutual aid and end of defensive alliance.[16] During the later period of 1791, the town was raged many times by the British and the Muslim rulers. The British used the temple as a stock house for storing war instruments and canons on account of the impenetrable fort like structure of the temple.[17] Historians believe that the defeats at the Battle of Chengam and the Battle of Tiruvannamalai and further denial of peace by the East India Company, lead to distrust between his son Tipu Sultan and British, which lead to the Anglo-Mysore Wars.[18]

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Tiruvannamali Historical moments". Tiruvannamalai Municipality. 2011. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  2. ^ Southern Circle (1903). Epigraphy. Madras: Archaeological Survey of India. p. 5.
  3. ^ a b Mack 2008, pp. 88–90
  4. ^ "Arunachaleswarar Thirukoil". Government of Tamil Nadu. 2012. Archived from the original on 24 September 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  5. ISBN 81-206-0151-3
    .
  6. ISBN 81-206-0536-5
    .
  7. ^ Mack 2008, p. 82
  8. ^ a b Mack 2008, pp. 71–72
  9. ^ "Tiruvannamalai – About the town". Tiruvannamalai Municipality. 2011. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  10. ^ Bowring 1899, pp. 19–23
  11. ^ Bowring 1899, p. 33
  12. ^ Duff 1878, pp. 607–608
  13. ^ a b Tritton 2013, pp. 90-91
  14. ^ a b Illustrated guide to Southern Railway 1900, p. 304
  15. ISBN 9789351186076
    .
  16. ^ Tucker 2009, p. 794
  17. JSTOR 44147741
    – via JSTOR.
  18. ISBN 9789382573470
    .

References

External links

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