Q12. Which war ended with the death of Tipu Sultan?

(a) First Anglo-Mysore War

(b) Second Anglo-Mysore War

(c) Third Anglo-Mysore War

(d) Fourth Anglo-Mysore War

The correct Answer: (d) Fourth Anglo-Mysore War

The correct answer is the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799), which ended with the death of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of Mysore.

• The British East India Company saw Tipu Sultan as one of its strongest rivals in South India.
• Tipu had allied with the French, which alarmed the British, as they feared French influence in India.
• This led to the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War between 1798 and 1799, fought mainly around Seringapatam, the capital of Mysore.

Events of the war:

1. The British, led by Lord Wellesley, formed alliances with the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad against Tipu Sultan.
2. The British forces attacked Seringapatam in 1799.
3. After a fierce battle, the fort was stormed, and Tipu Sultan died defending his capital.

Consequences of the war:

• The death of Tipu Sultan marked the end of Mysore as a powerful independent state.
• Much of Mysore’s territory was divided between the British and their allies.
• A small portion of the kingdom was restored to the Wodeyar dynasty, but under British control.
• The victory strengthened British dominance in South India.

The death of Tipu Sultan in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War removed one of the last strong Indian rulers who had fiercely resisted British expansion. It was a decisive step towards the consolidation of British rule in India.